The Stone Age
Exploring life before written history — from the Mesolithic period to the Iron Age
What is prehistory?
Prehistory is the period of human history before writing was invented. We know about prehistoric people not from books or documents, but from the objects and remains they left behind — bones, tools, cave paintings, and burial sites.
Archaeologists and historians piece together clues to tell the story of how our earliest ancestors lived, hunted, built shelters, and made sense of the world around them.
The eras examined with Holding History
Mesolithic and Neolithic
8,000 – 2,500 BC
From the earliest known settlement in Ireland to the height of the Neolithic. We explore who these early people were, and how society moved from hunter gatherers to more settled farming techniques with crops and and domestic animals
Bronze Age
2,0500 – 800 BC
Humans learned to mix copper and tin to make bronze — a much stronger metal than stone. They used it to make weapons, tools, and jewellery. We see the first artefacts intended solely for conflict such as swords, and the creation of beautiful gold jewellery in Ireland.
Iron Age
500 BC – AD 400
Iron replaced bronze as the main material for tools and weapons because it was stronger and more widely available. A time where many Irish legends like Cú Chulainn are born, with places like Navan Fort becoming power centres. Extraordinary finds like bog bodies give us a glimpse into the Iron Age
What we explore
Each topic is designed to spark curiosity and discussion in the classroom or during a school visit.
Stone tools
How did prehistoric people make sharp tools without metal? Flint can be chipped into blades, scrapers, and arrowheads. Children can examine original and replica flint tools and discuss how they were used for hunting and preparing food.
Flint knapping
How did people make flint tools? Pupils can watch a flint knapping demonstration to see how these wonderful objects were created, with the school keeping the end product!
Hunter-gatherers vs farmers
For most of prehistory, people moved around following food. With the Neolithic period, humans began farming — growing crops and keeping animals. This changed everything: settlements, food storage, and eventually towns. find out what people grew and kept, as well as a replica fish trap.
Burial customs and beliefs
Prehistoric people buried their dead with care, often with objects like weapons, food, or jewellery. This tells us they believed in an afterlife. Megalithic tombs like Newgrange in Ireland are extraordinary examples.
Daily life and pottery
Prehistoric people made clothing from animal skins and later woven plant fibres. They cooked over open fires, made pottery to store food, and lived in roundhouses with thatched roofs. Find out what these furs felt like, and examine replicas of prehistoric pottery found locally.
Megaliths and monuments
Stonehenge, Newgrange, and the Callanish Stones are just a few of the massive stone monuments built during prehistory. Why did people build them? Astronomy, religion, and community gatherings all played a role.
Artefacts we can show you
Holding History has a collection of genuine prehistoric and early historic artefacts available for school visits and educational talks. Handling real objects brings history to life in a way no textbook can match.
Flint tools
Genuine worked flint blades and scrapers from the Neolithic and Bronze Age periods
Bronze Age metalwork
Replica and original bronze implements demonstrating early metalworking techniques
Iron Age objects
See examples of what people would use in daily life. From fish traps to fur, and flint knapping demonstration
Pottery fragments
Replica pottery based on examples found in Ireland, and created by a local pottery expert.
Book a school talk
Interested in bringing prehistoric history to your classroom? Get in touch to discuss a visit, loan of artefacts, or a tailored talk for your year group.