TRADING
Given that transport was not motorised, it is amazing how much travel and trading was undertaken by the bronze age people.
COPPER AND TIN
Since the bronze age people used bronze implements , they needed to trade in copper and tin. Copper was mined near Ballycotton, on Ross Island in Lake Leane near Killarney, on Mount Gabriel near Ballydehob .The Labbacallee lines go to all of these places.
Tin was mined in Cornwall so travellers would also have traded in this commodity. The Labbacallee lines would suggest that the trade routes from around Fermoy went to the tin mines in St Justin in Cornwall through the port of Dungarvan.
GOLD:
Gold was probably panned in the rivers inTyrone and Wicklow and traded to folk in the rest of the country. Goldsmiths traded in gold jewellery which travelled abroad like the Irish gold bracelet discovered in Bremen. Germany.
POTTERY:
The remains of Beaker pottery has been found in bronze age settlements and on occasion in burial tombs. The people who brought this pottery to Ireland between 2300 bc and 1700 bc are often called the "Beaker People". It is said that these people introduced ceramics, metalwork, wrist guards, arrowheads and the earliest form of the Celtic language to Ireland. These migrating people must have been trading in commodities and ideas as they travelled along the Atlantic coasts and down the river routes into central Europe.
The remains of Beaker pottery has been found in bronze age settlements and on occasion in burial tombs. The people who brought this pottery to Ireland between 2300 bc and 1700 bc are often called the "Beaker People". It is said that these people introduced ceramics, metalwork, wrist guards, arrowheads and the earliest form of the Celtic language to Ireland. These migrating people must have been trading in commodities and ideas as they travelled along the Atlantic coasts and down the river routes into central Europe.
AMBER:
Amber is a resin that is found in the Baltic region. This amber was highly prized and it travelled to Greece and down to Egypt. It also travelled to Ireland where an amber bead necklace was found in Ferns . Co Wexford.
Amber is a resin that is found in the Baltic region. This amber was highly prized and it travelled to Greece and down to Egypt. It also travelled to Ireland where an amber bead necklace was found in Ferns . Co Wexford.
AMBER TRADE ROUTES
Amber trade routes:
1 - Border of Roman Empire;
2 - Route of the early bronze age; 3 - Route of the middle bronze age;
4 - Sea route;
5 - "amber route";
6 - Routes of the East.
(By: Michelbertas, 1963)