Bronze Age

Frae Wikipedia, the free beuk o knawledge
Diffusion o metallurgy in Europe an Asie Minor. The darkest auries are the auldest.

The Bronze Age is a time period characterised bi the uise o bronze, proto-writin, an ither early featurs o urban ceevilisation.

Britain & Ireland[eedit | eedit soorce]

The first metal-wirkin in these islands took place on Ross Island, soothwast Ireland roon aboot 2500 BC. This wis capper rather than bronze, but syne the copper containit airsenic, the metal wis jis as guid as bronze [1]. Yon high airsenic capper may hae inspired an independent invention of alloyin[1]. Bronze is an alloy made up ae tin an capper. Cause tin is so rare geologically, the want fir metal demandit lang distance tradin netwirks [1]. There is a schuil o thocht kenned as the 'Celtic from the West' theory which argues that yon industrial networks may hae spurned the socio-linguistic differentiation of the Proto-Celtic leid fae Proto-Indo-European[1].

The Brits/Scots Bronze Age lasted fae aroon aboot 2450 BC til aroon 800 BC, fan Airn-wirkin emergit [2] an the Airn Age commencit. This happened cause capper and tin were in short supply [3], whereas airn is foond all oer the shop[4]. The collapse ae the Bronze Age saw the collapse ae the elitist trading networks, as local fowk could jist uise their ain local supplies of airn [3]. Indeed, Bronze Age heidbummers may hae deliberately tried tae suppress the new technologie on account of its socioeconomic impacts [5][6].

References[eedit | eedit soorce]

[1] Koch, J.T. 2013. Out of the Flow and Ebb of the European Bronze Age: Heroes, Tartessos and Celtic, in J.T. Koch & B. Cunliffe (eds) Celtic from the West 2: Rethinking the Bronze Age and the Arrival of Indo-European in Atlantic Europe. [Celtic Studies Publications, Vol 16]. Oxford & Oakville: Oxbow Books. 101-46. https://www.academia.edu/38449438/Out_of_the_Flow_and_Ebb_of_the_European_Bronze_Age_Heroes_Tartessos_and_Celtic

[2] Downes 2012 https://www.scottishheritagehub.com/content/12-history-bronze-age-research-scotland

[3] Bradley 2007, The Prehistory of Britain and Ireland. Cambridge University Press, paiges: 176, 227-230

[4] Tylecote 1986, The Prehistory of Metallurgy in the British Isles, paige 124

[5] Mallory 2013, The Origin of the Irish, paige 159

[6] Henderson 2007, The Atlantic Iron Age, paige 116-9


  1. a b c d e Koch, J.T. 2013. Out of the Flow and Ebb of the European Bronze Age: Heroes, Tartessos and Celtic, in J.T. Koch & B. Cunliffe (eds) Celtic from the West 2: Rethinking the Bronze Age and the Arrival of Indo-European in Atlantic Europe. [Celtic Studies Publications, Vol 16]. Oxford & Oakville: Oxbow Books. 101-46. https://www.academia.edu/38449438/Out_of_the_Flow_and_Ebb_of_the_European_Bronze_Age_Heroes_Tartessos_and_Celtic
  2. a b "Downes 2012 https://www.scottishheritagehub.com/content/12-history-bronze-age-research-scotland". Archived frae the original on 29 December 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019. freemit airtin in |title= (help)
  3. a b c Bradley 2007, The Prehistory of Britain and Ireland. Cambridge University Press, paiges: 176, 227-230.
  4. a b Tylecote 1986, The Prehistory of Metallurgy in the British Isles, paige 124
  5. a b Mallory 2013, The Origin of the Irish, paige 159
  6. a b Henderson 2007, The Atlantic Iron Age, paige 116-9