The Celts
Caesar’s description of Britain
- Island somewhat triangular
- Nights during his stay in summer were shorter than those on the mainland
- Mentions iron found near the coast
- Tin came from the interior (this is not correct)
- Agriculture
- Abundance of cattle
- Numerous farms
- Island heavily populated
- Most civilized people lived in Kent
- Used blue dye (woad) on their bodies
- Wore hair long
- Shaved their bodies except for head and lip
- Polygamy practiced by some
From 1000 BCE Britain part of Celtic world
- Britons impressed Roman writers
- Tall
- Fair skin
- Bleu eyes
- Blond hair
- Belgic peoples
- Influenced coastal regions of eastern Britain
- Kent
- Essex
- Lower Thames valley
- Iron A groups continued to dominate in highland areas
- Iron B (Marnian) groups
- Dominated most of Britain
- Areas of main control
- Parts of south-west
- East Midlands
- Yorkshire
- Class structure
- Druids at the top
- Warrior aristocracy
- Common people
Tribal Division of Britain
- Area divided among a number of tribes
- Independent of each other
- Loosely connected by common culture
- Language
- Religion
- Cultural expression
Religion
- World people by all manner of spiritual manifestations
- Most only of local importance
- Veneration of abstract powers or natural objects
- Imbued with spiritual significance
- Popular natural phenomena
- Rivers
- Springs
- Wells
- Lakes
- Throw offerings into them
- Connected with fertility
- Small shrines connected to springs
- Deities
- Some local figures gained wider importance
- Mother goddess
- Connected with fertility
- Popular throughout Celtic world
- Worship primarily in sacred groves
- Human sacrifices
- Burned men in wickerwork cages
- Their movements were watched as omens
- Druids
- Drawn from the warrior class
- Controlled all public and private sacrifices
- Judged all disputes
- Interpreted human sacrifice omens
- Regulated seasonal festivals
- Knowledge of astronomy and philosophy
- Educated sons of the political leaders
- Held certain political powers
- Exempt from military service and taxes
- Roman policy tried to exterminate them
- Burial
- Number of large cemeteries
- Many graves richly equipped graves
- Some enclosed within a square, marked by a ditch
- Believed in material existence in afterlife
- Taught this by Druids
- Prepared for it with grave offerings
- Weapons
- Carts or chariots
- Food and drink
- Buckets
- Caldrons
- Games
- Ornaments and jewelry