Penard Period facts for kids
The Penard Period was an exciting time in ancient Britain when people became really good at working with bronze. It was part of the Bronze Age, a long time ago when tools and weapons were made from bronze instead of stone. This period lasted for about 135 years, from around 1275 BC to 1140 BC.
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The Penard Period: A Time of Bronze Innovation
What Was the Penard Period?
The Penard Period was a special time during the Bronze Age in Britain. It was a period when people learned many new ways to make things from bronze. This included tools, weapons, and other important items. It was a time of great change and new ideas in how people used metal.
Where Did the Name Come From?
This period gets its name from a place called Penard in West Glamorgan, which is in Wales. In 1827, a large collection of bronze tools from this time was found hidden there. This hidden collection is called a hoard. Because of this important discovery, experts decided to name this exciting time in the Bronze Age after Penard.
Amazing Bronze Inventions!
During the Penard Period, people really started to experiment with bronze. They found new ways to shape and use this metal. Some cool inventions and changes included:
- The cylinder sickle: This was a new type of tool, probably used for cutting crops.
- Leaf-shaped spearheads: These spearheads had a special shape and were designed to be attached with pegs.
- More use of sheet bronze: People started making more items from thin, flat sheets of bronze.
- New ways to make things: They began using clay moulds to cast bronze.
- New metal mixes: They also started using new alloys, which are mixes of metals, that had more lead in them.
Connecting with Europe
A big reason for all these new ideas was that people in Britain had more contact with groups in other parts of Europe. They especially connected with the Urnfield culture, which was a group of people living in central Europe. From these connections, new ideas about making things from bronze came to Britain. Early swords and shields were even brought over from Europe during this time.
What Came Before and After?
The Penard Period fits into a timeline of different metalworking phases in Britain. It happened after a time called the Taunton Period. After the Penard Period, there was another phase known as the Wilburton-Wallington Phase. This shows how metalworking skills kept changing and improving over time in ancient Britain.
