Bronze Gallic bracelet of the 3rd or 2nd century BC from the Bucquoy necropolis
This bronze bracelet, discovered in the Celtic necropolis of Bucquoy in the department of Val-d'Oise, is an outstanding example of Gallic jewellery-making. The ornament dates from the 3rd or 2nd century BC and belongs to the heyday of the La Tène culture.
The piece is distinguished by intricate sculptural decoration with characteristic raised swellings, which create an effect of continuous movement. Massive bracelets of this kind were an important element of the dress of noble Gallic women. The presence of such an expensive object in a burial points directly to the high social standing of the deceased and reflects the importance of funerary rituals among the Celts.
The find overturns old stereotypes about the barbarous character of the Gauls, demonstrating their consummate mastery of metallurgy and a unique aesthetic sense