The Neolithic Period Flashcards
What years is the Neolithic Period?
4000 BC - 2000 BC
How did archeologists see that important changes were happening around 4000 BC?
By studying pollen samples
What did they discover from the pollen?
They discovered that more pollen was coming from grass than trees, they found pollen in crops that had to be planted by seed
Bones of what animals had been found and what does all this evidence show?
They found bones of cattle, sheep and goats, this evidence, with the pollen samples, shows that people started to farm
Who were the Neolithic people?
Around 4000 BC, new people began to settle in Ireland, they were farmers. Since tools and weapons were still made of stone, we’re still talking about the Stone Age but it’s the New Stone Age (Neolithic) because of the change in the way people lived
What tools and weapons did they use?
The Neolithic farmers developed better stone tools and weapons than those made by the Mesolithics. They used a tough and heavy stone called porcellanite. It made very good axe heads which the people used for cutting down trees for farming area
How did they make their homes?
The houses were made from wood and were rectangular or circular in shape. The frame was made by putting thick planks of wood in the ground to form a frame. The walls were made by weaving branches in and out through the planks. Once the walls were made, a roof of thatched reeds was put on top
What was inside their homes?
Inside there was only 1 room. On the floor in the centre of the room, there was a space for a big open fire. As there was no window or chimney, smoke had to escape from the thatched roof
Name one skill they had
With the development of farming, wool from sheep was available for making clothes. They discovered how to spin and weave cloth. Dyes were made from berries and plants. They wore jewellery made from bone and stone pendants as they were found at excavations
Name another skill they had
Neolithics discovered how to make pottery from clay. To make a bowl, they took a lump of wet clay and moulted it into a shape of a pot with their fists and left it to dry then baked in a fire. Examples of Neolithic pottery have been found all over Ireland
How did they farm?
They built stone walls around their fields to keep their cattle safe. They stretched for several kilometres. We know this as excavations were made at the Céide Fields. They grew crops near their houses. A quern stone was used to grind grain into flour for bread. Neolithic farming ended at the Céide fields around 3000 BC. Nobody knows why
What does Neolithic mean?
Neo-New Lith-Stone Neolithic- New Stone Age
Did Neolithic people believe in afterlife?
They did as they went to great trouble building tombs for their dead. There are three types ; court cairns, dolmens and passage tombs
What is a court cairn?
Court cairns are the earliest type of megalithic tombs. They get their name from an open area - court - at the entrance to the tomb. It’s made of upright stones covered over with earth and stones. The word cairn means a mound of stones. From the outside that is what it looks like. Inside there is a passage leading to a chamber in the centre. Pottery bowl containing cremated human bodies have been found
What is a dolmen?
Dolmens look like huge stone tables. 2 or 3 large stones are put standing upright. A capstone is placed on top. Dolmens can be found all over Ireland
