Pre-Christian (c. 4,000 BCE – 500 CE) (Leaving Cert Art): Model Answers

The Bronze Age

Sample Essay: Bronze Age Metalwork

Name, describe and discuss the objects which are illustrated on the accompanying sheet (Gleninsheen Gorget, the Lunula, and the Tadavnet Sun Disc). Refer in your answer to function, materials, form, decoration and techniques used in their production.

And

Discuss briefly the period in which they were made. Illustrate your answer.

The Gleninsheen Gorget

Form: The gorget is a 'U' shaped collar which is made from gold. It also boasts two concaved discs which are attached to each end of thr gorget

Function: It is believed that the gorget was worn as a neck piece, because there are ties attached to the back. It is also believed that it was worn during important ceremonies and rituals, or to indicate high status

Decoration: Raised points were punched out from back of the collar which makes it stand out. There is a cord or ribbon pattern in between these raised points. This creates a contrast between the carefully designed sections and the smoother sections. The concaved motifs have been designed with concentric circles. There is also a cone placed in the centre point of each disc. All the motifs seen on the gorget were made using the repousse technique, which involves hammering the designs out through the back of an object. It is clear that the design of the gorget was well thought out, suggesting it was of high importance to these people.

Techniques & Materials: The gorget is made from gold. Gold ingots would have been acquired by panning river beds. Afterwards, they would be smelted together into one piece and hammered until thin. As stated previously, all designs were created using the repousse technique. The concentric circles seen on the concaved discs would have been created using a compass like tool.

The Lunula

Form: The Lunula is made from gold also. The ends of the artefact are spoon shaped and are twisted so that they are perpendicular to the main body of the Lunula.

Function: Similar to the gorget, it is believed that the Lunula was worn as a neck piece. It would have been worn for ceremonies or rituals and more than likely indicated high status.

Decoration: The edges of the Lunula are decorated with a zig-zag pattern. There are many other geometric patterns present on the artefact, such as triangles and chevrons. Apart from the zig-zag border, the main body of the Lunula is undecorated. There is much more decoration towards the two ends of the Lunula. Triangular and square patterns have been incised in this area. The decoration at the ends contrasts greatly with the plain body, which shows careful planning.

Techniques & Materials: Gold ingots were melted into a thin sheet and hammered until thin enough to work with. The crescent shape would have been cut out using a compass-like tool. This would also have been used to create the border patterns to ensure they were placed parallel to the edge. A sharp tool was used to create the motifs, which were incised into the piece.

The Tedavnet Sun Disc

Form: This artefact is a circular shape which rises slightly towards the centre. Two holes have been punched in the middle of the disc, and the disc itself is one of a matching pair.

Function: The holes indicate that the disc may have been stitched to fabric to decorate clothing or tied to a lock of hair as an accessory. As it is made from gold and is highly decorated, historians can deduce that it was used for special occasions and ceremonies.

Decoration: There is a striking cruciform motif placed in the centre of the disc. This does not represent a link to Christianity, as this had not yet been founded. The cruciform is surrounded by several concentric circles. There are punched dots in between some of these circles and around the edges of the cruciform. Although the disc is intricately designed, the punched dots really emphasise the motifs.

Techniques & Materials: Again, like the gorget and the Lunula, gold would have been hammered into a thin sheet to make it easy to add designs. There is obvious use of a compass, as the disc is a perfect circular shape. Repoussé was used to create all the motifs that are present on the disc.

The Bronze Age people began to arrive in Ireland between 2500-2000BC. They were often referred to as 'The Beaker People', because they were known for making clay pots and beakers. Many pottery pieces have been found buried with the remains of this ancient population. The decoration on their pottery was quite similar to the decoration on their mainly golden artefacts. These motifs included concentric circles, dots, zig-zag patterns and chevrons. Their artwork was mainly abstract and geometric.

The Bronze Age

Bronze Age people first used copper to make tools. However, they soon discovered that if they mixed this ore with tin imported from Cornwall, they could make a stronger metal called Bronze. In order to mine the copper to create this new metal, they had to heat up a rock surface and splash it with cold water. This would shatter the rock and expose the copper. The copper was then smelted with tin until it turned to bronze. Bronze was used to make tools, weapons and jewellery.

A huge number of metalwork has been found from the Bronze Age, with some boasting extravagant designs. Some metalworking techniques these people used included incising, repousse and casting, where molten gold was poured over objects and left to harden. Although it was called the Bronze Age, many of the artefacts found were made from gold. This metal was abundant in counties Wicklow and Tyrone, and would have been obtained by panning riverbeds.