Notes on Pre-Christian Ireland: Palaeolithic to Neolithic

Palaeolithic Era (Old Stone Age)
  • Timeframe: Pre 8000 BC
  • Earliest evidence of human presence in Ireland is found in County Clare with bear bones.
  • Characteristics of Palaeolithic People:
    • Hunter-gatherers
    • Small population and limited resources; conflicts over territory likely occurred.
Mesolithic Era (Middle Stone Age)
  • Timeframe: 8000-4000 BC
  • Lifestyle:
    • Continued as hunter-gatherers living in nomadic tribes.
    • Structures were temporary and made from animal skins stretched over timber.
    • Located near rivers and lakes.
  • Notable Absence:
    • No known creative or decorative artifacts.
  • Population Characteristics:
    • Small, lived short brutal lives within small communities.
Neolithic Era (New Stone Age)
  • Timeframe: 4000-2000 BC
  • Significant Changes:
    • Introduction of farming, leading to permanent settlements and changes in lifestyle.
    • Development of trade and bartering systems.
    • Greater population density as settlements became more widespread; evidence of dwellings and burials found throughout the country.
Megalithic Structures in Ireland

  • Poulnabrone Portal Dolmen (Burren, County Clare):

    • A type of megalithic tomb consisting of three to seven stone legs that support one or two large capstones.
    • Features an entrance that allows for burial ceremonies; human remains and artifacts have been discovered within.
    • Approximately 170 portal dolmens are identified across Ireland.

  • Court Cairns:

    • Structure includes a burial chamber with an open court at the front.
    • Functions as a burial site where ceremonies or rituals took place.
    • Typically enclosed with upright stones and sills, with a formal entrance.
Newgrange
  • Built around 3200 BC and excavated starting in 1967.
  • Highlights:
    • One of the most famous Neolithic mounds in the Boyne Valley.
    • Features a light box over the entrance that allows sunlight to illuminate the chamber on December 21st.
    • Passage is lined with large flat stones and has a corbelled roofing structure.
    • The internal chamber is cruciform and contains basins for human cremations.
Architectural Features
  • Corbelled Chambers:
    • The oldest roofed structures in Western Europe, showcasing early engineering skills.
    • At Newgrange, grooves were cut into roof stones to help shed water.
  • Kerbstones:
    • Ninety-seven kerbstones surround the base of Newgrange.
  • Decorative Elements:
    • Includes simple lines and spirals, specially patterned entrance stones, and various motifs such as the triple spiral and incised designs.
    • Artistic styles present elements like lozenges, arcs, dots, and concentric circles.