It was originally a mystery what the tablet, which is 1.48 meters x 0.9 meters (4’10” x 2’11”), represented though it was ascertained to have been made during the 2 nd Century based on the artifacts it was found with. The Coligny calendar was found in woods near Coligny, France in the 1890s, and consisted of a large bronze tablet with intricate engravings. While the Romans had the Julian calendar, the Celts had their own calendar for predicting the seasons and calculating time. This edge on their competitors – perhaps more accurately described as their victims - was something they took full advantage of to grow their empire and spread far further than would otherwise have been possible.Ĭeltic swords 120 BC to 43 AD. The Hallstatt Culture was one of the first to adopt iron for weapons, which was far superior to the bronze weapons used by their rivals. The fact the Celts were able to spread across such a large part of Europe and survive so long was probably due to their advanced weaponry. They Developed Weaponry Long Before Their Rivals At one site in France there is even a pillar with special niches carved out to display severed heads.Ĥ. Having a large collection of enemy heads was a sign of prestige to the Celts, and they would even go so far as to decorate the doors to their houses with the heads of their enemies to show off how successful they were in battle. The Celts believed that human souls resided in heads, and so after victory in battle Celtic warriors would decapitate their enemies. One of the grimmer aspects of Celtic tradition was the practice of head-hunting. They Were Head-HuntersĪlthough many of the Roman ideas about the Celts were exaggerated or entirely inaccurate, they did have some traditions which were barbaric. The reverse side of a Celtic bronze mirror from 50 BC. There is even evidence that it is the Celts introduced the Romans to soap, and that it was mandatory in some tribes for the men to bathe before enjoying their evening meal. Celtic sites have an abundance of grooming tools, such as combs and hair pins. However, the archaeological evidence shows that this is far from true. Thanks to the Roman accounts, we tend to think of the Celts as scruffy, dirty, and smelly. The Celts Paid Attention to Their Hygiene The site has over 1000 burials with Celtic features, dated to approximately 1200 BC.Ĭeltic warrior. In fact, the earliest evidence of Celtic culture is from the site of Hallstatt, Austria. So, it comes as a surprise to learn that the Celts were not originally from either of these regions. Furthermore, most British school children are taught about Hadrian’s Wall, built by the Roman emperor Hadrian in 122 AD to keep the Picts, a Celtic tribe in modern Scotland, confined to the North. The instantly recognizable Celtic art style is something people associate with Ireland, and movies such as Braveheart cement the idea that the Celts were present in Scotland. Today, people think of the Celtic culture as being a part of Irish and Scottish heritage. The Celts Did Not Originate in Ireland or Scotland The way the Romans depicted the Celts has influenced our modern opinions of their society, as evidenced by popular depictions like the Asterix comics, but there are a lot of fascinating facts about Celtic society which show a different side of the Celts altogether.ġ. Their distinctive artistic style has survived into the 21 st century, likewise some remnants of their traditions and language. Although the first mentions of the Celts were in Roman texts from around the 7 th Century AD, the Celtic culture is thought to have emerged around 1200 BC.ĭespite the picture the Romans painted of a savage and brutish society of uncultured, unrestrained ruffians, their culture was a complex one. Even the name given to them by the Romans (Galli) translates to barbarian. They shared similar languages, traditions, religions, and cultural practices and were known for their fierceness in battle and the fact the Romans perceived them as a culture of barbarians. The Celts were a distinct ethnic group made up of tribes spread across Europe.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |