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Home , Bronze Age, Iron Age, Mesolithic, Prehistoric Britain, Stone Age, TORC

8000BC 6000BC 4000BC Britain becomes Age begins an Age begins

9000BC 8000BC 7000BC 6000BC 5000BC 4000BC 3000BC 2000BC 1000BC 0 1000AD

7600BC 8700BC 7000BC Howick Cheddar House Man

Timeline – to Age Stone Age to – overview and depth Francis Pryor, Hilary Morris and

Introduction English , constructed; how villages operated; Stone Age to Iron Age covers from the Stone Age how inland and maritime transport around 10,000 years, between developed; how people defended to the Iron Age themselves. It would also be good the last Ice Age and the coming of would have been impossible the Romans. Such a long period to consider why prehistoric people without prehistory. Prehistory is regarded time as cyclical, rather is difficult for children to imagine, far more than a mere preamble but putting the children into a than continuous, as we do today. to the main show. It was during living time-line across the classroom It would be interesting to examine prehistory that Britain acquired its might help. In one sense not a lot pre-Roman farm animals, through , landscape and regional happens for a very long time, yet examples that still exist today (Soay identities. In the following few in another sense dramatic changes sheep; Tamworth pigs, Dexter paragraphs I would like to give occur at irregular periods. Man and ponies). Prehistoric an impression of the subject’s moves from hunter-gatherer to domestic skills are a good way to , from rural to urban, from extraordinary scope and diversity. I link modern children to the sources fighting for survival to sophisticated would have thought that the best of such basic things as their society. There is plenty to get your way to catch the imaginations and clothes; good examples include teeth into! This should help of young children would be spinning (with a spindle whorl), you plan. through discussion of the practical (with and without a loom) side of life: how changed and grinding corn with a quern (or through time; how buildings were pestle and mortar) to produce flour.

20 Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association Key Stage 2

800BC 43AD Roman invasion 3000BC 2500BC Iron Age of Britain – 1900BC Age begins start of Roman begins begins Britain

9000BC 8000BC 7000BC 6000BC 5000BC 4000BC 3000BC 2000BC 1000BC 0 1000AD

2500BC 1500BC 3200BC 55BC Beaker End of 100BC Scara Brae Julius people first the use of Lindow Man buried in Caesar appear in , like peat invades Britain Stonehenge Britain

3700BC 400BC Horton 2200BC Quern stone House introduced Timeline – Stone Age to Iron Age Archer buried

The story begins around a million years ago on what is now the beach of the coastal SCAN ME of . This site has revealed Britain’s earliest tools which were used by ancestors of modern at a time when INTERACTIVE PRINT the British Isles were still joined to the mainland of . As the Ice Ages progressed people SCAN ME Layar.indd 1 03/09/2013 10:31 came and went, depending on the climate of the time, but during these hundreds of thousands of years it is possible to trace the steady progress and technological Excavated dwellings development of these communities, at which latterly were capable of fine (, ), Europe’s most complete carving and artwork. Neolithic village

The climate warmed very rapidly such as the lush woodland and This was just a short step away around 9600 BC and this marks surrounding certain low- from farming. It is not surprising, the start of post-glacial prehistory lying shallow lakes were particularly therefore, that when farming and the arrival of a new set of sought-after and were the home arrived, shortly before 4000 BC, it communities labelled Mesolithic, to a large number of different was rapidly adopted. We currently or . It used to be settlements. believe that the new , who believed that these communities came from the mainland of Europe, were very small and lived a shifting By the end of the Mesolithic period, amounted to about 20% of the nomadic lifestyle, but over the past in fifth and sixth millennia BC there British population. These new ten years new research has shown is evidence that Mesolithic hunter- farmers brought with them new that small permanent villages were gatherers were manipulating the rites of beneath in existence, complete with family- forest tree-cover through the use or barrows, of which the long sized round-houses. Certain areas, of fire, to attract and keep game. barrows are the best known. Many

Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association 21 of these tombs contained stone the modern sense of the left by, say, the Iceni of Norfolk chambers built from massive rocks word, but as centres of regional and the Atrebates of and and boulders, known as . communal authority. Thanks to . When the Romans aerial photographs and remote arrived in Britain in AD 43 they The roots of Celtic cultures lay in sensing we can now appreciate came across a diverse and rich the (2500-700 BC), that most hill-forts were carefully range of cultures, some of which which probably witnessed the positioned in the landscape to were not openly hostile, nor fastest and most radical changes dominate the surrounding fields were opposed to classical ideas of prehistory. The pioneering and settlements. These would have and civilisation. In parts of south- developments brought about by been the places where people eastern Britain ( had yet to the first farmers of the Neolithic came at regular intervals to meet be created) the upper echelons of (4200-2500 BC) were transformed and exchange goods, livestock and many communities had begun to by a series of major monuments services; doubtless too they were wear Roman-style clothes. Indeed, (Stonehenge is the best-known where many marriages and new the earliest British have example) which still cover large family alliances were formed. Latinised Celtic inscriptions which areas of the English landscape. mention the tribal kingdoms that The period the There is good evidence for sea- minted them. These date to the of thousands of barrows, or burial going vessels by 2000 BC, which first century BC. The first legionaries mounds, not to mention some would have been perfectly capable would also have encountered a 400 henges and other sites. But of crossing the Channel. After fully developed landscape, with all of this came to an abrupt halt about 1500 BC -Channel fields, roads, lanes, woods, , around 1500 BC, when barrows voyages would have been routine farms, villages and hamlets. There ceased to be built and sites like and from about 1000 BC there may were centres of regional and Stonehenge were abandoned. even have been a regular ferry- a flourishing network of ports and The second half of the Bronze like service, to judge by the close harbours along the south, south- Age sees the proliferation of field similarities of some English and west and east coasts. It is still not systems, the earliest of which continental art styles and objects. fully decided whether any true were in existence by 2000 BC, and The Iron Age (700 BC-AD 43) is existed at the end of the Iron the emergence of an elaborate often identified with the . Age (in the sense of self-governing network of villages, roads and These were not an ethnic group, so urban centres, with refuse, sewage major route-ways. Towards the end much as tribal communities who and town-planning services), but of the period (from about 1200 shared many aspects of there were undoubtedly some BC) we see the construction of the and culture. Indeed, even today it is town-sized settlements, some of first hill-forts which seem to have possible to identify with reasonable which may have been in existence been built, not so much as forts in assurance the archaeological traces as early as 500 BC.

22 Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association Teaching the Stone Age

The inclusion of the Stone Age in the proposed 2014 Bronze Age Beaker or Iron Age can National Curriculum for History in England presents be powerful aids to the young imagination and can primary teachers with the challenge of having to teach provide an excellent focus for storytelling and prehistory. projects. Artefact recording and site planning are some of the activities that can be used to support maths While a period that spans thousands of years may lessons. In addition, a study of prehistoric pottery seem daunting, particularly when combined with could aid a discussion about the physical properties the obvious lack of documentary sources available, of various materials and be the catalyst for scientific this development provides an excellent opportunity experiments or the basis for a range of art-based to experiment with using a different type of primary projects. source – the artefact. Our recent work with local schools in Horton, Archaeology, the study and interpretation of these Berkshire (funded by CEMEX UK) is a good example artefacts – the material remains of past societies – has of using finds as inspiration. Artefacts uncovered at provided us with a great deal of knowledge about Kingsmead Quarry, ahead of gravel extraction, were our prehistoric ancestors and is not so far removed put on display and an exhibition was designed around from history as it can at first appear. Artefacts and them. Local primary schools were invited to attend archaeological evidence can be used in the same interactive workshops at the exhibition and students way as documentary sources to stimulate debate were encouraged to engage with the artefacts which and to teach pupils the skills of evidence-gathering, included a Palaeolithic handaxe, Mesolithic flint tools interpretation and analysis. and early Bronze Age gold and beads.

Teachers challenged with exploring the Stone Age can The display explored the shift from a nomadic use objects from the past to inspire students within a hunter-gatherer lifestyle towards that of settled wide variety of curriculum subjects. A Neolithic , farming communities during the Neolithic period and

Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association 23 Good history work often arises out of developing an enquiry over several lessons, where pupils can explore the topic in more detail and have a definite question to answer. Here are some possible enquiry questions:

• What was new about the New Stone Age? • Which was better to make and use – bronze or iron? • Why bury gold and not come back for it? • When do you think it was better to live – Stone Age, Bronze Age or Iron Age? • If you were , would you have invaded Britain in 55BC? stimulated discussion among the students as to why been a trader. This evidence can be used to stimulate this might have occurred. This debate was facilitated debate on several themes such as the extent of trade by the use of informative text, 3D reconstructions and networks, migration patterns and modes of transport the artefacts themselves. in .

