Neolithic Times
The key invention that ushered in the neolithic age was farming.
It would be a mistake to think that the Mesolithic people of Ireland suddenly invented farming and became Neolithic. Rather, Ireland's Mesolithic hunters were displaced or assimilated by Neolithic settlers who gradually arrived in Ireland from Britain and brought the technology with them. The practice of farming had spread from the Middle East, through eastern and southern Europe to reach Britain around 4000BC. Again it seems that it arrived in Ireland via the Scotland-Antrim link. Evidence from Cashelkeelty, county Kerry, suggests that this happened between 3900BC and 3000BC [4 p28].
neolithic places
NEOLITHIC WEAPONS AND TOOLS
We often make the mistake of seeing our ancestors as primitive. Especially
when we think of the ancestors from before the dawn of metal use, 4000 or
so years ago. However, we really should not underestimate these people. Proof
of this can be found in the long tradition of stone, wood and bone tool use
that predates metalurgy and which has left us a rich heritage worthy of examination
From the smallest bladelet to the biggest hand axe, the neolithic peoples
were remarkably efficient at making stone tools.
The first thing to note about stone tools is that similar early metal tools
are actually not much of an improvement. A sharp flint blade may blunt quickly,
but when fresh it is several hundred times sharper than a metal edge. Metalurgy
was a quantum leap because it allowed for the development, of new tools, but
reconstructive archaeology from modern flint knappers shows us that the new
knives and axes were not that much more impressive than the old tools.
were remarkably efficient at making stone tools.
The first thing to note about stone tools is that similar early metal tools
are actually not much of an improvement. A sharp flint blade may blunt quickly,
but when fresh it is several hundred times sharper than a metal edge. Metalurgy
was a quantum leap because it allowed for the development, of new tools, but
reconstructive archaeology from modern flint knappers shows us that the new
knives and axes were not that much more impressive than the old tools.
TOMBS AND BURIALS
These are the four main megalithic grave types in Irish archaeology: These are - Court tomb, Portal tomb (formerly dolmen), Passage tomb, and Wedge tomb. These occur during the Neolithic period with the Wedge Tombs being placed also in the Bronze Age . Along with some Bronze Age cairns on the Irish hillsides, these are the main types of tomb one can expect to see in the Irish landscape in Ireland. Each type has its own distinctive features.
The word 'megalithic' comes from the words 'mega' meaning massive or huge and 'lithic' meaning stone. Therefore, the discussion on this page is about tombs constructed from 'huge stones'. When one considers that the capstone of Brownshill portal tomb in Carlow weighs over 100 tons, it gives an idea of how huge some of the megaliths were. For the most part however, the stones weighed considerably less than this but still weighed from several hundred pounds to several tons.
The word 'megalithic' comes from the words 'mega' meaning massive or huge and 'lithic' meaning stone. Therefore, the discussion on this page is about tombs constructed from 'huge stones'. When one considers that the capstone of Brownshill portal tomb in Carlow weighs over 100 tons, it gives an idea of how huge some of the megaliths were. For the most part however, the stones weighed considerably less than this but still weighed from several hundred pounds to several tons.