EARLY BRITAIN #3

Early Britain  #3

Some Surprises!

From the book "Celt, Druid 

   and Culdee"

  by

   Isabel Hill Elder

COMMERCE AND DRESS

Tacitus (the Roman Historian - Keith Hunt) and Strabo describe

Londinium as famous for the vast number of merchants who resorted

to it for its widely extended commerce, for the abundance of

every species of commodity which it could supply, and they make

note of British merchants bringing to the Seine and the Rhine

shiploads of corn and cattle, iron and hides, and taking back

iron, ivory and brass ornaments. (1)

That Londinium was considered by the Romans as the metropolis 

of Britain is further established by the fact that it was the

residence of the Vicar of Britain! (2) The abode of such an office

clearly marks London as having been a seat of justice, of

government and of the administration of the finances which

consequently contributed to its extent, its magnificence and its

wealth. (3) Britain was, in fact, from at least 900 B.C. to the

Roman invasion, the manufacturing centre of the world.  

The Abbe de Fontenu proved that the Phoenicians, the name by

which the tribe of Asher was known after the Conquest of the

Phoenician territory, had an established trade with Britain

before the Trojan war, 1190 B.C. (4) Admiral Himilco of Carthage,

who visited Britain about the sixth century B.C. to explore 'the

outer parts of Europe', records that the Britons were 'a powerful

race, proud-spirited, effectively skilful in art, and constantly

busy with the cares of trade. (5)

Nor was Ireland less forward than Britain, for from the ancient

Greek records it would appear that trade routes both by sea and

land existed in these very early times, the latter route being

across Europe through the territories of the Scythians. A most

curious belief of the Greeks was that the inspiration which led

to the institution of the Olympic Games was derived from the

observance of ancient Irish festivities. (6)

The British farmer had a market for his produce beyond the shores

of Britain. We learn from Zosimus that in the reign of Julian,

A.D.363, eight hundred pinnaces were built in order to supply

Germany with corn from Britain. (7)

When the Romans invaded Britain in A.D. 43 they found the

inhabitants in possession of a gold coinage, wrought shields of

bronze (8) and enamelled  ornaments. (9) Fine specimens of richly

enamelled horses' trappings may be seen in the British Museum,

and the bronze shield found in the Thames, near Battersea,

adorned with enamelled designs, Rice Holmes describes as 'the

noblest creation of late Celtic art.' (10)

The beautiful brooches discovered in different parts of these

islands clearly demonstrated that the Britons were skilful and

artistic metal workers, and in the centuries of Roman

domination (more like "occupation" than "domination" 

- Keith Hunt)

The Celtic patterns did not die out. A peculiarly Celtic type is

the 'dragon' brooch 'representing a conventionalized writhing

dragon often magnificently inlaid with enamel, and recalling in

its vigorous design and curvilinear motives all the essential

qualities of late Celtic art'. Thus the native tradition of metal

work continued under Roman rule to flourish and to produce types

which were not merely Roman but recognizably Celtic. (11) In a

further description Mr. Collingwood says. 'In the true Celtic

spirit the ornament on the trumpet head is often made with eyes

and nostrils to resemble the head of an animal, but however the

brooch is finished in detail it is always a masterpiece of both

design and manufacture.' (12)

Enamelling was an art unknown to the Greeks until they were

taught it by the Celts. (13)

Dr.Arthur Evans tells us that the Romans carried off some of the

Britons to Rome to teach them the art of enamelling as well as

that of glass-making.

Stukeley, giving an account of a glass urn discovered in the Isle

of Ely in the year 1757, observes the Britons were famous for

glass manufacture. (14)

The early Britons were workers in pottery, turnery, smeltings and

glasswork. (15) In the excavations at Glastonbury well-made

instruments of agriculture were found such as tools, files,

safety-pins and also the remains of wells and bridges.

