The Origins of Early Christian Ireland

Cultural developments in Early Christian Ireland have long been recognized and described. There has, however, been little attempt to date to explain why the flowering of culture should happen at the time and in the way it did. Harold Mytum explains changes in the period up to AD 800 in Ireland. External stimuli, most notably from Irish settlers in western Britain, acted as a catalyst which transformed a relatively moribund Iron Age culture into one of extraordinary vigour. All aspects of culture radically changed, and changes in each had knock-on effects on others: beliefs were revolutionised by Christianity; society was transformed by the church as an institution and the rise of the individual; agriculture was expanded by more advanced technology and the entepreneurial flair of individual decision-making; craft production became more widespread and offered a vehicle for the display of personal wealth and status. Long-distance trade and ecclesiastical contacts integrated Ireland with the rest of Europe more effectively than had ever been the case before. Harold Mytum takes a specific theoretical position on his subject-matter, that of processualist theory, and applies it in detail. This book should be of interest to students and teachers of early medieval European history, Irish history and archaeology.