History · 5th Year

Active learning ideas

High Crosses and Metalwork

Step into Ireland's 'Golden Age' and discover how early Irish society expressed its deepest beliefs in stone and metal.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA History: Early People and Ancient Societies - Early Christian Ireland

• 30–60 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Museum Exhibit
• 45 min · Pairs

High Cross Storyboard

In pairs, students are given a high-resolution image of a single panel from a famous high cross, such as Muiredach's Cross. They must identify the biblical story depicted and create a three-frame storyboard that explains the narrative to their classmates.

Identify the key features of an Irish High Cross.

Facilitation Tip

Provide a list of potential biblical stories to help scaffold the identification process for students.

What to look for

Think-Pair-Share: Pose a question like 'What was the main purpose of a high cross?' Students think individually, discuss with a partner, and then share with the whole class.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Museum Exhibit
• 60 min · Small Groups

Curate Your Own Exhibit

In small groups, students act as museum curators tasked with creating an exhibit on 'Ireland's Golden Age'. They must select three key artefacts (crosses or metalwork), write descriptive labels for each, and design a layout for their exhibit.

Explain the purpose of objects like the Ardagh Chalice or the Tara Brooch.

Facilitation Tip

Encourage groups to choose a theme for their exhibit, such as 'Power and Patronage' or 'Art and Faith'.

What to look for

Source-based analysis question: Students are given an image of an artefact they have not studied in detail and asked to analyse its features and suggest its likely purpose, using evidence from the image.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Museum Exhibit
• 30 min · Individual

Craftsmanship Challenge

Using modelling clay and basic tools like toothpicks, students individually attempt to replicate a small section of decoration. This could be the interlace on the Ardagh Chalice or a spiral motif from a high cross, giving them a tactile appreciation of the artists' skill.

Analyse the stories and symbols depicted in the art of this period.

Facilitation Tip

Focus on the process and the challenges of the intricate work rather than achieving a perfect final product.

What to look for

Students complete a 'KWL' chart at the beginning and end of the topic: what they Know, what they Want to know, and what they have Learned.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with high-quality visuals to spark curiosity before introducing terminology. Use a specific example, like the Cross of Muiredach, as a case study to walk through the process of analysing iconography. Then, contrast this with a piece of metalwork like the Tara Brooch to discuss different materials, techniques, and functions. Encourage students to always ask: 'Who paid for this, and why?'

Your students will learn to decode the rich visual language of these masterpieces, understanding them not just as art, but as powerful historical documents.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• High crosses were just elaborate gravestones.

  While some may have had a commemorative function, their primary roles were as public teaching tools depicting Bible stories, as boundary markers for monastic lands, and as focal points for religious gatherings and prayer.

• These objects were made by lonely monks in isolated monasteries.

  The creation of a high cross or a treasure like the Ardagh Chalice was a major commission requiring a team of highly skilled, specialised craftspeople. These artisans were likely lay professionals, working for powerful patrons like kings or abbots.

• The intricate patterns are purely decorative.

  The abstract patterns, such as Celtic knotwork (interlace) and spirals, were rich with symbolism. They often represented concepts like eternity, the interconnectedness of life, and the mysteries of the Christian faith.

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Methods used in this brief

• Museum Exhibit