George Coffey, Keeper of Irish Antiquities at the National Museum of Ireland, produced this authoritative survey of Ireland’s Bronze Age based on the museum’s extraordinary collection of gold ornaments, bronze weapons, and burial finds. He analyses the material culture, burial practices, trade connections, and artistic traditions of prehistoric Ireland within the context of wider European Bronze Age civilisation.
A foundational text in Irish prehistory, the book remains a valuable reference for students of European archaeology and Celtic studies. Coffey’s careful descriptive method and clear prose make complex archaeological evidence accessible to a general educated audience.