2. Theoretical study

2.1 History

The tribes of the Celts appeared in I millennium BC between the Rhine and the Danube. In the 6th century they invaded the territory of modern France, Spain and Britain. The main story and the entire course of events turned on the continent, while the Celts, who moved to the Islands, long time were in a quiet, smooth condition. However, different tribes didn’t lose the connection between them. So they had a lot of general features. Aristocracy lived in the fortified points - the first cities. The bulk of the Celts lived in the fertile river valleys and the hilly regions. Their houses had round conical roof, supported by the central pillar, with hearth inside. The walls were made up of wooden pillars. Around the house was a courtyard surrounded by fence.

The states of the Celtic appeared later. This happened because of the influence of the druids. The druids were the privileged stratum of the population. They performed magic rituals, followed up cults, influenced the relationships within the community. In fact, they ruled the states. Their power was so strong that their authority could suppress the laws. Therefore, they provided a lot of various restrictions, connected with the daily life of people. For example, they completely forbade recording the history of the tribes, which makes them difficult to study.

The bases of the states of the Celts were small settlements. The fields around them provided the inhabitants with grain and hay. They actively used in the farm horses and iron tools. They had a high level of craft and had a strong influence on the neighboring peoples, who borrowed weapons, ornaments and ceramic products from them. Such instruments as shares, spits, saws, hammers, pliers, drill bits, scissors, door locks and keys were created by the Celts. The invention quickly spread between the settlements. The Celts of Ireland owned navigation. They built large wooden ships with sails made of leather, which they could overcome a long distance on.

These settlements, situated on a large territory, were run by the kings. But they didn’t have real power. Druids could fully manage the life of the whole community by creating a new holiday or declaring war. They mainly performed the functions of the priests and the judges. They clearly followed the education and upbringing of pupils and strictly guarded their knowledge because they were afraid of losing their influence.

The Celts had a rich pantheon of gods. Religion was based on the idea of reincarnation and the world tree. They had a lot of legends and traditions, which were handed orally. Most of the Celts believed in an afterlife, and they put a lot of household items: plates, dishes, tools, weapons, jewellery in the graves. The central role in mythology held belief in the transition of souls, which reduced the fear of death and supported the courage and dedication. In most difficult life situations such as war, disease or other dangers were also human sacrifice. Celtic mythology had a huge impact on the English literature.

Celtic languages were a group of western languages close to the Italian and German languages. The language of the island Celts differed from the mainland. It had a lot of differences from the Latin and Greek. But now there are only few sources that contain inscriptions in this language. The following widespread derivatives of the ancient language are: Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and Breton. On the other hand, the interest of Celtic culture has led the entry of Celtic words to many other languages. Now special measures are taken for the conservation and support of these ancient languages.

In the 4th-5th centuries AD the Celts took active pirate raids. Wales suffered from them. The Picts and the Britons were conquered, after which the Scots migrated to Scotland. As a result of one of pirate attacks Saint Patrick fell in Ireland.

During the 5th century Ireland adopted Christianity. This process was peaceful enough, apparently due to the fact that the class of the druids had lost its power. Ireland is one of the few countries, where the pagan heritage hasn’t been rejected but carefully preserved. It is why we know the ancient myths of the Celts. The Ireland itself turned into a centre of learning for a few centuries.

The Vikings invaded the island in the 9-11 century. They won the coastal cities. The Celts were able to drive Vikings away. The Norman invasion of Ireland began in 1169. Over the next few centuries the Normans merged with the indigenous population and learned Irish culture. Since that time, self-Celtic history has stopped.

A Celtic district is a region inhabited by one of the Celtic people. There are six Celtic districts: Brittany, Cornwall, Ireland, Isle of Man, Scotland and Wales. These areas, separated by the borders of states, are in a close relationship. The Celtic league is a political organization, standing for political, linguistic, cultural and social rights of the Celtic peoples.

In my opinion, the history of the Celts shows us the events, which link the World of Barbarians with The world of Civilization - England. Undoubtedly, the Celts had a great influence not only on Ireland, but also on the nearest regions. For example, many people believe that the legends of King Arthur are the English legends, but it's not so. In consequence, the Celts merged with the Irish population and outwardly disappeared, but they left a long trace in English history and culture.