Early Christian Ireland Flashcards
Background/the arrival of Christianity in early Christian Ireland
Early Christian Ireland is the period when Christianity first came to Ireland. For historians, the first official source about Christianity in Ireland is dated AD 431, when a bishop named Palladius was sent to the ‘Irish who believe in Christ’.
Life in a monastery and links to community
Some Christians chose to live apart from the rest of society in a monastery - a closed religious community - to devote their lives to God. Monasteries became centres of learning, and Irish monasteries were famous as the best in the world for the teaching of poetry, literature, an example of a monastery is Glendalough
Contribution of Christianity to Ireland part 1 – reading and writing,contribution to art
Irish monasteries were famous as the best in the world for the teaching of poetry, literature, arts and the Gospel. Ireland became known as ‘the Land of Saints and Scholars’, The monasteries of Early Christian Ireland were famous for their great works of art, e.g manuscripts such as the book of Kells
What is a high cross
A high cross is a free-standing stone cross, usually with elaborate carvings showing biblical scenes,
What period is early Christian Ireland during
Early Christian Ireland is the period from about 400 AD to 1000 AD
What did monks produce
r monks produced chalices, crosiers & brooches.
Name a monastery and who founded it
Glendalough founded by st Kevin
Describe a round tower
round tower - a bell tower and safe place for people and treasures if the monastery came under attack. A round tower’s door was many metres above ground
Describe uses of a round tower
The monks took their treasures and hid inside the tower where they would be safe from raiders
name and describe one other work of art from Early Christian Ireland.
The most famous is the Book of Kells, also kept at Trinity College Dublin. It dates from around AD 800 and is a beautifully decorated copy of the four Gospels.
