History With RCS :In Reference to Gerry Art's Comment to post 2,660 BC to 2,400 BC in reference to metal work of the period.
I
will tell what I can about the metal work of that period. The post
centers on 2,500 BC which marks the a high point of the the Bronze Age
of most of Europe, much of North Africa, and nearly all of the Near
East. That is much of Europe, the Mediterranean and beyond was enjoying
the Bronze Age, which to some has seemed a golden age.
I am pleased to be able to say that during this period Ireland was one
of the most productive miners of gold and the producer of of some of the
finest gold work. Some of the gold work which marked Ireland of this
period were the following: Lunulea, a form of collar; torcs, a kind of
neck piece which bent firmly around the neck, they were strikingly
handsome; gorgets, they were a sort of chest piece or breast piece and
often the most beautiful and intricit of these items. It may have been
used to hold articles of dress in place. Rings and a large number of
other items were also produced in gold.
I am speaking of Bronze Age Gold work. But much fine gold work in an
early age when much copper was mined and worked well before the Bronze
Age.
I seem to be forming my remarks here almost entirely around Ireland,
but a Bronze Age was occurring around much of the world.
It has been said that there was a Bronze age in Ireland from 2500 BC
to 500 BC. I believe that there is now important evidence of important
Bronze work being done in Ireland by 2,700 BC. I am also fairly sure
that an Iron Age had already begun in Ireland 600 BC.
Let me include that the Bronze Age in Ireland and Beyond was preceded
by the neolithic period, which we might call the New Stone Age. The
Bronze Age was followed by the Iron Age. I traumatic change in much of
the world.
In the neolithic period gold and were both already mined and worked
in Ireland. Fine work was produced in small quantities. Silver and lead
were probably also mined and worked in small quantities.
It seems that I had Ireland on the mind when I began this piece.
Ireland entered the Bronze Age as a major miner and worker of Gold.
In that Bronze Age a variety of bronzes were founded. Nearly all of them
were an alloy mostly of copper but always with a portion of tin. I do
not recall the usual proportions just now. How- ever there was bronze
produced using arsnic in the place of tin. The tin was used to make the
copper stronger, more resistant, and harder than copper. It also turned
out to be a sort of stainless copper with the look of gold!
Tin was both mined in Ireland and imported to Ireland. A sort of
metal alchemy was begun which employed mercury, lead, arsnic, silver,
gold and other elements. The mining, smelting and working of tin and
copper to make bronze was a sophisticated process.
The Iron Age in Ireland as in Europe, North Africa, the Near East and
beyond was begun by a new people who proved to be many. These people
knew horses well. They knew the processes of mining, smelting and
working iron. They made iron swords which cut through bronze weapons.
They dominated Bronze Age people nearly everywhere. They were able to
dominate cultures which were in many ways superior to theirs. At times
they recognized this. They brought a new language, they brought it to
Ireland and it became the mother of all the language spoken there for
over two thousand years. It is the Gaelic which is still spoken in parts
of Ireland. English is the dominate language on the Island today.
English too is born of that Iron Age language.
So, what are the Bronze age metals: gold, silver, copper, lead,
arsnic, mercury, tin, and certainly more known by some. Bronze, a metal
alloy made by man, and still one of the most beautiful and useful metals
made by man and one of the least toxic if not made with arsenic. The
alloy named an Age. We have much more to learn of the Bronze Age.
Thank you for your comment Gerry Art.
rcs.
