The Bronze Age in Ireland

Dun Aengus Bronze Age Fort

The Bronze Age is the name given to the period of Prehistory that is sandwiched between the Stone Age and the Iron Age. The Bronze Age in Ireland is estimated to have begun about 4500 years ago and lasted until approximately 2700 years ago. We can assume that a new group of settlers landed in Ireland with the new technology of metal working and mining. (Ryan M, (ed.) Irish Archaeology Illustrated, p 65) “Beaker Folk” is a term given to this group, due to their distinctive pottery. Examples of Beaker pottery and evidence of copper working are found simultaneously at sites throughout Western Europe. (Ryan. M, p69). There was no large influx of Beaker settlers to Ireland, but small groups may have arrived on prospecting missions. (Mitchell. F, The Irish Landscape, p145-146) These prospectors would later settle, co-exist and finally assimilate with the existing Neolithic peoples and pass on the knowledge of metal working and mining. It is thought that the first instances of metal use in Ireland were the hammering of nuggets of copper and gold, found openly (Gold Mines River Co. Wicklow), into shape. 

The Neolithic settlers would have had to search for suitable outcrops of rock to fashion their stone tools indicating some knowledge of geology. So too the Beaker Folk had the arduous task of finding copper seams. Trawling through the countryside in search of that illusive bright green (Malachite) or bright blue (azurite) seams of copper. (Mitchell, F, p146) These prospectors found gold in Co. Wicklow and copper in Co. Cork. A monumental task considering vegetation covered the majority of the Irish landscape at the time. Mount Gabriel in Co. Cork was the biggest copper mine in the country and this seam was not significantly mined until around 3600 years ago, approximately 500 years after the arrival of the first prospectors. The knowledge of Geology that this culture possessed was vast, as the copper seams in Munster were grey (fahlerz). Smelting this ore resulted in a harder type of copper due to its richness in arsenic, antimony, and silver. (O`Kelly. M. J, Early Ireland 1989, p 152)

Extraction of the copper at Mount Gabriel was another example of the hard work and dedication of these people. When a seam was discovered on a rock face a fire would be set to heat and expand the rock. Then water would be doused on the surface quenching the fire and contracting the rock. This would cause the rock to crack and weaken structurally allowing the miners to hammer at it with stone. This action would break off chunks of the copper seam. The chunks were then hammered further to break the ore into small enough pieces for smelting. At Mount Gabriel there is evidence of a large mining enterprise however smelting seems to have taken place elsewhere.

Due to the copper ore being rich in arsenic, making it almost as hard a bronze after smelting, our requirement for tin was minimal. This was advantageous to the earlier metal workers, eliminating the need for trade missions to source tin. We know that Irish copper tools were being exported at this time. An Halberd was found in Norfolk in England and the copper came from Ireland. (Ryan. M, p75) We also exported gold products and we can also trace 81 of the 100+ gold Lunulae found in Western Europe back to Ireland. (Ryan. M, p83).

One use for the Halberd

Halberd`s are an interesting phenomenon  as we cannot find any use for them other than inflicting injury, be it to a person or an animal. We could hypothesise for years on their use but it is safe to say that they were weapons. Apart from short bladed daggers these seem to be the only weapons produced in the earlier Bronze Age. (Molloy. B, 2008 p2).

An impression of the Santorini Volcano eruption

The 16^th Century BC sees monumental change throughout civilisation in Europe. The Santorini Volcano erupted in what is considered to be the largest eruption in recorded history. The Tsunami that followed the collapse of the volcanoes core into the Mediterranean is estimated at being 200m in height. The Ash cloud rose 35km high and spread over a radius of 800 km. This eruption is thought to have eliminated the Minoan culture of Crete, and could even have been responsible for the plaques of Egypt that are recorded in the bible. Temperatures plummeted and crops failed all over Europe. (Holden. J, An Introduction to Physical Geography and the Environment, 2005, p 109-110) What a catastrophe to befell an entire continent steeped in superstitious beliefs, and the worship of many Gods? In my opinion this event was responsible for the first armies to be assembled.

It is in the 16^th Century BC that weapons started to be first produced. We find our earliest example of a shield at Kilmahamogue Co. Antrim from this time. Concurrently we find that daggers have been lengthened to items called “Dirks” and even longer “Rapiers”. We also see the Mines at Mount Gabriel begin excavating copper. The Tin mines in Cornwall are operating for about 500 years at this point, so it is relatively safe to assume that tin was being traded from Cornwall to make the even stronger bronze. 

Bronze Age shield found at Lough Gur, Co. Limerick

As the skill of the weapons manufacturers increased we find the rapier of 1600 BC elongating into a sword by about 1200 BC. This is due to developments in casting techniques, however, there is a valid argument that martial requirement drove the technology forwards, (Molloy. B, p5) as seen recently with the development of the transistor. The transistor was developed to replace the electronic valve to make radio communications more mobile, like the sword evolved to increase the distance between combatants. 

Irish Bronze Age Gold work

Around 1200 BC the goldsmiths of Ireland started to produce some fantastically ornate items of Jewellery. The highly elaborate “torc” which required large quantities of gold were twisted into shape to produce a necklace in a spiral form. A grand example of one of these “torcs” was discovered at Tipper Co. Kildare. (Ryan. M, p 83) The “torcs” and other ornaments of the person are highly elaborate compared to the earlier “Lunulae” which albeit impressive are not as highly crafted. It is interesting to note that the probable inspiration for the shape of the “torc” was from the Mediterranean. (Ryan. M, p 83) 

Lunula in Gold

Torc in Gold

As the Bronze Age progressed and as influences came and went, the craftsmanship of the Irish goldsmith increased dramatically. The gold work of this period in terms of quantity, quality and variety are unrivaled by any other culture in Europe. (Ryan. M, p 84)

The goldsmiths in Ireland during the Bronze Age were allowed to develop their craft so much so that their quality was without peer. This could only happen during a period of relative peace, generation passing knowledge to generation without interruption. The later Bronze Age saw the Mediterranean fall into many wars. Was Ireland the producer of arms for the Mediterranean conflicts? Was it copper from Mount Gabriel fused with tin traded by the Phoenicians at Cornwall that produced the sword that struck down Hector at Troy?

A Bronze Age Settlement