Intro Archaelogy of Ireland

The module tells the human story in Ireland from the Stone Age to the present, beginning with the earliest inhabitants around 10,000 years ago. It reveals the footprint of people through time by means of the spectacular archaeological heritage of the country. Ancient monuments, landscapes and objects are explored in order to understand the lifestyles of early inhabitants, the achievements and beliefs of megalith builders, the big innovations in ancient Ireland such as farming, metal-working and Christianity, the origins of Celtic Ireland, and above all the emergence of the Irish landscape as we know it today. The module is organized as follows: (a) One lecture each week presenting the story of Ireland from the Mesolithic to the present; (b) occasional special case studies in a second lecture slot each week; (c) tutorials to complement and reinforce the lectures; and (d) directed visits to the National Museum and Ferrycarrig Heritage Park.