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After giving it a thought, the Celts and notably the Gauls were quite an inventive bunch, and had perhaps one of the most advanced proto-urban societies at their time.
Apart from mining and metallurgy, where they excelled anyway, they have been credited with the invention of:
- the freely pivoting axle
- the chain-mail
- the soap (an early kind of)
- the barrel
What more?
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
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I moved this to the proper section folks! Keep discussing!
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I don't think we can find any European culture that did not invented something.
Actually I like a lot the interlocked patterns in Celtic decoration.
Their metallurgy was truly something.
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Don't forget the Gallic iron helmet the Romans adapted.
Some think the Roman roads in Northern Europe are really "re-paved" Celtic ones....
What about the snaffle bit...?
Johnny
Johnny Shumate
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Well there is evidence of paved roads in Europe from the Bronze Age.
I trust that the most organized Celtic realm probably maintained a road system. Gives the ruler extra cash from traders taxation :lol:
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Quote:Johnny Shumate:3l6h6jvy Wrote:Some think the Roman roads in Northern Europe are really "re-paved" Celtic ones....
Yeah, only silly documentary makers who did no real research... :twisted:
I had a look at the Fiskerton dig report yesterday. Pretty amazing report. I love the all the bone "spears" that they found. I agree, many Roman roads are just improved Celtic roads. If you don't believe that paved roads existed before the Romans, think again.
[url:3l6h6jvy]http://www.oxbowbooks.com/bookinfo.cfm/ID/31800/[/url]
Lugorix
aka: Jeffrey Adam Scharp
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Stefanos wrote, Actually I like a lot the interlocked patterns in Celtic decoration.
Believe it or not, Early Celtic art was characterized by a number of intricate, curvilinear styles, but some authorities (Angus Konstan, Historical Atlas of the Celtioc World, Checkmark Books, 2001, which includes several chapters on Celtic art) claim that the intricately woven patterns we commonly associate with insular Celtic art, especially in Ireland, was a "parallel development" of Germanic and Celtic styles. (pp 136-7)
See also that work for spectacular photos of Celtic art.
"Fugit irreparabile tempus" (Irrecoverable time glides away) Virgil
Ron Andrea
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There is an art form called "fear of vaqum".
It appears and in Germanic art too. In Greece it appeared in the Geometric period. The idea is to "fill" the surface with decorations.
I don´t belive that it is restricted only to Celts and "Germanics" I just like the Celtic interpretation.
Agree with Ron though that Ireland had managed to combine styles.
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Quote:Indeed they had excellent inventions.
For example the mowing machine.
Look here: http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/limes-museu ... /AF109.jpg
Err...in what direction does the machine move? Is this the one which Pliny refered to in his Naturalis Historia (or wasn't that in Raetia)?
Stefan (Literary references to the discussed topics are always appreciated.)
It moves to the right.
The donkey is pushing it forward.
Yes, i think this is what Pliny describes.
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Also more is being discovered all the time about the Celts. Apparently they had advanced metal making skills, greater than the Romans who copied some things, like chain mail. I also have a theory about the gladius and the Celtic swords. I feel the Romans just didn`t have (or copy) Celtic skills for making a longer sword. Romans perhaps only could smelt a sword that was short and fatter because of this. A superior blade can be longer and narrower which requires advanced smelting. Either the Romans never copied whatever reason, stubbornness for sentimental reasons to stick with the gladius perhaps or the Celts were able to keep their secrets.
Ralph Varsity