Irish art objects, illustrating the development of Irish arts and crafts from the earliest days to the present will be shown at the Fogg Art Museum of Harvard University in an exhibition on loan from the Irish government opening next Monday, and continuing until Saturday , February 15.

The exhibition contains nearly one hundred objects dating back as early as 1500 B.C. belonging to the Irish National Museum, Royal Irish Academy. Royal Dublin Society and the Bank of Ireland. This is one of the most comprehensive Irish exhibits ever displayed in this area.

Maces From Erin

Outstanding pieces shown are two huge silver gift ceremonial maces, once the official symbols of the office of the Lord Chancellor in the Irish Parliament, disbanded in 1800.

The oldest object is a thin, hammered gold collar or lunula dating back to 1500 RC.

Included in the early Irish material are the heavy from swords and axes left behind by the Vikings in their raids of the 8th to 10th centuries A.D. A variety of examples of native bronze or iron axes swords, trumpets and jewelry are shown several of them highly decanted.

Illustrative of the great tradition of Irish medieval religious art, there are replicas of the famous brass shrine of the Bell of St. Patrick, of the beautiful processional Cross of Cong. of the Ardagh Brooch, the Book Shrine of St. Molaise, the Crozier of Lismore, and the Misach Book Shrine.

From the shops of the famed Irish silver and glass artisans of later years, in the 17th and 18th centuries, are handsome silver tableware, bowls, dishes, goblets, and candlesticks.

One of the most prized objects is the decorative silver gift bowl of Monteith, dated 1704