Celtic art, the Snettisham Great Torc and the Battersea Shield
I can describe some of the features of Celtic La Tène art.
Celtic art, the Snettisham Great Torc and the Battersea Shield
I can describe some of the features of Celtic La Tène art.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Iron Age Britain was dominated by a group of people called the Celts, who had spread across Europe.
- Art was very important to the Celts, who made large numbers of metal objects in a style known as La Tène.
- The Snettisham Great Torc shows the incredible artistry and craftsmanship the Celts were capable of.
- The Battersea Shield made of bronze shows incredible craftmanship and the distinctive swirling patterns of La Tène.
- Archaeologists have worked out that it was too thin for protection, and so was probably an offering to the gods.
Keywords
Celts - the Celts were groups of Iron Age people in Europe who shared similar languages and culture
La Tène - a popular later style of Celtic art which uses curves, swirls and leafy patterns is called La Tène
Torc - a torc is a large solid ring worn around the neck
Common misconception
Pupils may think that all of our knowledge of the Iron Age is definitely correct.
Explain that archaeologists use artefacts to learn about the past, they get ideas and clues from the artefacts and build up a picture of what they think the past was like. There is very little written evidence about the Celts.
To help you plan your year 3 history lesson on: Celtic art, the Snettisham Great Torc and the Battersea Shield, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your year 3 history lesson on: Celtic art, the Snettisham Great Torc and the Battersea Shield, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
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Explore more key stage 2 history lessons from the Iron Age Britain: what have historians learnt about Iron Age Britain? unit, dive into the full primary history curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.When was the Iron Age?
Q2.Archaeologists use artefacts to learn about the past. True or false?
Q3.Art is only created on paper. True or false?
Q4.Match the word to the correct definition.
pieces of art, created to express ideas and feelings
ancient items created by humans
someone who studies human history
someone who creates art
Q5.Prehistoric humans created art. True or false?
Q6.What is metalwork?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which group of people lived in small farming settlements during the Iron Age?
Q2.Which are features of the La Tène style of Celtic art?
Q3.What is a torc?
Q4.Which statement is describing the Battersea Shield?
Q5.Match the artefact to the correct description.
made from gold alloy, it has metal rope and decorative terminals
made from bronze, the cover has red glass beads and three circles