CELTS – EVIDENCE OF A HEROIC/WARLIKE SOCIETY

Aims: To find out what evidence exists to tell us that Celtic Society was heroic.To show that Celtic society was hierarchical based on a warrior aristocracy.

Academics believe that Celts were rural, tribal, religious, familiar, hierarchical, non-literate, familiar and heroic.

EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT NATIVE SOCIETY WAS HEROIC WITH A WARRIOR ARISTOCRACY

What is a ‘heroic’ society?

A society which is ‘heroic’ is one which values war and military dexterity. There is both archaeological and literary evidence to suggest that Celtic society was just that – it was heroic. In a heroic society you would expect to see weapons, prestige items and impressive fortifications. You would expect evidence of a warrior aristocracy, people who wielded power and were of particular importance.

Literary evidence of a heroic, warrior society comes from, amongst others, Tacitus, Cassius Dio and Herodian who describe the Celts as being warlike. Indeed, Tacitus describes how Celts used chariots and are divided between the warring factions of rival chiefs. Similarly, Dio talks of how they fight with shields, spears and shake their weapons at their enemy. Herodian openly states that ‘they are extremely warlike and bloodthirsty’. This slight literary evidence is backed up to some degree by the physical archaeology.

Archaeological finds: Warrior aristocracy

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Archaeologically, we know that Celtic society was heroic and warlike due to the discovery of a number of prestigious artefacts and due to the existence of a range of impressive fortifications.

Source A: Sword scabbard (cover) from Mortonhall, Edinburgh

Source B: Carnyx/war trumpet in the shape of a boar’s head, Deskford, Banffshire

The Carnyx was a long Celtic trumpet made of beaten bronze and held vertically so that the sound travels from more than three metres above the ground. They were used by the Celts to scare their enemy in battle. It is a ‘war trumpet’. This example, found in the North East of Scotland around 1816, has long been recognised as a masterpiece of Celtic art, shaped to resemble a wild boar with its upturned snout and decoration which mirrors the folds of skin around a boar's face. The carnyx ended its life as a sacrifice, a votive offering to some unknown god at the bottom of a mossy peat bog – reminding us that Celtic society was also religious and ritualistic.

Archaeological finds such as the Mortonhall sword scabbard and Deskford carnyx demonstrate that weaponry was needed and used in Celtic society and provide valuable evidence which confirms that Celtic society was warlike to some extent, as the classical sources claim. Also, the fact that these weapons are skilfully crafted is important – someone would have to spend a lot of time

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and effort making these artefacts. This can be seen as a reflection of the importance of these goods and their owners. To own such a carefully crafted artefact would bestow prestige and importance upon the owner. The owner would be marked out as being of greater importance – it suggests the existence of a hierarchical society ruled by a warrior aristocracy.

Archaeologically, there are other finds to suggest the existence of some type of warrior aristocracy who would wield power and display their status through their appearance, their burials and their settlements.

Other archaeological finds suggest the existence of a warrior aristocracy.

Source C: Bronze armlet, Culbin Sands, Morayshire

Source D: Torc terminal and gold coins, Cairnmuir, Peeblesshire

Source E: A mirror from Balmaclellan, Kirkudbrightshire which dates to the first century AD

These armlets, torcs and mirrors would have been used by important men and women. They would show status and mark out people’s place in the hierarchy.

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Discoveries of Iron Age inhumations (burials which contain a body/skeleton) are rare in Scotland, but two important cist burials have been found to date. The first of these was at Alloa in Clackmannanshire, where the body of an Iron Age warrior was discovered in 2003. He had been buried on his back and although no clothing has survived, forensic tests on a copper alloy cloak-pin which was found near his neck suggest that he was wearing a white linen cloak or shroud. He was wearing a belt and a sword, had two copper alloy rings on his toes, and a spear was also found in the cist. In 2005 a double inhumation was found during an excavation at Dunbar, East Lothian. The second body lay in a crouched position and was again buried with a sword, cloak-pin and spear, clearly indicating that he was a warrior. Such high-status burials, albeit rare, reinforce the suggestion that LPRIA society in Northern Britain was heroic and hierarchical and dominated by a warrior elite.

Source F: Warrior grave, Alloa

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Source G: wheel from chariot burial, Newbridge

Finally, the remains of an Iron Age chariot burial dating from the 5th century BC were found on the site of a major new development at the Edinburgh Interchange, Newbridge, 10 km west of Edinburgh. The burial is unique to Scotland, although a number of chariot burials have been found further south in East Yorkshire. According to Tacitus chariots were used by the Celts in battles against the Romans. Members of the warrior aristocracy would have been buried with their chariot to convey their status, and although there was no body present at Newbridge this is likely to be because it had decomposed entirely. Nevertheless, the chariot burial at Newbridge lends further weight to the idea that Celtic society was heroic and hierarchical with a warrior elite. Fraser Hunter, the curator of the Nationl Museum of Scotland, described such chariots as being the’Ferrari of the Iron Age’.

Drawing based on Iron Age pottery to show chariot in use

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TASKS

1. Explain what is meant by a ‘heroic’ society.2. What range of evidence exists to suggest that Celtic society was heroic?3. Make quick and skilled (!) sketches of the artefacts (Sources A-E) which

suggest that Celtic society was heroic. Under each sketch explain how the artefact tells us about the heroic nature of Celtic society.

4. How do Iron Age cist burials suggest that Iron Age society was warlike? Give examples.

5. Describe the Newbridge chariot burial. Why is this so significant?6. Write a paragraph summing up the evidence so far that Celtic society

was heroic, hierarchical and ruled by a warrior aristocracy.

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