Useful Websites
National Monuments Service
The National Monuments Service has developed an interactive map and search facility in order to improve access to all records of the Archaeological Survey of Ireland (ASI) stored on its national database, commonly known as the Sites and Monuments Record (SMR). This interactive map shows the locations of all listed national monuments under the care of the state. You can use this resource to discover which Bronze Age archaeological sites are closest to your school.
Click the following link for more information: http://webgis.archaeology.ie/NationalMonuments/FlexViewer/
National Roads Authority
The National Roads Authority has developed a database and a series of local posters about archaeological discoveries made during road building in Ireland. These include a number of Bronze Age sites. You can use these resources for local studies at primary and post primary levels.
Click the following link to download PDF versions of the posters: http://www.tollcompare.ie/archaeology/brochures-and-posters/
Click the following link for the National Roads Authority database: http://archaeology.nra.ie/
The Heritage Map Viewer
Information about find locations for archaeological artefacts in the National Museum of Ireland’s Collections can be viewed on the Heritage Map Viewer. This Heritage Map Viewer, produced by the Heritage Council, includes information taken from the Museum of Archaeology’s Irish Antiquities Collections Database. You can use this resource to identify find locations of Bronze Age artefacts that are local to your school.
Click the following link to access the map: http://heritagemaps.biodiversityireland.ie/#/Map
Resource Packs
Two Irish prehistory student resource packs, ‘It’s About Time’ and ‘It’s About Time 2’ were developed for Primary and Transition Year students, by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and Limerick Education Centre.
Click the following link to download PDF versions of these resource packs: http://www.itsabouttime.ie/
Other useful websites
http://www.scoilnet.ie
http://www.archaeology.ie
http://artsineducation.ie/en/home/
Useful Videos
Creating Bronze Age Tools
Two short videos, produced by the Museum of London and presented by children, explain and demonstrate, step-by-step, the processes and techniques involved in creating replica Bronze Age tools using Bronze Age technologies.
Click the following links to watch these videos:
‘The Bronze Age’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohij1e2oZio
‘Stone Age flint knapping’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=85&v=GdkqNXWluiw
Bronze Casting Demonstration
This video by Robert Clarke demonstrates the casting of a replica Bronze Age axehead. This demonstration is part of the ‘Umha Aois’ experimental archaeology project held at Glendarragh Studios, Co. Wicklow. Through research and experimentation, artists and archaeologists are attempting to rediscover Bronze Age casting methods.
Click the following link to watch this video:
http://www.umha-aois.com/
Making a Bronze Age Sword
In this video from the BBC Two series ‘A History of Ancient Britain’, Neil Oliver experiments with traditional methods of making a Bronze Age sword.
Click the following link to watch this video:
‘”Liquid Fire” to Metal Sword in minutes!’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEWIuyeNp2k