Category: Celtic Culture (page 1 of 2)

General information about Celtic society.

April 27, 2020 / 0 Comments

Celtic Arts and Crafts

Some critics consider art/craftsmanship associated with the Celtic tradition to be inferior to more “advanced” civilizations. However the surviving Celtic artifacts belie the criticism. Celtic art/craftsmanship was equal to or superior to those of any comparable society.

All one needs to do to confirm this observation is to examine the surviving artifacts. The designs created by the early Celts are extremely intricate, detailed and interesting. Were they not of quality, these designs would not be used in numerous applications today (in jewelry, on tee shirts, in tapestries, on swords, and so forth).

In my view, it is absurd to find fault with Celtic craftsmanship/artistic talent when the evidence of their talent is obvious in the artifacts that survive from early Celtic times. I have only provided visuals of one such artifact of early Celtic art in the accompanying graphic but it seems sufficient to make the point. These images are of the Gundestrup Cauldron, which is indisputably of Celtic origin. It depicts various aspects of Celtic belief in extremely well crafted reliefs requiring considerable artistic talent. I urge you to look at other Celtic artifacts and judge for yourself whether the work is “of quality”.

April 26, 2020 / 0 Comments

celtic astronomy

The Cosmos is an unending source of fascination for humans. Not surprisingly, then, the Celts were among those interested in the size, nature, and meaning of the heavenly bodies they were able to observe. The Celts made a variety of observations including some about the impact of the sun and moon on things like the tides and people’s moods.

The Celts also used their observations about the phases of the moon to develop an extremely accurate calendar that dates from around 1100 B.C., a system that served them well into the Christian era.

In many respects celestial observations made by the early Celts were more accurate than observations made by other Europeans (this is known by comparing the Celt/European observations to observations made by the Chinese and others….the Celts’ observations align more closely with the Chinese observations than do the observations of other European cultures). These records suggest the Celts’ intellectual tradition was strong and well beyond the barbarians their enemies made them out to be.

April 25, 2020 / 0 Comments

celtic literacy

Some have argued that the Celts were illiterate because they did not develop a language of their own until the 2nd or 3rd century A.D. It is true they did not develop a written language of their own until then, but it is not true they were illiterate prior to that time. In effect, they used languages of those they came into contact with to record a variety of things (praises to various Gods, words on coins, records of ceremonies, and so forth). The languages used were typically Latin and Greek.

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April 24, 2020 / 0 Comments

Celtic Buildings

In this area, as in many other aspects of Celtic life, there is discord over the extent and nature of buildings constructed by the Celts. Some say that the Celts were basically nomadic and threw up only the most primitive structures. Others credit them with some monumental achievements. The record suggests that neither of these interpretations is accurate. The Celts built some impressive structures but not monumental ones. Some fortified towns boasted impressive houses laid out in an orderly fashion and enclosed by thick fortified walls. In some cases, the houses even had underground drainage systems.

In many cases, the Celts used wood for their buildings and most of those buildings have disappeared. However, in some regions (Scotland for instance) the circumstances caused them to use stone. Many of these structures still stand and the artifacts found therein certify them as undeniably Celtic.

The structures I find most fascinating are the “crannogs”. A crannog is illustrated below. In essence, the Celts built a crannog in a lake or a bog. They would raft boulders to a site in a lake and sink those boulders until an island was formed. They then sunk pilings and built the structures deemed necessary. They also constructed a drawbridge for ease of access. Presumably, the Celts went to all this trouble to make their homes easy to defend and difficult to attack.

Builders were held in high esteem and considered “professionals”. There were set rates to be charged for various types of construction. Laws also covered things like arson and damage to buildings (if your cow ate someone’s thatched roof for instance you were held liable).

April 23, 2020 / 0 Comments

Celtic infrastructure

What I mean by infrastructure here has to do with how Celts moved about in the areas they controlled. In essence, how they crossed land and sea.
It appears the Celts were able to cross land masses with ease via an extensive system of roads. However, the evidence for an extensive system of roads in Celtic controlled areas is largely based on circumstantial evidence. For instance, large wagons with iron rimmed wheels have been found in numerous burial tombs. Thus, one would assume that roads existed to handle these wagons. Little actual evidence of the roads themselves exists because they were made from wood. However, some sections of these wooden roads have been preserved in bogs. It appears the road base was made from birch with less robust tree species being used for the cross planks on the roadway surface.

The case for large ocean going vessels is similar to the case for roads. No vessels have been found that can be attributed to ship building of this nature by the Celts (small river going vessels have been discovered but no large vessels capable of ocean travel have been found). However, the extensive trade between the Celts and other regions indicates that such vessels must have existed. Additionally, various writers also refer to such vessels in their accounts. Julius Caesar, for instance, describes Celtic ships in detail and with a certain amount of envy.

Thus, in this area (surface and water routes) the Celts seem to have had an extensive infrastructure.

April 22, 2020 / 4 Comments

Celtic Agricultural practices

Celtic farmers were the backbone of Celtic society. Without the goods produced by farmers little else would have been possible. For instance, a warrior class cannot be supported for long by a pillage and burn approach (which is the way Caesar depicted the Celts). To the contrary, the archeological record is extremely clear. The Celts’ agricultural and pastoral farming practices were superior in many regards to other ancient societies’ farming practices.

