Iron Age - National Museum Cardiff
800BC – AD50
After 800 BC, the new and harder metal of iron slowly began to replace weapons and tools made of cast bronze.
The Origins gallery is home to the Capel Garmon Fire-dog , a masterpiece of iron that captures the skill and technological achievements of the Iron Age blacksmith.
This double-crested mythical beast is a truly iconic object, and one of the finest pieces of decorative prehistoric ironwork in Europe. It is considered to be one of the top ten objects in the collections of Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales.
Remarkable social developments happened in the Late Iron Age (50 BC – AD 50). Small hillfort communities came together into larger regional tribes.
New, powerful elites were born. Leaders jostled for power and control at a time of ever changing politics. Developments across southern England and increasing Roman interventions added fuel to this process.
By the time of Roman campaigning in Wales, four major tribes are named: the Silures, the Ordovices, the Demetae and the Deceangli.