Artefacts can also be used to forge connections with Accessing artefacts is not as much of a challenge as people from the past and bring them to life. An it may seem. For schools that aren’t lucky enough excellent example from is the Amesbury to be able to take their students fieldwalking and Archer; an early Bronze Age man discovered in a very accumulate their own collection, which I suspect to rich burial near the site of a new school and housing be most, many local museums, history centres and development (archaeological work funded by Bloor archaeology units will be able to help. Artefacts can be Homes and Persimmon Homes). visited or brought into the classroom through specialist workshops and the use of loan boxes – toolboxes Some of the artefacts associated with the Archer, containing artefacts and handy teacher’s guides. including 16 barbed and tanged and a slate wristguard to protect the arm from the recoil Thus bringing the Stone Age to life in the classroom of an archer’s longbow, suggest that he may have through the use of artefacts can be an exciting been a hunter. Other artefacts are known to have opportunity for teachers, rather than a daunting originated on the Continent, and chemical (isotopic) challenge. analysis of his teeth has shown that he travelled to Britain from the , indicating that he may have Francis Pryor is an archaeologist, author of Britain BC and Director of Bronze Age site. Hilary Morris leads the ITT courses at University. Laura Joyner is Community and Education Officer, Wessex Archaeology.

. Key ideas

• Not a lot happens • There are big changes • There is no written evidence • New finds often change our ideas about the time • It’s nearly all a load of rubbish! • Archaeologists disagree! • You can’t do it all!

24 Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association Some suggested lesson activities

1. The Rubbish Bin Activity

At the end of a morning, or afternoon, get your pupils to empty the classroom rubbish bin on to a table. Get them to identify all the rubbish, and, using only the evidence they have in front of them, write a brief account of the morning/afternoon/day. When they have done that, ask them what they have done today that is not included in their accounts. What is missing? Why?

This is a simple activity that can make pupils realise that in prehistory, when we rely upon artefacts as evidence to tell us what life was like, we are only ever going to have a partial account – almost a random account, depending upon what evidence has survived, just like the litter in your bin.

2. 3,000-year-old shipwreck shows European trade was thriving in Bronze Age

One exciting thing about prehistory is that archaeologists’ ideas are always changing due to new discoveries, like this shipwreck, reported in The Telegraph. Show your pupils the pictures and story, and ask what the discovery has added to our view of the Stone Age. Make a news-wall where you – and pupils – can post stories about archaeological discoveries.

www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/ archaeology/7238663/3000-year-old- shipwreck-shows-European-trade-was- thriving-in-Bronze-Age.html

Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association 25 3. Houses from Stone Age to Iron Age

This activity is designed to explore Overview, and look specifically at continuity and change. Use the pictures of houses opposite to fill in the grid below:

Stone Age Bronze Age Iron Age

What is the roof made of?

What are the walls made of?

What is the door made of?

What are the windows made of?

Is there a chimney?

What would it be like to live in?

Anything else you can notice?

Houses have changed because:

Houses have stayed the same because:

26 Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association Mesolithic

Below Excavations at Kingsmead Quarry, Horton, in 2008 revealed evidence for occupation during the Neolithic period (4000- 2400 BC). The remains of a building, dated to between 3800 and 3650 BC, were found and represent one of England’s oldest houses. A further three structures of the same date have been found on the site so far. Karen Nichols from the Wessex Archaeology Graphics Team has reconstructed one of the buildings in 3D.

Celtic roundhouses at the Museum of

SCAN ME

INTERACTIVE PRINT

Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association SCAN27 ME Layar.indd 1 03/09/2013 10:31 Want to find out more?

