The Bronze Age Britain | the Beaker People in Britain скачать в хорошем качестве

The Bronze Age Britain | the Beaker People in Britain

During the Bronze Age in Britain, approximately 2500 - 600 B.C., a group known as the Beaker People migrated and settled in the region. These individuals earned their name from the distinctive shape of the pottery containers frequently discovered in their circular grave mounds. Despite their initial small numbers, the stout newcomers quickly gained dominance over the indigenous Neolithic population, forming a novel kind of aristocracy. Functioning as both farmers and archers, the Beaker folk utilised stone wrist guards to shield their arms from bowstring recoil. They held the distinction of being the earliest metalworkers in Britain, starting with copper and gold and later progressing to bronze, which characterises this era. In terms of lifestyle, the period saw a transition to round houses, mirrored by the emergence of stone circles and circular grave mounds. It's inferred that these dwellings had low stone walls as foundations, upon which wooden poles and rafters were supported. The roof was likely made from materials like thatch, turf, or hides. The Beaker People crafted their own pottery and eventually introduced weaving to Britain, along with a honey-based mead, marking the first known alcoholic beverage in the region. Their arrival brought a pastoral element to the Neolithic agricultural practices, allowing for the cultivation of previously marginal land. This way of life continued successfully for many centuries until climatic shifts led to its decline. Unlike the communal orientation of the Neolithic era, the Beaker People established a patriarchal society, with individual warrior-chiefs or kings gaining prominence. Toward the end of the Bronze Age, a significant climate change occurred, potentially triggered by a major volcanic eruption in Iceland. This abrupt shift caused temperature drops and abandonment of settlements, leading to the emergence of peat over former farmlands and settlements. This period also likely witnessed conflicts as resource scarcity fuelled warfare. Religiously, the Beaker People utilised round barrows, often grouped in family cemeteries, sometimes near earlier Neolithic sites deemed sacred. These graves contained valuable items, indicating a belief in an afterlife. Notably, both men and women received barrow burials, often positioned with their heads facing south, men toward the east and women toward the west, possibly to allow the deceased to witness the sun at specific times. Additionally, stone circles were a focal point of the Bronze Age, potentially adopted from the Neolithic era, with Stonehenge being one of the most famous examples that the Beaker People and their successors attempted to enhance. English by Wilko