[Illustration: CAST OF METAL OBJECT (LOCALITY UNKNOWN) FROM THE ALBERT WAY COLLECTION; NOW IN THE MUSEUM OF THE SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES, BURLINGTON HOUSE, LONDON] [Illustration: COVER OF THE STOWE MISSAL IN THE MUSEUM OF THE ROYAL IRISH ACADEMY, DUBLIN (A.D. 1023 TO 1052)] Although, as we have just seen, the introduction of Christianity into Britain did not immediately affect the native Pagan art to any appreciable extent, yet as soon as the Saxons were converted and communication with the Continent became easier and therefore more frequent, an entirely new style of decoration came into existence with extraordinary rapidity. The flamboyant designs of the Late-Celtic period were modified by combining them with the closely coiled spiral of the Bronze Age, and several new motives, such as interlaced-work, key-patterns, zoömorphs, and foliage, were introduced from foreign sources. At the same time a complete revolution took place in the class of objects to the decoration of which the skill of the artificer was applied. The priest took the place of the warrior as the patron of the fine arts, and monopolised all the available time of the metalworker and enameller in making beautiful vessels for the service of the church. Then, too, with Christianity came the art of writing and illuminating ecclesiastical MSS., which was unknown to the Pagan Celt. The influence of the draughtsman upon other arts was now possible for the first time, and the introduction of MSS. soon worked far-reaching changes. Fresh motives could be more easily transferred from one art centre to another, and decorative designs could be combined and elaborated in a way that was impossible when working in such intractable materials as metal or stone instead of drawing on parchment with a facile pen. The new Celtic style of the Christian period soon took a definite shape, and after the patterns had been fully developed in the illuminated MSS. they were afterwards applied to decorative work in stone and metal. GENERAL NATURE OF THE MATERIALS AVAILABLE FOR THE STUDY OF CELTIC ART OF THE CHRISTIAN PERIOD IN GREAT BRITAIN The materials available for the study of Celtic Art of the Christian period may be divided into four classes, namely:— (1) Illuminated MSS. (2) Sculptured Stones. (3) Metalwork. (4) Leatherwork, Woodwork, and Bonework.