Art Archives - The Hunt Museum

Pre- Christian Ireland, 3D Big Data

Pre- Christian Ireland

Senior Cycle

Online Learning Resources

The Hunt Museum is working with European partners on the 3D Big Data Space initiative to make high-quality 3D cultural heritage data more accessible. As part of this, it is testing AR-based educational tools that support the EU’s goal of digitising endangered cultural sites by 2030.

Focusing on its Pre-Christian Ireland workshop, the museum collaborated with PCSS, In2, and Room to create an immersive 3D experience. Students can explore Bronze Age artefacts in detail, add annotations, and build visual language skills using guided resources.

The project also includes a digital quiz tool to test students’ knowledge of artefacts, including their purpose, design, and manufacturing techniques.

Whats included?

These resources are designed to support curriculum-linked learning and enhance student engagement:

  • Key terminology and visual language relevant to the Bronze Age

  • A structured timeline outlining technological innovations and material developments

  • Contextual information on burial practices and social traditions

  • Exploration of ritual and religious beliefs

  • Analysis of design principles and construction techniques

Artefact Resource

  • A detailed document examining Bronze Age artefacts from the museum collection

Digital Interactive

  • A quiz-based activity to reinforce learning outcomes and assess student understanding

Click the image below to try the Artefact IQ Quiz and explore 3D artefacts from the museum.

Clay Through the Ages Lesson Plan 2: An Ancient Greek wedding vase from the Hunt Museum

Clay Through the Ages Lesson Plan 1: A Bronze Age food vessel from the Hunt Museum

The Three Muses Clay Through the Ages Archeology game

Use your archeological skills to put the broken food vessel back together as quickly as possible!

Three Muses Clay Through the Ages Archeology game

Clay Though the Ages Lesson Plan 3: A porcelain crest-ware pig from the Limerick Museum

Making Medieval Manuscripts – ARMA

Medieval illuminated manuscripts are hand-written books with pages made from animal skins,adorned with hand painted designs and precious metals. They are some of the most beautiful artifacts that remain from the period. The process of their creation tells us about scribal and artistic practices of the Medieval period. In this programme, post primary students will explore this process through a variety of resources created as part of the Art of Reading in the Middle Ages project for Europeana, including video-based resources, blogs, galleries and workbooks.

Click here for ARMA Reading in the Middle Ages.

Click here for ARMA Graphic Design Education Programme.

 

With Thanks to

Calligraphy – ARMA

Welcome to the Art of Reading in the Middle Ages (ARMA) curriculum linked teaching and learning resources for schools. These harness medieval digital collections from the Hunt Museum and Limerick Museum and manuscripts available through Europeana Foundation

The ARMA programme aims to explore how reading culture evolved in the Middle Ages and became a fundamental aspect of European culture. The main objectives of this programme is to digitise up to 20,000 medieval manuscripts (c. 500 and c. 1500) and make them accessible online for anyone to use copyright free.  Critically the programme will also unlock the educational potential of these digital collections by producing an online exhibition, blogs and other editorials and teaching and learning resources.

Click here for ARMA Making Ink resource.

Click here for ARMA Reading Aloud Resource

Resource 1: Calligraphy in the Middle Ages

Suitability: 4th to 6th classes

A man in medieval blue robes and a red cap naps at a wooden desk in a dimly lit room with bookshelves, arched windows, and intricate wall designs.

Translator at work from BL Royal 18 E III, f. 24 by Valerius Maximus, translated by Simon de Hesdin and Nicholas de Gonesse - 1479 - The British Library, United Kingdom - Public Domain.

Illuminated medieval manuscript depicts a crucifixion scene with vivid colours and intricate details, featuring haloed figures in a solemn composition.

Manuscript leaf from a Book of Pericopes/Animal,Skin,Mammal skin,Parchment,Vellum/12th century AD/The Hunt Collection/PD

A framed, medieval manuscript page with Latin text in brown ink, featuring visible stitching along the edges, conveying an antique and historic feel.

Manuscript leaf from a Book of Pericopes/Animal,Skin,Mammal skin,Parchment,Vellum/12th century AD/The Hunt Collection/PD

Visual Art

  • Strand – Drawing
  • Strand Unit- Making Drawings

 

History

  • Strand: Life, Society, Work & Culture
  • Strand Unit: Life in Medieval town & countryside

Teaching Materials

Today it is easy and quick to record and disseminate information, but in the Middle Ages this process was slow and laborious. All books known as manuscripts were copied by hand using a decorative style of script known as calligraphy.

These teaching materials will enable primary school children to learn about the process and history of calligraphy by comparing and contrasting manuscript examples from Europeana’s collections and historical objects from Limerick Museum and the Hunt Museum associated with the practice of calligraphy. The children will then fashion a calligraphy pen and use it to create their own piece of calligraphy.

With thanks to:

Get fun and creativity in your inbox

Enter your details to sign up to our newsletter.