Chapter 2: Ancient Ireland Flashcards
What is the oldest settlement to be found in Ireland so far?
Mount Sandel, Co. Derry, the foundations of round-shaped huts were found there, they were found to be from 7000BC by carbon dating hazelnut shells
When did people arrive in Ireland and in what Age?
7000BC in the Middle Stone Age
From where and how did people come to Ireland from the first time, and where did they settle and why?
People came from Scotland and Whales in dugouts and they settled of the coast and on banks of rivers because Ireland was covered in a very dense forest at the time.
What were the first settlers called and why?
Hunter-gatherers because the hunted animals like birds, wild boar and fish, and gathered nuts and berries.
Describe their houses.
They were built from saplings which were bent into a round shape, and covered in animal skins. There was a hearth at the centre of the hut and a midden next to them.
Explain how they made their clothes.
- The skin was removed from the animal
- It was pinned to the ground and cleaned using as tone scraper.
- Holes were punched in the skin
- The skins were stitched together with bone needles.
Why did hunter-gatherers move from place to place?
They were in search of new food supplies
What were their tools like?
Their tools were made from small stones and pieces of Flint called microliths. Sharp stones were set into pieces of wood to make axes, spears and arrows.
How were Neolithic farmers different to the first settlers?
They grew crops, kept animals and did not move from place to place.
How did the first farmers prepare the land for crops, what did they grow and how did they grind them?
The cut down trees with stone axes, removed them and turned the soil using mattock or wooden ploughs. They grew wheat and barley and ground them by placing small amount in a hollow in a large stone and then grinding them with a smaller round stone called a quern.
What were their tools made from and how were they better?
They were made from polished stone which was stronger and sharper.
Describe a Neolithic house.
They were larger than those of the first settler and rectangular in shape. The walls were made from upright posts placed in the ground and branches woven between then, know as wattle. Daub, a mixture of mud and straw was plastered in the wattle to keep out the wind and rain. The roof was made of mud and straw. Cooking was done around the hearth in the centre of the house, and a small hole in the roof acted as a chimney. Food was stored in clay pots.
What does ‘megalith’ mean?
Huge: mega, stone: lithos
Name and describe the three main megalithic tombs
Dolmen: consisted of three standing stones with a capstone on top. Name comes from two Breton words meaning stone table. The body was placed in the tomb along with grave goods such as food, pottery and jewellery. The dolmen was then covered in earth.
Court Cairn: they get their names from the small room, or court, at the entrance to the burial chamber. The chamber is built by standing stones covered by earth.
Passage Grave: these are the most impressive type of megalithic tomb. They are named after the long passage leading from the entrance to the burial chamber. Newgrange is a passage grave,
When did bronze start to be used in Ireland?
Around 2000BC.
What is bronze made of?
Tin and copper.
How did bronze improve the lives of farmers?
It could be beaten into many shapes or poured into clay moulds to create stronger tools, weapons and household items.
What farming implement began to be more commonly used during the Bronze Age?
The sickle.
Where did a lot of the gold used in Ireland come from?
The stones in the rivers of Co. Waterford.
What is a ‘lunula’
A half-moon shaped gold necklace worn in the Bronze Age
Describe a cist grave and a wedge tomb:
Cist Grave: shallow pit lined with stone slabs and covered with a large flat stone. Bodies were either placed in a crouched position in the grave or cremated and the remains were placed in a large pot. Small decorated pots that contained food were out beside the body/remains.
Wedge Tomb: were built above the ground and made from stone slabs. They were low and narrow at the back and higher & wider at the front. The slabs were then covered in earth.
Describe stone circles.
Stone circles were built in the Bronze Age by placing large upright stones into the ground. Most stone circles are in some way aligned to the sun, so they may have been some form of calendar, or a place of worship, but archaeologists are unsure of their use.
How were fulachta fiadhs used?
Fulachta fiadhs were troughs dug into the ground and lined with stone of wood. The trough would be filled with water and then brought to a boil by placing stones that been heated in a nearby fire into it. The water could easily be kept at a boil by adding heated stones at regular intervals. The stones were removed from the fire by gripping them with two wooden sticks.
When and from where did Neolithic farmers arrive?
They came to Ireland from Britain and mainland Europe in around 4000BC.