Resources Podcasts

Iron Age Torcs: www.history.org.uk/resources/ Britain & 10,000 - 4,200 BC primary_resource_5923_202.html www.history.org.uk//go/StoneAgeBritain1 Neolithic Axehead: www.history.org.uk/ resources/primary_resource_4723_202.html Britain & Ireland 4,200 - 3000 BC www.history.org.uk//go/StoneAgeBritain2 PH51: CASE STUDY 1: Bradley, Prehistory in the primary curriculum a Britain & Ireland 3000 - 1500 BC Stonehenge experience to remember www.history.org.uk//go/StoneAgeBritain3 PH51: CASE STUDY 4: Julia Dauban with John Crossland, Working with Gifted and The Celts Talented children at an Iron Age hill fort in www.history.org.uk//go/Celts north Britain & Ireland 1500 - 800 BC www.history.org.uk//go/StoneAgeBritain4

Britain & Ireland 800 - 60 BC www.history.org.uk//go/StoneAgeBritain5

Ancient British and Irish Pagan Religion Places to visit www.history.org.uk//go/AncientPaganBritain

The has the largest collection of artefacts on display, but many local museums, like The Collection in Lincoln, have innovative and exciting displays on the period. making sense of heritage

Cresswell Crags, in Nottinghamshire, is a Tudors collection of and a museum containing remains of Ice Age hunters dating from 55,000 Victorian to 10,000 years ago. Websites Bring the past to life with Wessex Archaeology!

Skara Brae, in the Orkneys, a World Heritage Explore archaeology with one of the UK's leading heritage practices. Site, is probably the best preserved Neolithic Butser Ancient Farm, Hampshire: Anglo-Saxons Village in existence today. www.butserancientfarm.co.uk Local History Our dedicated Community & Education team works closely with schools Horrible History Stone Age Song: to promote understanding and enjoyment of history and archaeology. Grimes , in Norfolk, is a Neolithic flint www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/clips/p00hzpqg fine in the care of English Heritage 3,000 year old shipwreck shows European Interactive archaeology workshops trade was thriving in Bronze Age. Flag Fen, near , is a Bronze Artefact loan boxes Age site, combining original remains and a www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/ reconstructed village. archaeology/7238663/3000-year-old- Resources Online resources shipwreck-shows-European-trade-was-thriving- [email protected] Butser Iron Age Farm, in Hampshire, is a in-Bronze-Age.html Stone Age www.wessexarch.co.uk

Archaeology living Iron Age Farm where you can experience An introduction to Bronze Age finds Workshops everyday life in the Iron Age. http://finds.org.uk/bronzeage salisbury rochester Maiden is a huge, -preserved Iron Bronze age – make a Age hill-fort near Dorchester. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00z597g/clips

28 Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association

Artefacts

Egyptians

Romans What the Stone Age to Iron Age This area is one likely to be less familiar than most to co-ordinator teachers, except perhaps for some isolated events and remains such as Stonehenge. There is also the danger of might do: giving the impression that these years were continuous years of savagery and stagnation. The co-ordinator’s role should be to:

• Provide an accessible and manageable overview – this article aims to do this and teachers should be encouraged to read this; • Urge teachers to avoid stereotypes and distortion; � Devise a few central ideas that you hope all teachers will be able to get over to their class around which the content and teaching ideas can be woven, e.g. � this was an extremely long period of time in which many changes occurred; � we use various period labels such as Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages. There is also some specialised vocabulary such as henges, hill-forts. � although many conventional sources such as written documents are not available there are many clues to this time especially through artefacts and surviving field evidence; � this was a time when many developments and improvements occurred such as in farming, buildings, religion, military development and travel; � although a long time ago there is much that people from this period might recognise such as spinning, weaving, grinding corn; � there are still plentiful remains of this time such as important monuments, local remains, place names etc. � these people were not isolated but there were already widespread links when the Romans came. The Romans certainly did not find a primitive or blank country on which to stamp their civilisation. • Try to find out if there are interesting local sources of evidence which could be used to enliven the teaching. Tim Lomas

making sense of heritage

Tudors

Victorian Bring the past to life with Wessex Archaeology!

Explore archaeology with one of the UK's leading heritage practices.

Anglo-Saxons

Local History Our dedicated Community & Education team works closely with schools to promote understanding and enjoyment of history and archaeology.

Interactive archaeology workshops Artefact loan boxes

Resources Online resources [email protected]

Stone Age www.wessexarch.co.uk

Archaeology

Workshops salisbury rochester sheffield edinburgh

Primary History 66 Spring 2014 The Historical Association 29

Artefacts

Egyptians

Romans