Celtic Britain

The Iberians

-      First settlements in south Britain

-      Evidences: archaeological remains -> pottery, Stonehenge

 

The Celts

-      Period: around 700 B.C.

-      Origin: north-west Germany

-      Languages: Welsh (Wales), Gaelic (Scotland)

-      Physical appearance: tall, muscular, fair skin, blue eyes and blond hair

-      Occupation: farmers, hunters, fishermen and metal workers

-      Social role: warriors, seamen and traders

-      Social structure: tribes

-      Religion:

o    Priests: the Druids -> religion, justice, education and medicine

o    Rites: ceremonies in the forest -> sacrifices

o    Divinities: Sun, Moon, trees, rivers, Water -> nature: magical connotation

 

Middle Ages                                                                           

-      Period: from ancient classical era to the Renaissance

 

Main features

-      Christianity -> new imperial systems

-      Feudalism -> more power to local kings

-      Emergence of cities: economic and political reasons

-      Middle Class: merchant and artisans -> future social and political changes

-      Factors of change:

o    Invasions -> new settlements

o    Crusades -> opened trade and travel to the East Mediterranean

o    Travel

 

Early Medieval Period (4^th C. – 1066)

-      Germanic invasions: Angles, Saxons and Jutes (5^th-6^th century):

o    Political organisation: seven kingdoms -> unified in the 9^th century

-      Spread of Christianity: Augustine and Benedictine monks

-      Viking invasions: Norsemen (Scandinavia) and Danes (Denmark) (787):

o    Raids

o    Danish kingdom: East Anglia

 

The Anglo-Saxons

-      Social structure: hierarchy

-      Sovereign: chief or king -> military leader

-      Social conditions: earls, thegns, freemen

-      Towns: communities based on military bases -> centres of trade

-      Language: Old English -> Celtic languages in Wales, Ireland, North-West of Scotland

-      Religion: influence of Christianity -> introduction of writing