Chp.2 Arrival Of Christianity To Ireland

Question 1

Early monasteries

Answer 1

early monasteries were usually surrounded by a circular enclosure called a tearmann
many early monasteries are located in remote areas where the monks devoted themselves to fasting contemplation prayer and learning
the isolated monastery of Sceilg Michael is perched 200 m above sea level on a tiny rocky island off the Kerry coast
it consists of six monastic cells, two oratories the cells are dome shaped and are called beehive huts they are built using the corbelling method
later monasteries had round Towers larger chapels and higher crosses centres of learning attracting international students they were also important places of pilgrimage

Question 2

St sionnach macdaras church

Answer 2

The earliest churches were built of wood none have survived the V shaped capstones on the Gables of some early stone churches imitate the timber Gable Cross bars of the early wooden churches this can be seen on the On st sionnach macdaras church
the Sixth Century Sionnach macdara founded a monastery on Mac daras island
This Beautiful Church Has a Corbelled Roof It Has a Small Doorway and a Small Window on the gable opposite well cup granite stones are used in the doorway window and corners the joints are carefully filled with small stones the two decorative V shaped Gable capstones are carved from limestone

Question 3

Gallarus oratory

Answer 3

This small oratory was built of stone using the corbel vault technique
it is shaped like an upturned boat as the walls from the base decrease in size going upward
horizontally laid stones slope inwards
the smooth face repels the rainwater and ensures that the oratory survives in tact and weatherproof to this day

Question 4

Early Christian metalwork

Answer 4

In the early Christian period Irish metal workers achieved a very high standard of craft skill and design the monasteries and local chieftains commissioned lavishly decorated religious artefacts.
Decoration consisted of a carefully balanced mixture of
Mediterranean geometric interlacing (knot work)
La Tène birds heads, triskeles trumpets and spirals
Anglo-Saxon intertwined zoomorphic ornament
stylised representation of serpents, birds and animal forms

Question 5

Early Christian metalworking techniques

Answer 5

Casting a three-dimensional form created by pouring molten metal into clay or bone mould chip
Chip carving small chips of gold were carved out from a flat gold service was fine chisels and knives in order to create patterns in high relief and imitate woodcarving
Enamelling a glaze made from powder glass that is fused by intense heat to a metal surface colours where is achieved by mixing in minerals e.g cobalt blue gold red and silver yellow
Champlevé hollows were made in metal and filled with a paste of powdered enamel that was fired to fuse it to the metal and polished
Cloisonné strips of metal soldered to a metal surface forming small flat areas outlined by the strips of metal, these flat areas were filled with the enamel paste, fired and polished to create decorative studs