Editing Bronze Age (section)

==== Ireland ====
{{Main|Prehistoric Ireland#Bronze Age|Atlantic Bronze Age}}
The Bronze Age in Ireland began {{circa|2000&nbsp;BC|lk=no}}E when copper was alloyed with tin and used to manufacture Ballybeg type flat axes and associated metalwork. The preceding period is known as the [[Copper Age]] and is characterised by the production of flat axes, daggers, [[halberds]] and [[stitching awl|awls]] in copper. The period is divided into three phases: Early Bronze Age (2000–1500&nbsp;BCE), Middle Bronze Age (1500–1200&nbsp;BCE), and Late Bronze Age (1200{{snd}}{{circa|500&nbsp;BC|lk=no}}E). Ireland is known for a relatively large number of Early Bronze Age burials. The country's [[stone circle]]s and [[stone rows]] were built during this period.<ref>Power (1992), p. 23.</ref>

One of the characteristic types of artefacts of the Early Bronze Age in Ireland is the flat axe. There are five main types of flat axes: Lough Ravel crannog ({{circa|2200&nbsp;BC|lk=no}}E), Ballybeg ({{circa|2000&nbsp;BC|lk=no}}E), Killaha ({{circa|2000&nbsp;BC|lk=no}}E), Ballyvalley ({{circa|2000–1600&nbsp;BC|lk=no}}E), Derryniggin ({{circa|1600&nbsp;BC|lk=no}}E), and a number of metal ingots in the shape of axes.<ref>Waddell; Eogan.</ref>