The Bronze Age

The Bronze Age

There was no abrupt transition into the Bronze Age in Britain, but it is considered to span the years c. 2,500 to 800 BCE.  It is separated from the Neolithic by the introduction of metal working, first of copper then its stronger alloy, bronze (copper alloyed with tin). However, Scotland was not rich in either copper or tin ores, so trade would have been necessary to obtain bronze or bronze items.  A copper blade was found at Salen and a bronze blade at Callachally, and axes were found at Gribun and Quinish.

The general economy appears much like that of the Neolithic, but a new type of pottery was manufactured, Beaker ware, examples of which have been recovered from burial cairns in Mull and Iona. Burials were commonly in cists, cairns or barrows.  Megalithic building included stone circles and standing stones, and these are well represented on Mull.