1. 6 The Iron Age and the Celts
Our Roots in Ancient Civilisation 1: Ancient Ireland
6 The Iron Age and the Celts
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
At the end of this chapter you should understand ...
The coming of the Iron Age and Celtic civilisation to Ireland.
How Celtic society was organised.
Houses, settlements, work and food of the Celtic people.
Celtic art.
Burial customs and ogham stones.

2. How do we know about the Iron Age and the Celts?
Archaeological evidence (e.g. ring-forts, hill forts, e.g. Hill of Tara)
Documentary evidence:
Celtic legends: An Táin Bó Cuailgne – a manuscript written in Irish – which tells the story of the fight between Connacht and Ulster over the Bull of Cooley
Celtic laws, known as Brehon laws; they were written down later in manuscripts after Christianity brought writing to Ireland.

3. Who were the Celts? First use of metal 500 BC Year 1 400 AD
La Tène
Halstatt
Bronze Age
Iron Age
Early Christian Ireland
First use of metal
500 BC
Year 1
400 AD
Arrival of Christianity
Iron replaced bronze; arrival of Celts

4. Houses and Settlements – Ring-forts
What were the features of ring-forts?
How were ring-forts built?

5. Houses and Settlements – Ring-forts
How does a Staigue fort differ from other ring-forts?

6. Houses and Settlements – Crannógs
Fortified lake dwelling
Artificial island
Well-off families
Farming
How were crannógs built?

7. Houses and settlements – Hill forts
What use was made of hill forts?

8. Houses and Settlements – Promontory Forts
What use was made of promontory forts?

9. Celtic Society What role did each of these play in Celtic society?
Rí (king)
What role did each of these play in Celtic society?
Nobles
(warriors and Aos Dána)
Farmers
Labourers and slaves

10. What do these drawings tell you about houses and work?
Celtic House and Farm
What do these drawings tell you about houses and work?

11. Food Cattle – meat Cows – milk, butter, cheese
Wheat, oats barley – bread, porridge, ale
Cooking – spits, fulacht fiadh, stone ovens
Feasting – the hero’s portion
How was the rotary quern used?

12. Tools and Weapons Smelting iron Iron ore Clay oven Bellows Charcoal
Cauldron
Smelting iron

13. What do these tell you about Celtic art?

14. Celtic Burials
How did the Celts bury their dead?

15. Ogham Stones What were ogham stones? X, AE Ph, UI P, IA Th, OI K, EA IZ G Ng M Q C T D H N S F L B
What were ogham stones?

16. Bog Bodies
What are the bog bodies?

17. FOCUS TASK Summarise IRON AGE & THE CELTS
Draw up a table on a page of your copybook with the heading ‘Iron Age and the Celts’. Fill in the information in short note form opposite each of the categories.
IRON AGE & THE CELTS
Houses
Food & Family
Work
Tools & Weapons
Art & Craft
Burial customs