Cover of The Bronze Age in Ireland by George Coffey
George Coffey

The Bronze Age in Ireland

First published 1913 · Public Domain168 pagesHodges, Figgis & Co.
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About This Book

The Bronze Age in Ireland is a pioneering archaeological study by George Coffey, Keeper of Irish Antiquities at the National Museum of Ireland. Published in 1913, it was the first comprehensive treatment of the Bronze Age period in Ireland, examining cultural and technological developments principally through implements and weapons, demonstrating how Irish artifact types connect with similar forms found across Europe — from Mycenaean Greece to Scandinavia. Coffey pays particular attention to Ireland's extraordinary richness in gold during this period, which made the island a kind of El Dorado of the western world. Illustrated with eighty-five detailed drawings and eleven photographic plates, the book remains an essential reference for Irish archaeology and prehistoric European studies.

About the Author

George Coffey
1857 – 1916

George Coffey (1857–1916) was an Irish archaeologist, bookbinder, and cultural revivalist who served as the first Keeper of Irish Antiquities at the National Museum of Ireland. Born in Dublin, he combined a passion for craftsmanship with scholarly rigour, becoming one of the foremost authorities on prehistoric Irish art and Bronze Age metalwork. His landmark study The Bronze Age in Ireland (1913) surveyed the island's gold ornaments, weaponry, and tools with a precision that set new standards for Irish archaeology. Coffey was closely associated with the Celtic Revival, supporting Douglas Hyde's Gaelic League and the broader movement to rediscover Irish language and heritage. A fellow of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland and a member of the Royal Irish Academy, he also contributed important research on passage tomb art at Newgrange, Dowth, and Knowth that still informs scholarship today.

Publication Details

First Published1913
PublisherHodges, Figgis & Co.
Pages168
ISBN9781532765704
LanguageEn
CopyrightPublic Domain
Open LibraryView editions