Bronze Age Flashcards
What were the people in the Bronze Age called?
These people were called the beaker people because of the shape of the pottery that they made.
When was the Bronze Age?
2000BC - 500BC
How do you make bronze?
Rock containing copper was broken and smelted over a fire.
Smelted copper and tin (from England) were mixed and poured into a mould
What is smelting?
The act of separating the copper from rock is called smelting, it was done by using intense heat from fires to separate the copper.
What did the beaker people use bronze for?
It was used to make axes, arrowheads, spear heads, and the first swords
What are smiths?
The people who created objects from metal were called smiths, they used the technique of casting to create moulds in rocks in the shape of tools, weapons and jewellery.
Where was a large copper mine found?
Mount Gabriel, Co. Cork
What jewellery did the beaker people make?
Torc: gold twisted into bracelets and necklaces
Lunala: thin moon shaped necklace
What was the beaker people’s farming like?
The same as Neoloithic except they had horses
What did the beaker people use to cook?
- Fulacht fiadh was an ancient cooking place
- Dug near a river, so it would fill with water
- Lined with stone slabs
- Rocks are heated in a fire and put in the water to boil it
- Cooked meat wrapped in straw
What were the beaker people’s houses like?
Same as Neolithic (wattle and daub)
What tombs did the beaker people have?
Cist graves and wedge tombs
What is a cist tomb/grave?
Rectangular pit lined with stone slabs
Person buried in crouched position with goods such as food and weapons
What was a wedge tomb?
They were built with large flat stones and were higher and wider in the front than the back (like a wedge)
