The celts civilizations and life

Introduction

The celts never had their nation, The Celts were a group of peoples that occupied lands stretching all over the Europe.Greek and Roman writers called ,for exemple ,Helvets(who lived in Switzerland) or Caledonians(who lived in Scotland).Sometimes The tribes fought together against enemies but they had been fighting with Roman Empire against tribes from England.Every tribe was composed from several clans or families who had a common ancestor and were loyal to family name. Each tribe was ruled by a king (or chief of the tribe). His duty was to lead people into battle and maintain peace and prosperity. The kings were elected from noble and rich families . The other nobles had to support their king and lead the troops of warriors. Druids (Celtic priests) and bards (poets) all came from the noble families. Even if farmers and craftsmen were considered subordinate, were valued for their skill. There were servants and slaves

Celts farmers
Celts were a people of farmers who lived in central and northern Europe. They prepared the ground and cultivated it ,and growth domestic animals. Fenced pastures and guarding it of the herbivor animals, then cut and put herbs to dry,by fodder for their animals of the winter period. Farmers using iron plows pulled by oxen in order to plowing the ground for sowing. The seeds were scattered by hand on the plowed field, early in the spring. The crop was ready for harvest in the late summer or fall. Celts cultivated wheat, oats and barley, which was made porridge or flour by grinding. The animals were pigs, cows, sheep and goats. Besides meat, the animals were used for milk (which was

made butter and cheese), wool (which were made clothes) and skin. It grows ducks and geese for meat and eggs. Animal manure was used as fertilizer for agricultural land. Celtic farmers had been digging pits for lime and scattered the lime of the ground ,as fertilizer.

Trades routes of Celts

For thousands of years various regions of Europe were connected by trade routes, some of them very long. The most famous were those who were the course of rivers such as the Rhine, Rhone and Danube, or linking small coastal ports from Ireland to Portugal. About the year 600 BC traders from the eastern Mediterranean through the Strait of Gibraltar and sailed across the ocean to the British Isles. After the year 200 BC Celts built fortified settlements that were centers of government, commercial and handicraft, some villages or forts at other new places. The Romans called them oppidum ,roman word for city. Some oppida were very huge. For example Manching, southern Germany, covers 380 acres, and the walls which surrounded it had length of 7 km.

Crafts of Celts
The Celts were people proud for that appearance was important. Beautiful objects were a symbol of wealth and power. From the descriptions we know what they looked like their clothes left, so we know they were good at making and coloring materialeleor. The Romans invaded their lands wearing toga and tunic, and wore pants. Celtic craftsmen created beautiful jewelry due to their skill in working with glass, glaze and metal. There were talented potters. Some

decorations had religious significance, protecting people from evil forces and urging warriors to fight. Not much is known about the masters. Maybe they were free men or slaves of rich families. However, at the end of the Celts glory , most craftsmen working in oppida (fortified towns) and not in villages.

Celts smiths
Celtic smiths excelled in different techniques. Were among the most important members of Celtic society because they cherished of all manufactured items such as bronze or iron swords and gold jewelry. Models and techniques invented a Celtic region were copied and sent to other regions.Models were traced back metal objects were then flipped the hammer. Thus the model stands out. Technique called repousse (pushing out). It took many years for workers to acquire the skills needed, and craftsmen began his apprenticeship when they were very young. They are digging iron from ore, then the model of incandescent material. The Celts were the first who had saddled the horses and invented iron rim wheel carts, to strengthen them.

Life in the Celts farmes

All family members had their role in a household of the Celts. Both women and men working in the field. Men plowing the land, and the woman does the digging. All of them bring in the harvest, as it was very important that the grain to be harvested once ripe. There were many things to do on a farm, such as sheep shearing, care of sick animals, milking cows, repair or removal of the old roof and extracting the water. Apart from the many farm chores, parents should teach their children to acquire the knowledge necessary for adult life. Many parents sent their children to live in other households to higher growth. This created close ties of friendship between families and tribes, and children learn more.

The Food and drink to The Celts

The food was very important to the Celts. They like to eat and drink and were not ashamed if they were drunk or rude. But not appreciate people who were fat. Roman writers remember Celtic fighters who were told not to bring down the seat, but to lose weight when they denenit clothes too tight belly. Most of the food came from their farms . Celts had to buy just salt (used to conserve fish and meat) and luxury items such as wine. The food there was obtained and from hunting and fishing or picking fruit, plants and fungi in orchards and forests. Celtic families were famous throughout Europe for their hospitality, and they have the custom to offer food and drinks to all visitors, not ask them who they are or where they are until the end of the meal.

