The Celts Who were they The term refers

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 600 BC § By that time they had spread over much of Central Europe, the Iberian peninsula, Ireland Britain

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

Celtic languages in Britain § § Pictish (Scotland) Brythonic (England) Scotti (Ireland) Cornish (South-England)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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. )

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 § 3 rd to 5 th century AD

Roman influence § § Christianity Roads, aqueducts Urbanization Taxation, commerce

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

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