Mesolithic Ireland

Hannah, Dara and Shauna C.

Mesolithic Ireland

Archaeologists believe that the first people who settled in Ireland arrived about 9000 years ago. (7000bc to 3500bc). Before these people came to Ireland it was covered in thick sheet of ice. These people arrived in Ireland about 7000bc. The country was covered in dense forests with lots of rivers and lakes. Archaeologists named these people Mesolithic people. All of their tools were made from stone and they lived by hunting and gathering food such as berries, apples and nuts. Mesolithic people left us no written records. They lived at Mount Sandel .Archaeologists think that small family groups lived there.

Mesolithic Huts

At Mount Sandel archaeologist found evidence of Mesolithic huts. They discovered a circle of post-holes with a hearth in the centre. Fires where lit in the hearth for cooking and heating. These post-holes tell us that wooden branches where placed here. These branches were then bent to make the shape of an upside down bowl or a dome. Animal skin of earth were probably then put on top.

Mesolithic Tools and Weapons

When archaeologists excavated Mount Sandel lots of stone tools and small pieces of broken flint were found. Mesolithic people would have used flint to make spears and axe-heads for hunting and fishing .They also used small pieces of flint as knives and scrapers to skin animals and cut meat. Flint is not found everywhere in Ireland but along the north east-coast it is plentiful. This may be the reason why people settled at Mount Sandel.