Celtic bards and musicias

Celts appreciated music, poetry and songs, both as a form of entertainment and serious purposes. Celtic warriors were accompanied by music and were so brave. Poems telling great achievements or adventures of tribal chiefs who participated in daring raid, and record the history of the tribe. Tribal chiefs and heroes who died, and even ordinary people were paid with lamentation. If it was for special occasions or Celtic with senior housing, poems were recited by bards. Roman writers told how many years take to prepare a bard. They learned the art of composition of different types of poems and memorize hundreds of legends and songs. Learned to interpret the different tools to read and write, even if Celtic music and poetry has remained largely unwritten. For those who wanted to become druit (priest) study for being a bard was only the first step

Celtic protectors

Many of the religious customs of the Celts are known from Roman writings , sculptures and statues in the name of places and collections of religious saffron , myths and legends. However, many of the Celtic beliefs are not known or understood, this is because the Celts believed that everything that has to do with spirituality is too important to be written . It is almost certain that worshiped gods who protected the tribes and brings victory in battles and goddesses who protected the home and bringing fertility . Some gods were associated with the earth , sky ,and others . Gods and spirits control the elements and forces of nature such as water and thunder . They had different names in different parts of the regions occupied by the Celts which included much of the center and north- west Europe . Gods and goddesses were worshiped near water and in tree hollows . The Celts believed that awful things will be wondering if you make sacrifices in honor of the gods , even sacrificing the most precious goods, including living beings .

Annual celtic festivals

Celtic farmers knew methods of measuring time, which helps them in their work, plowing and sowing. Celtic year was 354 days divided into 12 months, each with 19 or 30 days. Every two and a half years had added another month. So keep up with the calendar seasons.The Celts celebrating religious festivals. The most important was Samhain (November 1). It was the beginning of a new year the Celts, sacrifices were made and meetings were held. It was a dangerous time because spirits could walk the earth. The feast was kept by Christians as Spirits Day or Halloween. Imbolc (February 1) celebration of wealth.Beltane arrival of spring and is celebrated on 1 May, the lighting of bonfires. Smoke have the power to clean and was used to destroy the animal parasites. Last year's festival was Lughnasadh (August 1).

Celtic inscriptions in stone

Celts spoke several languages and they not had alphabet. To write they used other alphabets ,for exemple(Greek or Latin). A kind of writing called Ogham,

used in the British Isles, using the Latin alphabet, but with straight lines instead of letters. Celtic craftsmen carved in stone different messages using different methods of writing. Inscriptions commemorating an important event or deceased, or were a symbol of leaders. Masters adorned stones with beautiful patterns, sometimes copied from the jewelry and metal objects. In some parts of Europe, the Celts sculpting special symbols on the rocks. Historians believe that carved designs were intended to increase respect for strong rulers and gods.

The war against Rome

Romans fought hard to conquer new territories. The Celts were among the strongest opponents of them. Celtic tribes were scattered in central and northern Europe, have the same language and customs. The first major conflict began around the year 400 BC, when the Celts migrating groups from France arrived in northern Italy. Then, in 387, Celtic warriors attacked Rome. In Romans vision the celts were wild, barbaric and brutal, but Roman soldiers were impressed by the courage and ferocity of the Celts, and the speed chariot pulled by two horses and driven by their rulers. But not long after, the Romans discovered that the Celts had not discipline in fighting. If Celtic warriors had been seeing their commander killed during the battle, panicked and attacks undisciplined, being easily defeated, and fled in despair and confusion. The Romans fought many years to defeat Celtic tribes and eventually succeeded.

Celtic resistance
In battles Celts were based on power and their weapons. They had heavy iron swords that made deep cuts , sheaths worn bronze, wood and leather with special ornaments . Lances and spears which was lighter . Were used to stabing nearby enemies or were thrown to the situated a few meters away . Round pebbles thrown down by leather slings or straps could be deadly weapons . Archaeologists have discovered large deposits of pebbles in wooden forts of

celts.Bats were used in battle , but also for hunting of birds. Protection using long wooden shields skin. Usually Celtic men wore long tunics , tight body and slacks, but fought almost naked , with only a twisted metallic necklace around the neck and with a metallic helmet . By their nakedness proudly display their power . Even their enemies admired for their physical strength , height and their robust construction . For the Celts , the necklace had magical powers . Helmets were adorned with increases that offers extra height and makes them look even more frightening

The end of the Celts.

Celts had the power in Europe about 800 years . Their decline was due to the rising and development of other nations who had pretensions to power and ground. The first and most impressive were the Roman soldiers , well trained and equipped . They shattered Celtic settlement in northern Italy in 191 BC and along those of Spain in 133 BC Following lengthy military campaign led by brilliant general Julius Caesar , the Romans conquered France in 51 BC .They invaded southern Britain in 43 , and were initially rejected by Celts led by Queen Boadicea . However, in about 43 D.C. They controlled southern Britain , where they remained until 410. But they managed to drive around the island of Britain . Much of Scotland and Ireland under the Celts remained until 1100 . As Roman power weak, new groups of migrants people arrived, mostly from the north, which were established in the former Celtic territories . Invaders belonged to the barbarians poeple such as the Visigoths , Angles , Saxons , Franks and Viking