Research: The Iron Age

This is the last era I will be looking at. After this era, I will start brainstorming my initial ideas. I will then proceed to complete more in depth and specific research about it each before developing my designs.

 

The iron era began around 800BC. As evident by the name, Iron was very popular during these times. Similarly to the bronze age and the neolithic era, Iron age was primarily based on farming and agriculture. The people used iron to make farming easier. 

Aerial view of entrance to Old Oswestry Hill Fort in the Welsh Marches near Oswestry in north west Shropshire during the Iron Age. n.d.

People used to live inside those forts in order to defend themselves from attacks. They could grow crops and kept their livestock in there.

The people usually lived in tribes with a leader. These tribes were known as Celts.

They would live on farms, villages. Bigger places to settle included hillforts or towns like Oppida. Oppida was a 'market' where clothes, food, weapons were made and sold. 

Their houses would usually be made out of wood and they would be circular called roundhouses. 

The Iron Age was a violent era where people used to fight a lot and were led by warrior kings. Their helmets and armour was made out of iron which made it very strong and sturdy. This is why most soldiers that wore iron armour would usually win.

There were jewelleries and swords found in lakes which were left as religious gifts. Human bodies have also been discovered which means that many people where killed at religious meetings too.

Their technology evolved, which allowed them to create new crops and new methods. Some of this new technology includes: Potter's wheel-spinning pots, lathe-woodwork, rotary quern- grinding grain, metal plough- ploughed even through heavy clay soils.  

Religion was also starting to develop in the iron age as they have evidence of religious rituals or ceremonies in lakes, bogs and pits.

Conclusion: 

This was the last blog that I will briefly research. I will then start my initial ideas, followed by more in-depth research to develop my products. 

It was pretty difficult to gather information about these eras and definitely time consuming, even though the blogs seem to be small.

Links to my designs:

1. Inspiration from their jewelleries 

2. Their forts

3. Their religion

4. Oppida 

5. Shapes or functions of Potter's wheel-spinning pots, lathe-woodwork, rotary quern- grinding grain, metal plough- ploughed even through heavy clay soils.  

6. Their armour and shield. 

Inspiration from their forts would create a more bulky design. Oppida would be a very interesting aspect to research. Additionally, their new advancements in technology as it shows evolution and progress from other eras. Lastly, armour and shield would interest me the most to inspect. 

References:

History (n.d.) Iron Age. Available at: https://www.history.com/topics/pre-history/iron-age [Accessed: 05/05/21]

Twinkl (2020) What was the iron age. Available at: https://www.twinkl.co.uk/homework-help/history-homework-help/the-iron-age-facts-for-kids/what-were-homes-like-during-the-iron-age [Accessed: 05/05/21] 

FunKids (n.d.) Top 10 facts about the iron age. Available at: https://www.funkidslive.com/learn/top-10-facts/top-10-facts-about-the-iron-age/ [Accessed : 05/05/21]