The British tin mines were, from the earliest times, world

renowned. Diodorus Siculus states, 'These people obtain the tin

by skilfully working the soil which produces it.' (16)

Herodotus speaks of the British Isles under the general term

'Cassiterides or the Tin Islands. (17)  Bede mentions copper,

iron, lead and silver. 'Gold, too, was mined on a small scale in

Wales, and on a large scale in Ireland where was situated in

early times the centre of the goldmining industry.' Bede mentions

also, as semi-precious, the jet for which Whitby is famous even

now. (18)

The lead mines of Britain were worked long before the Roman

occupation, and it is believed that during the partial domination

by Rome, the mining continued to be carried out by Celtic

workmen. (19)

Dr.John Phillips, the geologist, stated in 1855 that without due

consideration being given to the lead-mining industry, our ideas

'of the ancient British people would be altogether conjectural,

derogatory and erroneous' (20)

Derbyshire was the chief centre of lead-mining, and is so

mentioned in Domesday Book.

Eumemus, A.D.266, private secretary to Constantius Chlores,

states, Britain is full of skilled craftsmen. (21)

The coins of ancient Britain  are worthy of more than passing

notice. (Yes, I have a personal friend here in Calgary, Alberta,

who is probably the world's foremost expert on Celtic coinage.

His Website is world famous if you are in that line of study, or

Celtic research in any way. His Website is: writer2001.com  and

go to the link which he tells me you cannot miss - Keith Hunt).

Numismatists tell us that our ancient British types cannot amount

to many less than four hundred in number, of which possibly two

hundred may have inscriptions, (22) this variety is to be

accounted for by the fact that each tribe had its own stamped

currency in gold silver and bronze. (my friend John who I have

just talked to on the phone says the number 400 is now way out of

date. He tells me there were at least 1,000 coins that were

"struck" or "used" [some coming from the Europe Celts] in the

Britain - Keith Hunt).

Canon Lysons state, 'It is to be remembered that the earliest

British coins are not imitations of the Roman coinage, they much

resemble the coinage of Philip of Macedon, Alexander the Great,

and the Greek and Eastern mintage. (23)

Dr.Borlase in his Antiquities of Cornwall asserts that the wheel

under the horse seen on Cornish coins intimated the making of a

highway for carts, and that the wheel is common on the coins of

Cunobelinus, 14 B.C., on those of Cassebelinus, 51 B.C., and also

on the Cornish coins which from their character appear to be

older than the rest.

Sir John Evans devotes sixty-four pages of his standard work

"Ancient British Coins" to the coins of Cunobelinus and the

history of his reign.

That Cunobelinus, the Cymbeline of Shakespeare, was a man of

education and refinement is well borne out by his coins,

universally considered to be a true index and reflection of the

mind. Numismatists tell us that the Cunobelinus types are by no

means a Roman type and could hardly have been struck except by

express command. (24)

The coins of Arviragus, son of Cunobelinus, are, where they are

included, the gems of every collection. The horse, sometimes

thought to have been introduced as a national emblem by the

Saxons, is one of the most common types upon the coins of the

ancient Britons.

M. de la Saussaye, in describing the old coin assigned to the

British Druid Abaris, who visited Greece, mentioned by Hecataeus,

states, 'I have been induced to modify my assertion on more than

one point and I particularly recognize religious ideas peculiar

to the Celts expressed on their monetary uninscribed types. (25)

The palm trees on the coins of the Southern Belgae, who settled

in Kent, Sussex, Hants, Wits, Dorset and Devon proclaim the

Eastern origin of these people.

From them modern pictorial representation of our ancestors we are

expected to believe that their dress consisted of an animal skin

fastened round the waist, and that they wandered, thus scantily

clad, about their island home, living on nuts and berries.

