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The Celts

The Celts. Who were they?. The term refers to any number of ancient tribes in Europe using the Celtic languages. Origins and geographical distribution. Some historians believe that they originate from the Caspian steppes The first records date back to 600BC

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The Celts

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  1. The Celts

  2. Who were they? • The term refers to any number of ancient tribes in Europe using the Celtic languages

  3. Origins and geographical distribution • Some historians believe that they originate from the Caspian steppes • The first records date back to 600BC • By that time they had spread over much of Central Europe, the Iberian peninsula, Ireland and Britain

  4. Geographical Distribution • the core Hallstatt territory, expansion before 500 BC(yellow) • maximum Celtic expansion by the 3rd century BC (blue), • the boundaries of the six commonly-recognized 'Celtic nations', which remained Celtic speaking throughout the Middle Ages (green). • areas that remain Celtic-speaking today (dark green)

  5. Celtic languages in Britain • Pictish (Scotland) • Brythonic (England) • Scotti (Ireland) • Cornish (South-England)

  6. Other Celtic languages • Belgae (Belgium) • Gaulish (France) • Proto-Basque (Spain) • Galatian (Greece) • Etc.

  7. The Celts before the Romans • Social hierarchy: kings warrior aristocracy druids, poets, jurists everyone else

  8. Organization of society • Around wars • Kings were elected – the best warriors became the high and low kings • Women were also participating in all spheres – they could become queens • They were hunters and raiders – all the goods were shared

  9. Celtic arts • They were literate, but preferred the oral tradition • Highly skilled in visual arts (on clay, metal, wood)

  10. Faith • Druidism, after the Roman conquest `Celtic Christianity` • Druidism: • Immortality of the soul • When somebody dies the soul passes to a newborn child • They believed that they descended from a supreme being

  11. Druids • Classes: prophets, bards and priests • Assisted by sorcerers (female priests) • Druids had the power: • of mastering astrology • of magic • to control animals and plants • of healing

  12. Sacred rituals • Rituals carried out in oak forests • Sacred plants: oak trees and mistletoes • Used altars (stone monuments) • Stone temples (Stonehenge) • Providing sacrifices (human heads, plants, animals) to animistic gods (gods of the wood, elements, rivers, etc.)

  13. After the Roman conquest • Julius Caesar conquered Gallia, and parts of Britain; Claudius went deeper into the inlands of Britain; Hadrian's limes established the northern border against the Pictish and Scottish invasions • 3rd to 5th century AD

  14. Roman influence • Christianity • Roads, aqueducts • Urbanization • Taxation, commerce

  15. Anglo-Saxon invasion • From 6th century onwards • Lots of Celts fled to Ireland • Some melted • Remained only in Wales (Cymru, Cardiff = Caerdydd) and Scotland (Gaelic: Alba) • Language slowly disappeared

  16. Celtic influence on Modern England • Christianity • Beliefs/Customs: Wiccas, Halloween, May Day • Language (qw- queen, kn- knight,knife -gh burgh, loch, lake-kh)

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