Isle of Man in the Bronze Age 2000-600 BCE

It is thought that the beginning of the Bronze Age on the Isle of Man (c. 2000–600 BCE) was ignited by an influx of migrants from continental Europe who arrived on the island via Britain. Not only did these settlers bring metal-working and bronze artefacts to the island, but they also introduced new burial practices. Instead of the long communal tombs of the Megalithic era, bodies were placed in smaller, stone-lined graves accompanied by ornamental containers. These graves were covered with circular mounds, which are scattered around the island and clearly visible today. The skeleton of a man who died nearly 3,000 years ago was recently excavated and revealed bronze jewellery and weapons, including daggers and swords, made from bronze and bone, replacing the barbed flint arrow heads of the Neolithic era. Cremation was also practised, with some graves revealing charred remains of a mixture of individuals. Excavations have also revealed a late Bronze Age farmyard.