MONKS A BRIEF HISTORYBY Cherry Blossom

INTRODUCTION

Monks lived in monasteries.They lived a very simple life.They work hard on the farm.They prayed and worshiped God.They helped the poor and sick. They wrote prayers and stories about saints and Jesus.They were excellent craftsmen.

MONKS CLOTHING

The clothes monks wore were very simple.

Monks clothes were made from coarse, undyed wool.

Monks wore a tunic which was tied around the waist with a belt.

Over this they wore a scapula. Which is a long wide woollen cloth with an opening for the head.

A hood was attached to the scapula this was called a cowl.

On their feet they wore leather sandals.

WHERE MONKS LIVED

Monks lived in monasteries. The buildings in the monastery were

surrounded by a thick circular wall. The main buildings in the monastery were

the church, the round tower and the cells. Monks cells were simple stone buildings

with a curtain for a door. Monks had very few belongings. Some monks lived as hermits in beehive

huts on Islands. Hermits liked to live alone and pray most

of the day. These Beehive huts are on Skellig Michael.

THE ROUND TOWER

A round tower is a stone building that monks used as a safe place in times of attack.

The door of the round tower was very high up.

Monks used a rope ladder to get inside then hauled the ladder up when everyone was safely in the tower.

When the attack was over they let the ladder down and climbed out.

There are 52 round towers in Ireland.This is a round tower in Co.Fermanagh.

ART WORK

Monks were excellent craftsmen and scholars.

Monks used metal and stone to make wonderful objects such as chalices, jewellery and crosses.

Monks spent a lot of time making manuscripts with amazing art work.

These manuscripts had so much detail it was difficult to see it all.

The most famous of these manuscripts is the Book of Kells which is now in Trinity College Dublin.

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING BYE !