The Atlantic Bronze Age refers to a cultural complex of the Bronze Age period in prehistoric Europe, spanning approximately 1300–700 BC. This complex includes various cultures in Britain, France, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.

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Quick Facts Geographical range, Period ...

Atlantic Bronze Age

Geographical range	Western Europe
Period	Bronze Age
Dates	c. 1300 — c. 700 BC
Preceded by	Bell Beaker culture, Bronze Age Britain, Armorican Tumulus culture, Wessex culture
Followed by	Iron Age Britain, Iron Age Ireland, Iron Age France, Iron Age Spain

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The Atlantic Bronze Age is characterized by economic and cultural exchange, resulting in a high degree of cultural similarity between coastal communities from central Portugal to Galicia, Armorica, Cornwall and Scotland. This is evidenced by the frequent use of stone as chevaux-de-frise, the construction of cliff castles, and domestic architecture, sometimes characterized by roundhouses. ^[1] Trade contacts extended from Sweden^[2] and Denmark to the Mediterranean.^[1] The Bronze Age was characterized by distinct regional centers of metal production, linked by regular maritime trade. The main centers were in southern England and Ireland, northwestern France, and western Iberia.^[3] Radiocarbon dating indicates that the Early Bronze Age began on the northern Iberian plateau in 2100 cal. BC, while the Late Bronze Age began in 1350 cal. BC. ^[4][5][6] Items associated with this culture are often found in hoards or deposited in ritual areas,^[7][8] typically in watery contexts such as rivers, lakes, and bogs. The cultural complex includes various items, such as socketed and double-ring bronze axes, sometimes buried in large hoards in Brittany and Galicia. Military equipment such as lunate spearheads, V-notched shields, and a variety of bronze swords, including carp-tongue swords, are usually found buried in lakes, rivers, or rocky outcrops.^[9] Elite feasting equipment such as spits, kettles, and meat hooks^[8][10] have also been found from central Portugal to Scotland.^[1]

In 2008, John T. Koch attributed the origins of the Celts to this period.^[11] This theory is supported by Barry Cunliffe,^[12] who argues that Celtic developed as an Atlantic lingua franca before spreading to mainland Europe.^[8] The authors argue that communities in the Late Bronze Age adopted elite status markers, such as grip-tongue swords and bronze sheet metalwork, from the Urnfield period (Bronze D and Hallstatt A). They also acquired new skills for their production and ritual knowledge about their proper treatment after deposition.^[13] These changes may indicate processes related to language change.^[13] In 2013, Koch suggested that the emergence of Celtic languages with a Proto-Celtic homeland in west-central Europe could be explained by elite contact from east to west.^[14] However, this view contrasts with the more widely accepted view that Celtic origins are linked to the central European Hallstatt C culture.

• A Bronze Age gold hoard: Tesouro de Caldas, Galicia, Spain
• Gold torque from Stretham, England
• Bronze weapons from Lanzahíta, Spain
• Bronze Age swords, France
• The Caergwrle Bowl, Wales, c. 1300 BC
• Casco de Leiro, Galicia, Spain
• Gold bowls from Axtroki, Spain
• Gold bracelets and neckrings, England, 1150–750 BC
• Sintra collar, Portugal, c. 10th century BC
• Bronze cauldrons. Left Cabárceno [es], Spain. Right Chiseldon, England.^[15][16]
• Gold and bronze hoard from Wrexham, Wales, 1300-1150 BC
• Gold torque or belt from Guînes, France, 1300-1150 BC^[17]
• Gold torque from Guînes, Pas-de-Calais, France.^[18]
• Deposito da Samieira, a hoard of Galician Bronze Age axes. Museo de Pontevedra
• Stele of Solana de Cabañas, Spain.
• Adabrock Hoard, Scotland, c. 1000 BC
• Gold torque from the Treasure of Berzocana, Extremadura, Spain
• Ceremonial bronze dirk, France, c. 1300 BC
• Dirks from England and France
• Brazalete da Urdiñeira, Spain
• Gold torc, Saint-Jean-Trolimon, France
• Bronze axes, France
• Gold disk/ring, Extremadura, Spain, c. 1000 BC
• Dún Aonghasa hillfort, Ireland

• Magacela stele
• Bronze Age Europe
• Armorican Tumulus culture
• Argaric culture
• Bronze Age Britain
• Bronze Age Iberia
• Bronze Age France
• Cornish Bronze Age
• Urnfield culture
• Nordic Bronze Age
• Tumulus culture
• Unetice culture