Celtic writing?

[Treveri Gaul]

The Celtic Druid why did not know the writing?

[Robert Vermaat]

They knew how to write, but they did not use it. If we can trust the sources, Druids and bards extremely valued the method of learning all knowledge by heart, and not to trust in writing things down.

[hoplite14gr]

I thought that "OGMIC" alphabet was the Celtic alphabet and somewhere Ceasar (if we trust him here) says that the made use of the Greek Alpahbet.
Kind regards

[Alexandr K]

Hi,

...and somewhere Ceasar (if we trust him here) says that the made use of the Greek Alpahbet.
Kind regards

Caes. B.G. I.29.

Greetings
Alexandr

[hoplite14gr]

Thanks Alexandr.

Kind regards.

[Treveri Gaul]

Hallo.

Just I mention it my question,, I found in Ebay a picture from a Celtic bronze helmet. Inside the helmet somebody was writing. I'll try attache the photos. Im computer genius :x x x

[Carlton Bach]

There are 'Celtic' (actually British) writing systems, the most well-understood one being Ogham. However, these are most likely late developments, possibly even later than Runic script. When the Celts of Classdical Antiquity wanted to write down things as far as we know they used the Greek alphabet, in rare cases the Latin one. There is some dispute as to whether Runic may have been a borrowing by the Germanic peoples from late La Tene Celtic sources (transmitting an originally Italic, perhaps Etruscan, script), but I have not yet seen any definitely Celtic runes. We do have several inscriptions using Greek letters to spell a Celtic language. There were also some interesing things going on in Southern French archeology about evidence of secular literacy in Gaul, but I haven't followed that topic in years.

The druids appear to have been explicitly forbidden from writing rather than ignorant of it.

[authun]

From what little evidence we have, it seems that different celtic languages used different alphabets. As Carlton states, Ogham is one. You can see an Ogham alphabet at:

http://www.omniglot.com/writing/ogham.htm

Celt-iberian, as evidenced by the Botorrita tablets I, III & IV looks remarkably runic but is more in keeping with a variety of mediterranean scripts. It is written in the Iberian script

You can see the Botorrita I at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Botorrita_1.jpg

and the iberian alphabet at:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iberian_script


best

Harry Amphlett

[Conal]

I recall reading, but not where, that the Celts used to write on staffs using Ogham in a spiraling manner. These were bound together in "books" or collections of writings.

This is only a vague memeory ... sorry I cant do any better !!

[Robert Vermaat]

I recall reading, but not where, that the Celts used to write on staffs using Ogham in a spiraling manner. These were bound together in "books" or collections of writings.

That was used in Ireland during the early Middle Ages I think.

[M. Demetrius]

I've seen some samples of plates (the eating kind) that had a form of runes written around the edges, claiming to be Celtiberian. I couldn't tell you which runic system they were, and all of them have some common characters...I don't know what date they were, but they would probably have had to have been prior to the Roman conquest of Spain, wouldn't you think?

[authun]

I don't know what date they were, but they would probably have had to have been prior to the Roman conquest of Spain, wouldn't you think?

Highly likely, celt-iberian gave way to latin. The Botorrita II plaque is written in latin and is probably dated after the 3rd cent BC. Botorrita's I, III & IV are thought to be pre 4th cent BC.

The whole subject is fraught with controversy however. Not all Celtic languages in Iberia used the same Iberian writing system found on the Botorrita tablets which, some claim, came from the Levante. At least one researcher Untermann, thinks the language is Lusitanian.

There is a very informative page on the problems of Celt-Iberians at:

http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/celtic/ekeltoi/ ... o_6_8.html

best

Harry Amphlett

[Lugorix]

I recall reading, but not where, that the Celts used to write on staffs using Ogham in a spiraling manner. These were bound together in "books" or collections of writings.

This reminds me. You might recall that each of the Ogham letters represent a kind of tree: Hawthorn, Rowan, Elm, etc. For what I'm about to write, let's trust this is an ancient concept. It would then be possible to string the leaves on a cord to have "books." It would be useful if a Druid wanted to send a message some distance via an ignorant carrier to avoid the message from being misquoted or have to deal with eavesdroppers. Perhaps it's the origin of "turning a new leaf"?

The druids appear to have been explicitly forbidden from writing rather than ignorant of it.

There you go. A loophole in the Druid system. One could record things with writen accuracy without wrting.

Not that this should be taken seriously or anything!

[Primvs Pavlvs]

Here is an article about Ogham supposedly carved on cliffs here in the mountains of WV. Its an interesting read, but there have been several archeologist who discount Barry Fells work on it.

http://cwva.org/wwvrunes/wwvrunes_3.html

[Dan Diffendale]

A pox, a plague on Barry Fell! What a load of *%#*$%*& "science". Sure, he was a professor at Harvard -- but of marine biology!, nothing to do with Phoenicians, Egyptians, Israelites and everybody else wandering around the New World.