The ancient Irish Celts were skilled craftsmen and were known for their elaborate and ornate metalwork, including jewelry. They made a wide variety of types of jewelry, including necklaces, bracelets, rings, and brooches, using a range of materials such as gold, silver, bronze, and copper.
One of the skills that the Celts were particularly known for was their ability to work with gold. They used a variety of techniques to create intricate and detailed pieces, including filigree, granulation, and repoussé. Filigree involved creating delicate, lace-like patterns using thin wires of gold or other precious metals. Granulation involved attaching small beads or granules of gold to a surface using tiny beads of molten metal as a kind of "glue". Repoussé involved hammering gold or other metal from the reverse side to create raised designs on the surface.
The Celts also made use of enameling techniques to add color to their jewelry. Enameling involves applying a layer of colored glass-like material to the surface of the metal and heating it until it becomes fused to the metal. This allowed the Celts to create pieces with a wide range of colors and patterns.
In addition to these techniques, the Celts also made use of gemstones in their jewelry. They would set gemstones into gold or other metal settings and use them to add color and sparkle to their pieces. They were particularly skilled at creating intricate settings for gemstones, using techniques such as bezel setting, in which the gemstone is held in place by a rim of metal, and prong setting, in which the gemstone is held in place by metal prongs.
Overall, the Celts were highly skilled craftsmen who made use of a range of techniques to create beautiful and intricate pieces of jewelry. Their work was highly sought after by other cultures, and their legacy can still be seen in the intricate metalwork and jewelry that I craft today.