As to agricultural practices, most farmers of that time used a wooden plow and went over fields twice to insure the soil was turned over completely. The Celts used a metal plow with a coulter which was far more durable than the wooden plow and allowed them to turn the soil over in one pass. They were also the first to develop a harvesting machine. It was pushed by oxen, fitted with knives and a box. The knives cut the grain and the box caught it….very impressive. They also used field rotation, irrigation, fertilizer, and a variety of iron implements. Their wheeled carts and roads allowed them to deliver their goods to markets quite efficiently.

The Celts also developed ways to store their products. Grains were stored in underground bins, meat was packed in salt.

Many of these practices were well in advance of other ancient societies and allowed the Celts to engage in advanced artistic enterprises, educational endeavors, and so forth because not everyone was needed to grow the food necessary to sustain life.

April 21, 2020 / 0 Comments

Celtic Medical Practices

The Celts were quite advanced vis a vis medical practice. For instance, their surgical instruments included saws, retractors, stethoscopes, probes, and skull drills. The archaeological evidence on the use of some of these tools is unequivocal (skull drills, for instance).

In addition to neurological operations, it appears the Celts performed cesarean sections and amputations. They also employed a variety of herbal medicines.

Medical practice was intertwined with beliefs about the supernatural. Thus, treatment was also combined with votive offerings, etc.

Very important aspects of medical practice were the Brehon Laws that applied to it. For example, only qualified physicians were allowed to practice. Clear rules were established vis a vis what was required to become a qualified physician. Penalties were severe for unqualified physicians who practiced medicine. These laws also set forth the way hospitals were to be erected (4 doors, near water, etc.). The laws also declared these facilities were to be free of charge and detailed precisely who had to pay for and maintain the facilities.

April 20, 2020 / 0 Comments

Celtic Weapons Innovations/Tactics

There is certainly dispute over the Celts’ fighting ability and weaponry. Some scholars have argued that the enemies of the Celts felt their tactics and weaponry were inferior. In essence, their enemies found them to be inferior on all counts. However, the archaeological record points to superiority on the Celts’ part vis a vis weaponry. Since we tend to be biased in favor of the Celts in this account, we’ll discuss the Celts’ weaponry as it is revealed in the archaeological record.

The helmet. The Celts were the first to use cheek guards.

The shield. The Celts were the first to use a large shield that was used to protect the entire body (the small forearm shield used by others was not nearly as effective in protecting the body as the long full body shield used by the Celts). The shield could also be used as a weapon and be interlocked with other shields to present a unified front. It is quite clear from the archeological record that the Romans adopted this shield and tactic from the Celts.

Chain mail. The Celts appear to be the first to have developed the use of a relatively light chain mail to protect the body.

Chariot. The Celts used chariots to great effect during battles against the Romans (using armament on the wheels). They slashed through the front lines and created havoc. Once that effect had been achieved. The warrior left the chariot and fought as infantry. The chariot was left in the hands of a companion. If the occasion warranted, the charioteer would charge forth and pick up the warrior or engage in battle if the warrior was killed.

Cavalry. The Celts used a tri-part cavalry system: the warrior and two handlers. All three rode horses. If the warrior’s horse was injured, a handler brought up another. If the warrior was killed, one of the handlers took his place. They also picketed the horses and fought as infantry if need be.

April 19, 2020 / 0 Comments

Women in Celtic Society

The role Celtic Women played in the Celtic history is in some dispute but not as much dispute as many other aspects of Celtic history. In general, Celtic Women had more rights and privileges than women in other cultures of the time. Importantly, Celtic Women could own as well as inherit property.

Women entered marriage with a certain dowry. The husband was expected to match that dowry. The resultant property was managed in a joint account. Upon the death of either, the entire investment went to the survivor. Celtic Women had standing in courts, could hold any office (including supreme ruler). Women could not be raped and could seek revenge on an adulterous husband. Celtic Women were also protected by law from sexual harassment.

There is little doubt that Celtic women were warriors and led in battle. In fact, some of Rome’s worst defeats were at the hands of Celtic Women leaders/tacticians (see for instance the glorious exploits of Boudicca).

Celtic women led the way in many regards for the women of today. For instance, one of the earliest pieces of “feminist” literature (Banshenchas….a genealogy of leading women) can be traced to Celtic Ireland in the 12th century.

One design that seems to embody the power of women in Celtic society is the threefold pattern below. Each fold refers the stages in many women’s lives (maid, mother,

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April 18, 2020 / 0 Comments

Druids

The Druids were held in high regard by the Celts. They held a position in society just below that of Kings/Queens. However, there is considerable discord over the role of the Druids in Celtic society. Some argue they served primarily religious purposes but others suggest their roles involved broader intellectual pursuits.

Unfortunately, the Druids did not detail their role in written form until well after the Christianity had become the religious doctrine of the Celts. Thus, what is said about the Druids in those texts is colored by the adoption of Christian values and beliefs. It can be safely claimed that the Druids played an important role in Celtic life. They most certainly led the religious aspects of the culture and were used to arbitrate disputes…. beyond that it is difficult to determine how far their influence went.

The meaning of the term “Druid” supports the view that they were intellectual leaders as well as religious leaders. Dru is related to “oak” and uid related to “knowledge” (i.e., oak knowledge). A more general interpretation would be “one whose knowledge is great”.

It can be said that the current Druid movements are not based on surviving Druid texts because none exist (the Druids passed on the belief structure orally and maintained a proscription against putting their beliefs into written form to safeguard them from outsiders).

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