The Stone Age/ Neolithic /Megalithic Period. Flashcards
What is the time frame in which the Stone Age took place?
4000BC - 2500BC
Name 3 types of Stonge Age Graves?
Portal Dolmen, Court Cairn and Passage Grave.
What does a Portal Dolmen look like?
Portal Dolmean- The Burren, Co.Clare
What does a Court Cairn look like?
Court Cairn-Burren,Co.Clare
What does a Passage Grave look like?
Passage Grave - Newgrange, Co.Louth
Name the most important sites of Stone Age evidence?
Newgrange, Knowth, Dowth, all in Co.Louth.
What year was Newgrange constructed?
3200BC
What is the introduction to an essay on the Stonge Age?
The Stone Age also known as the megalithic or neolithic period, lasted from around 4000BC until 2500BC. ‘Lithic’ means rock, the most important material of the stone age. It is believed the neolithic people came to Ireland by boat. These people were skilled stone workers, who built complex and long-lasting tombs, like Newgrange (built 3200BC). This place was most likely a burial chamber because human remains have been found there. Newgrange was very important to the neolithic people, we know this because of the art decorating the cairn, serises of geometric and abstract motifs.
What happend to the roof box in Newgrange?
Thee roof box floods the passage with sunlight every year on the winter solstice.
What kind of construction was used to build the roof of Newgrange?
Corbelled roof (topped with a capstone) covered in mounded earth (cairn) with grass growing from it.
(The corbelled roof has some abstract decoration incised on it)
Draw the entrance stone and describe it’s decoration (Newgrange)
Incision with a piece of flint was done to add this decoration to the entrance stone.The patterns that can be seen on the entance stone are geometric shapes are triple spirals, lozengesand chevrons.
Name the 2 carving techniques used in the Stone Age?
Pick dressing and Incision. Both these techniques create low relief carvings. Picking dressing (Flint in and out) and Incision (dragging the flint along)
Draw Kerbstone 52 and describe it’s decoration.
Incised patterns probably made by a piece of flint. The pattern is abstract and geometric with concentric circles, dots,spirals, lozenges and chevrons.
Newgrange Statistics?
The cairn covers about half an acre.
450 stones make up passage and chamber.
The tomb passage faces southeast.
Orhostats line the passage: 22 on left, 21 on right.
There is 97 kerbstones.
200,000 tonnes of material make up the cairn.
The corbelled roof raises 6 meters.
Where can the art be found in Knowth?
Kerbstone 15.
Internal Orthostats.
Capstones.
Cprbelled slabs.
