Chapter 4 - Early Christian Ireland Flashcards
When did Christianity come to Ireland?
Christianity came to Ireland near the end of the Iron Age.
What was the Iron Age?
The Iron Age (500BC - 400AD) was a period when people started making tools and weapons out of iron instead of bronze.
Who were the Celts and when did they come to Ireland?
The Celts were people who lived in lots of parts of Europe and they came to Ireland from Central Europe from 500BC - 300BC.
What did the Celts split Ireland into?
The Celts spilt into many smaller kingdoms called tuath.
How did the class system work in Celtic Ireland?
Every tuath was ruled by a Rí (king), they were at the top of the class system
Under the Rí were the Aos Dána who were Elites with special skills, e.g warriors, poets, musicians.
Under the aos dána were farmers
and at the bottom were labourers and slaves.
What religion were the celts?
They were polytheistic pagans (they had many gods, usually connected with nature/the earth)
What were druids?
a spiritual figure similar to a priest in pre-Christian Celtic Ireland.
Where did the Celts bury their dead?
The Celts buried their dead in cist graves.
What was the name of the writing system that the Celts used?
The writing system they used was called Ogham and was made up of horizontal and vertical lines.
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When do people think Christianity first come to Ireland?
People think Christianity first came to Ireland around the 4th century.
Who was Palladius?
Palladius was a bishop from France,who was sent to Ireland to manage the “Irish who believe in Christ”.
When did St. Patrick convert many Irish people to Christianity?
St. Patrick converted many Irish people to Christianity from 432AD - 461AD
What was a monastery? And who lived in them?
A monastery was a closed religious community and monks lived in them.
Where was the first monastery in Ireland? Who found it? And when?
The first monastery in Ireland was Inis Mór, founded in the Aran Islands by St. Enda around 500ad
What did monks do?
Monks prayed 6-8 times a day and wrote manuscripts by hand.
What was a scriptorium?
a room where manuscripts were copied by hand and illustrated by scribes.
What was a round tower?
a bell tower and safe place for people and treasures if the monastery came under attack.
What was a manuscript?
a book written by hand, often in Latin, on sheepskin parchment.
What were monks?
Men dedicated to a religious order and to life in a monastery.
What was a high cross?
a free-standing stone cross, usually with elaborate carvings showing biblical scenes.
What was a refectory?
A refectory was where the monks ate their meals.
What art did monasteries use to show how they honoured god?
Manuscripts, Metalwork and High crosses were all used to show how they honoured god.
What was the Celtic art style?
The Celtic art style was called La Téne.
