Atlantic Bronze Age

The Atlantic Bronze Age is a name for a time in history, from about 1300 to 700 BC, along the Atlantic coast of Europe. This area includes places such as Britain, France, Ireland, Portugal, and Spain.

During this time, many interesting cultures and ways of living grew.

Some people use the term Atlantic Bronze Age to describe the culture shared in these places during the Bronze Age. It was a time when people made tools and other things from bronze, a special kind of metal. Life in prehistoric Europe was changing and becoming more advanced.

Even though the term does not have a strict definition, it helps historians and archaeologists talk about this important period. The Atlantic Bronze Age shows us how people lived, worked, and created during an interesting time in history.

Trade

Main article: Bronze Age Europe

The Atlantic Bronze Age was a time when people along the coasts of Europe shared ideas and goods. This sharing happened from Portugal in the south to Scotland in the north. It included places like Galicia in Spain, Armorica in France (now Brittany), and Cornwall in England. Because of this sharing, many of these places looked similar, with similar buildings and ways of living. Trade also reached as far north as Sweden and Denmark and even to the Mediterranean area.

Metal production

People in the Bronze Age made metal in special places connected by sea trade. These places were in southern England, Ireland, northwestern France, and western Spain and Portugal.

Many metal items were hidden or put in special areas for rituals. Often, these metal pieces were found in water, like rivers, lakes, and bogs.

People made many things from metal, such as axes, weapons like spearheads and shields, and swords. They also made tools for meals, like spits and kettles, found from Portugal to Scotland.

Celtic influence

During this time, the Celts became important in Europe. Their language may have been commonly used along the Atlantic coast. People in these communities used special items like swords and bronze metalwork. These changes might show how their language developed. Some think Celtic languages started in west-central Europe because of contact between leaders from the east and west. Others believe Celtic origins are tied to the Hallstatt C culture in central Europe.