A study of the form, function & mystery of these Christian monuments scattered across Ireland.

An exciting new account of Irish high crosses This landmark study of Irish high crosses focuses on the carvings of an unnamed artist, the "Muiredach Master," whose monuments--completed in the early years of the 10th century--deserve a place alongside the Book of Kells as great works of their time. Drawing on a wealth of recent research, Roger Stalley describes in vivid detail how the crosses were made, where they were carved, and how they were lifted into place. His lively prose situates the works in their context, identifying patrons and exploring their motives, as well as venturing to understand what the crosses may have meant to those who gazed at them a millennium ago. In doing so, Stalley rejects preconceived notions about the imagery of the crosses, including the extent to which they were inspired by images from abroad.

This 111 page book is a guide for locating and interpreting the High Crosses of Ireland. The book provides background information on the creation of the High Crosses and includes many illustrations and maps. The author is an archeologist and art historian, and has written extensively on Ireland's stone heritage.

This detailed account of Irish archaeological and archival evidence is presented in a clear and consise manner. There are chapters on cult objects, shrines, round towers, relics, Ogham stones, sundials, bullauns, cursing stones, and holed stones.

A brief history of Irish art masterpieces offers many fine illustrations.

A generously illustrated collection, The Insular Tradition explores the various ways in which tradition becomes part of our definition of insular culture and cultural history. The essays are the outcome of a conference held within the Medieval Academy of America meeting at Kalamazoo in 1991. Scholars from America, Scandinavia, Britain, and Ireland came together to discuss the latest research on the remarkable Christian art which flourished among the Celtic and Anglo-Saxon peoples in the Early Medieval Period. New discoveries and a renewed research interest are shedding light on the splendid manuscript illuminations, sculpture, and metalwork of the time. Historical sources are reanalyzed and, together with modern approaches to interpretation, provide fascinating new insights into the social, economic, and spiritual background of the creative artists. This book presents a number of challenging reinterpretations of landmark achievements such as the Book of Kells, the Irish High Crosses, and the enigmatic symbolic and decorative systems of the Pictish people of Scotland. The contributors discuss the processes of creativity, the way in which influences are transmitted, the cross-fertilization of the arts in different media, and the role of trade and exchange and of the patron. Extensive illustrations, some of them difficult to source elsewhere, and comprehensive up-to-date bibliographies make the volume especially useful to those wishing to find a suitable point of entry into this expanding and ever-changing field.