Religion and Burial Practices of Ancient Celts
In the past, most studies on Celtic burial practices
focused on high status burials. Only
recently has more research been conducted into ordinary burials.
Hallstatt
During the Hallstatt period, nobility were buried in mounds with funerary carts, wagons and chariots. For example, the Lady of Vix was buried in a mound with jewellery including a torc, a necklace of amber, bronze bracelets and anklets. She was also buried with bronze vessels and an elaborate wagon.
La Tene
During the La Tene period, chariot burials were more warlike, reflecting Celtic society. In Britain, 16 burials are known and one was uncovered in Scotland. Cremation and inhumation was also practiced, probably introduced through contact with the Romans. The nobility continued to be buried in large mounds, while everyday people had smaller mounds. There is little evidence about everyday burials, however archaeologists have identified four distinct regional traditions:
Wessex: simple burials in disused storage pits or in enclosures of settlement. Bodies are usually crouched on the side, with head to the north. No grave goods.
Dorset: Inhumation in dug graves in a burial ground or cemetery. Limited grave goods, often pottery. Remains of joints of animals also found.
Cornwall and Scilly Isles: Stone lined graves covered by slate slabs or boulders. Crouched bodies with the head facing north. Grave goods included European metal workings.
East Yorkshire: Mounds surrounded by square ditch. Most are without grave goods. Bodies are on their backs and extended.
Sword Burials: Buried with armour, swords and spears.
Generally, grave goods in the La Tene period were rare. They often included pottery, bent or broken weaponry, food items and some jewellery including toe rings and fibulae.
Pre-Roman Religion
Before the Romans, gods in Britain were not always named and were often spirits of nature, spirits of places or tribal gods. Many animals were also sacred. There is some evidence of shrines, although they are hard to detect archaeologically. Some were found in hillforts such as Danebury, although most were found in prominent positions such as ridges, hills and natural features. Most iconography or symbols were in animal form, although there is some evidence of anthropomorphic images.
According to ancient sources, human sacrifice was practiced, although there is little other evidence. Crowns and sceptres have been found as votive offerings in water, such as the Battersea shield.
Burial suggests some belief in an afterlife, particularly those with grave goods. However, the burials found indicate only 5% of the population, suggesting a high proportion of society chose cremation.
Romano-Celtic Religion
The Romans who occupied Britain were mostly military, with few civilians. They brought with them the Roman pantheon, which included gods adopted from elsewhere. Mars was a popular god, as the god of war and the army. Mercury was also worshipped, the messenger god who accompanied the souls of the deceased. Dedications to Fortuna are found in bath houses, probably because baths were used for gambling. There are few inscriptions to Celtic gods, as most were made by Roman soldiers. The three mothers were adopted from Europe and Coventina, the goddess of springs, was a healing goddess from Gaul. Roman syncretism pared native gods with the Roman gods, although it is likely that this was more in the minds of the Romans than the Celts.
Foreign gods brought in by the Romans included Mithras, an Eastern god worshiped only by men, Astarte, who was Mesopotamian and the Syrian goddess Cybele.
Fewer shrines have been found from this period. Romano-Celtic temples were more common than Celtic sites, although 60% of Celtic sites were still in use during the Roman period.
Cemeteries were created outside towns with cut-graves and coffins of wood. By the 2nd century CE, cremation was almost universal, however by the mid 3rd century CE the population moved back to inhumation. Grave goods at this time included Roman goods such as lamps and coins in the mouth, phallic amulets and clay figures of Venus.
Questions
1. Add the information about Celtic burials to your table on the Hallstatt, La Tene and Roman Periods.
2. Illustrate and label each major type of burial in your notebooks. Use the images provided as a guide.
3. View the burial objects and styles from the Hallstatt period. What can these images reveal about Hallstatt society?
Hallstatt
During the Hallstatt period, nobility were buried in mounds with funerary carts, wagons and chariots. For example, the Lady of Vix was buried in a mound with jewellery including a torc, a necklace of amber, bronze bracelets and anklets. She was also buried with bronze vessels and an elaborate wagon.
La Tene
During the La Tene period, chariot burials were more warlike, reflecting Celtic society. In Britain, 16 burials are known and one was uncovered in Scotland. Cremation and inhumation was also practiced, probably introduced through contact with the Romans. The nobility continued to be buried in large mounds, while everyday people had smaller mounds. There is little evidence about everyday burials, however archaeologists have identified four distinct regional traditions:
Wessex: simple burials in disused storage pits or in enclosures of settlement. Bodies are usually crouched on the side, with head to the north. No grave goods.
Dorset: Inhumation in dug graves in a burial ground or cemetery. Limited grave goods, often pottery. Remains of joints of animals also found.
Cornwall and Scilly Isles: Stone lined graves covered by slate slabs or boulders. Crouched bodies with the head facing north. Grave goods included European metal workings.
East Yorkshire: Mounds surrounded by square ditch. Most are without grave goods. Bodies are on their backs and extended.
Sword Burials: Buried with armour, swords and spears.
Generally, grave goods in the La Tene period were rare. They often included pottery, bent or broken weaponry, food items and some jewellery including toe rings and fibulae.
Pre-Roman Religion
Before the Romans, gods in Britain were not always named and were often spirits of nature, spirits of places or tribal gods. Many animals were also sacred. There is some evidence of shrines, although they are hard to detect archaeologically. Some were found in hillforts such as Danebury, although most were found in prominent positions such as ridges, hills and natural features. Most iconography or symbols were in animal form, although there is some evidence of anthropomorphic images.
According to ancient sources, human sacrifice was practiced, although there is little other evidence. Crowns and sceptres have been found as votive offerings in water, such as the Battersea shield.
Burial suggests some belief in an afterlife, particularly those with grave goods. However, the burials found indicate only 5% of the population, suggesting a high proportion of society chose cremation.
Romano-Celtic Religion
The Romans who occupied Britain were mostly military, with few civilians. They brought with them the Roman pantheon, which included gods adopted from elsewhere. Mars was a popular god, as the god of war and the army. Mercury was also worshipped, the messenger god who accompanied the souls of the deceased. Dedications to Fortuna are found in bath houses, probably because baths were used for gambling. There are few inscriptions to Celtic gods, as most were made by Roman soldiers. The three mothers were adopted from Europe and Coventina, the goddess of springs, was a healing goddess from Gaul. Roman syncretism pared native gods with the Roman gods, although it is likely that this was more in the minds of the Romans than the Celts.
Foreign gods brought in by the Romans included Mithras, an Eastern god worshiped only by men, Astarte, who was Mesopotamian and the Syrian goddess Cybele.
Fewer shrines have been found from this period. Romano-Celtic temples were more common than Celtic sites, although 60% of Celtic sites were still in use during the Roman period.
Cemeteries were created outside towns with cut-graves and coffins of wood. By the 2nd century CE, cremation was almost universal, however by the mid 3rd century CE the population moved back to inhumation. Grave goods at this time included Roman goods such as lamps and coins in the mouth, phallic amulets and clay figures of Venus.
Questions
1. Add the information about Celtic burials to your table on the Hallstatt, La Tene and Roman Periods.
2. Illustrate and label each major type of burial in your notebooks. Use the images provided as a guide.
3. View the burial objects and styles from the Hallstatt period. What can these images reveal about Hallstatt society?