* Began around 2500BC in the Middle East *Arrived in Europe and Ireland around 2000BC Bronze is made up of mostly copper and a small bit of tin.

The Beaker People Pottery dating to 2000BC was found in Europe. It has a “beaker” shape. This pottery was very different to what was found before, so archaeologists called these people “Beaker People” Archaeologists believe the Beaker People brought the Bronze Age to Ireland around 2000BC.

Beaker pottery

A replica drawing of beaker potter found buried in some cist grave. Why do you think the beaker people buried their dead with pottery??!

Copper Mining Archaeologists found Copper mines at Mount Gabriel, Co. Cork. Copper was mined from the rock by the Beaker People. It was then separated from the rock through smelting. The liquid iron ore was then mixed with tin and put into a stone mould – casting. Ignots were small moulds Smiths carried around with them to work in different places. People who worked with metal were called Smiths.

Jewellery Bronze Age jewellery has been found in hoards around the country. It was made from gold found in the Sperrin mt.s, Co. Derry & Wicklow mt.s. A hoard is large amounts of jewellery, weapons and tools buried under the ground for safe keeping. Archaeologists believe smiths may have buried their goods to keep them safe. The Broighter Hoard was discovered in Co. Derry (1896). It had gold and bronze jewellery: torcs, lunulae, gold collars, dress fasteners and a small gold boat were found.

Farming and Housing Farming was the same as the Neolithic people. Used stone & wooden tools. Grain cut with a bronze sickle & ground with a saddle / quern stone. Archaeologists found horse bones for the first time. Bronze age farmers also kept cattle, pigs & sheep. Houses were made of thatched roofs, wattle and daub walls. They were circular in shape & had wooden & stone walls for protection. Evidence of these houses found in Co. Tipperary and Co. Cork

Food and Cooking The Bronze Age people had same diet as Neolithic People, meat and bread. New method of cooking meat. A Fulacht Fia was used by the Bronze Age people to cook meat. Fulacht Fia means “Deer roast”

How to cook Bronze Age style! 1) Dig a pit near a river bank, line it with wood and fill it with river water. 2) Light a fire beside the pit and heat up large stones. 3) Put the large stones into the pit in order to make the water boil. 4) wrap some meat in straw and leave it in the water to cook. 5) Make sure you keep the water hot by adding more hot stones!

Drombeg Co. Cork Meat wrapped in straw Hot stones

Burial Customs Bronze Age people (like the Neolithic's) built megalithic tombs. These tombs differed to the previous ones. There are 3 main types: Cist tomb Wedge tomb Stone Circles

Cist Graves: A rectangular pit dug in the ground and lined with stones. Some bodies found in these tombs were bent over and lay on there side. Some bodies had been cremated. Grave was covered with a large stone slab. Bodies were buried with artefacts (they believed in an afterlife) In Co. Galway, cist grave found with ladies body, a deer's body and a horse’s body. What do you think this suggests?

Cist grave, Castlecomber, Co. Kilkenny What excavation tool can you see in the picture?

Wedge Tombs Built with large flat stones. The front is wider than the back, giving them a “Wedge Shape” Bodies cremated & ashes put in urns. Often belongings in the grave also. They are the most common type of tomb found in Ireland from the Bronze Age. Similar tombs found in Brittany, northern France. What does this tell us about the Bronze Age people??

Wedge tomb, The Burren, Co. Clare

Standing Stones Stone circles, standing stones &stone rows. Standing stones in a circle shape. Stones aligned with the movements of the sun. (What does this tell use about Bronze Age people?!) Sometimes remains found in centre of the stone circle, but not often. Archaeologists think they were used for ceremonial purposes or calendars, rather that burial grounds.

Drombeg Stonecircle, Co. Cork What do you think archaeologists suggest this stone circle was used for? Why?