Boadicea, Queen of the Iceni (the inhabitants of Norfolk and

Suffolk), was described by Dion Cassius as a woman of commanding

appearance. 'Her stature exceeded the ordinary height of women;

her aspect was calm and collected, but her voice had become deep

and pitiless. Her hair falling in long golden tresses as low as

her hips was collected round her forehead by a golden coronet;

she wore a "tartan" dress fitting closely to the bosom, but below

the waist expanding in loose folds, as a gown; over it was a

chlamys or military cloak. In her hand she bore a spear.' (26)

In these descriptions of native dress it is interesting to note

the early use of the tartan. A British hooded cloak was evidently

regarded by  the Romans as a superior garment, for in

Diocletian's Edict of Prices issued in A.D.301, the price of the

British cloak was the highest on the list, with the exception of

the Gallic. If the price was high on account of the quality of

the wool, the statement of the epigrammatist, Martial, A.D.60, is

given as substantiating that among other attractions, Britain was

'for wool past compare.' (27)

Ireland kept pace with Britain in the farming for wool, both for

export and domestic use; the Irish cottiers were always warmly

clad in their own home spun. (28)

The Briton in battledress was an impressive figure being clad

precisely as were the men of Gaul; clean-shaven, save for long

moustaches, with fair skins, fair hair, gorgeously clad in

breeches, bright-colored tunics and woollen cloaks dyed crimson

and often a chequered pattern with torques, armlets and bracelets

of gold, shields of enamelled bronze, and swords of fine

workmanship, they presented a splendid spectacle when prepared

for battle.

The Britons appear to have been also importers of cloth.

According to one authority, Phoenician cloths of Beyrout were

largely worn by the inhabitants of ancient Britain. At Beyrout

our Patron Saint George held for a time an important post under

the Roman Government. (29)

A torque or gold collar was worn by the wealthier inhabitants and

worn also as a distinguishing sign of eminence. (30) Specimens of

these torques have been discovered from time to time, and may be

seen in various museums, notably Dublin National Museum, and in

private collections. A very good example acquired by the late

Duke of Westminster and deposited at Eaton Hall was found at Bryn

Sion Caerwys Mill; it is thirty-two inches long and weighs

twenty-four ounces.

………………..

1. Strabo, Geogr. III,175; IV,199.

2. A Roman office.

3. Amm. Marcell, Lib.15, Chaps.8,9.

4. Mem. de Littirature, tome VII, p.126.

5. Fragment preserved by Festus Avienus, Ora Maritama, V, 98-100.

6. C. F. Parker, On the Trail of Irish Identity. National

Message, March 8, 1939.

7. Zosimus, Lib. III, p.43 (Ed. Bas.).

8. Philostratus. A Greek sophist (third century) who resided at

Court of Julia Domna, describes the British process.

9. Gilbert Stone, England from Earliest Times, p.9 

10.Anc. Brit., p.244..

11.R.C Collingwood, Roman Britain, p. 76. 

12.Archaeology of Roman Britain, p.253. 

13.J. Romilly Allen, Celtic Art, p.136.

14.Minutes of Antiq. Soc., March 1762.

15.Gallic Antiq.,p.64 (J. Smith).

16.Bk. V, Chap. X

17.Thalia, Section C, XV (Bel.ed).

18.Gilbert Stone, England from Earliest Times, p.15.

19.Gordon Home, Roman York, p.27

20.YorkPhilos. Soc., Vol.1, p.92

21.Panegyric Constanteus, C, 111.

22.J.Evens, Coins of the Anc.Brit., O, 171.

23.Our British Ancestors, p.41.

24.Coins of Cunobelinus and of the Ancient Britons, p.26

25.La Revue Numismatique, for 1842, p.165

26.Dion Cassius (Xiphilinus Excerpta), p.176, See Strabo,

Bk.1V, 3.

27.Martial, Lib, 1, ep. 2; and Lib.111, ep.20.

28.Stephen Gwynn, History of Ireland, p.330

29.Rev.Canon Parfitt, M.A., St. George of Merry England, 1917

30.Gibon's Camden, p.653. Hoare, Ancient Wilts,Vol.1,p.202

                              ..............

The next chapter looks at the Roman Invasion, again, not as most

have thought or been taught.

To be continued