ND
CH
S.
or
g.u
k
ND
CH
S.
or
g.u
k
NORTH DUFFIELD IN
THE IRON AGE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
S.
or
g.u
k
I would like to thank all the following people who have given me their
time, advice, constructive criticism, help and support in the
production of this Information and Activity Pack.
Mr Brian Elsey, Coordinator of Archaeology North Duffield.
Dr Jon Kenny, Community Archaeologist, York Archaeological Trust.
Hannah Baxter, archaeologist,
Mr Andrew Russell, Head teacher of North Duffield Community
Primary School. Mrs Brigit Barrow, Miss Liz Bowes, Mrs Andrea
Commins, Mrs Louise Flatters, Mrs Debie Gallagher, Mrs Yvonne
Garside, Mrs Michaela Jackson, teachers and teaching assistants at
the school.
Mrs Stephanie Bevan, School Business Manager.
Mrs Elaine Wells of North Duffield.
Messers Brian and Maxine Birkett and Bill Coultard of Southburn
Museum, North Yorkshire, for permission to use my photographs of
items and educational material in the museum.
The Directors of Butser Ancient Farm, Chalton, Petersfield,
Hampshire, for permission to use my photographs of the farm.
Dr David Freeman, Reconstructive Archaeologist at Butser Ancient
Farm for permission to use material from the Gallica website.
The Directors of the Ryedale Museum, Hutton-le-hole, North
Yorkshire, for permission to use my photographs of the Roundhouse.
The British Museum and London Museum for permission to use their
material.
The National Lottery through The Heritage Lottery Fund for the
financial support.
ND
CH
Tony Stevens
Secretary
North Duffield Conservation and Local History Society. 2012.
This pack may be used and reproduced in whole or in part
in any establishment for educational purposes only on a
strictly non-profit making basis, with acknowledgement to
the North Duffield Conservation and Local History Society
and Archaeology North Duffield.
CH
S.
or
g.u
k
HS S
.
.or or
g.
uk
ND
DC CH
ND
CH
S.
or
g.u
k
ND
CH
S.
or
g.
uk
TIME-LINE CARD
S.
or
g.u
k
THE STONE AGE 500-000BC—2100BC
Men and women used stone tools because metal had not
been discovered
THE BRONZE AGE 2100 BC—800BC
Bronze is a mixture of Copper and Tin. It could be made into axes, knives, and swords as well as bowls and dishes.
THE IRON AGE 800BC — 100AD
Iron is much harder than Bronze and is much more difficult
to produce, but it enabled the people to make much better
tools, in particular axes which could cut down Oak trees
THE ROMANS 43 AD—410 AD
The Roman invaded Britain because the country produced a
great deal of grain and metals such as tin, copper and iron.
They wanted all this for the Roman Empire. They called
these lands BRITANNICUS.
ND
CH
THE ANGLO-SAXONS 410 AD 800 AD
The Angles, Saxons and Jutes came from northern Europe
first in raiding parties and then as settlers. These people
created the first villages.
North Duffield was probably formed in its present plan
(Main Street, Back Lane) at this time
THE VIKINGS 800 AD—1066 AD
Like the Anglo-Saxons the Vikings first started visiting these
shores as raiders. They came mainly from Scandinavia,
where the sea level was rising and land was becoming very
scarce and crowded. They killed and looted from the monasteries, but later began to settle down and often called
their villages after their Norse Gods.
A village very close to North Duffield is one of these.
CAN YOU NAME IT?
THE NORMANS 1066 AD
MAKE A TIMELINE FOR YOUR CLASSROOM. PUT PICTURES ON IT
THE IRON AGE IN BRITAIN 300BC
S.
or
g.u
k
The period of time known as The Iron Age lasted in Britain for about 850
years from c 750BC to 100AD. It is called that because iron working was
discovered about that time.
THE PARISI TRIBE OF ANCIENT BRITONS WERE THE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN THE AREA WE
NOW CALL EAST YORKSHIRE
The Ancient Britons who lived in the area of the River Derwent about
2300 years ago where we live now had a much more difficult life than we
do today. There was no electricity, no shops, no gas or oil for central
heating, no hospitals, no roads, no motor cars, railways, or aeroplanes.
There weren’t even any towns or villages. As you can see on the map on
THE CROP MARKS card People lived in scattered settlements with houses
about 150 metres apart surrounded by little fields and track ways.
All the members of the same family, mum, dad, children and grandparents, and maybe aunts and uncles and their children, would live together in the one roomed round house. They grew their own food and
kept their own animals, cattle, pigs, sheep, horses, goats, poultry and
dogs and cats. During bad winters the animals were kept in the house as
well, usually in a little area fenced off from the rest, or in a little hut of
their own.
Because of the risk of disease and the general harsh living conditions,
people usually did not live beyond the age of about 30 years.
ND
CH
We know quite a lot about the people and the kind of life they led from a
number of different sources. Although they had no written language, they
traded with the Roman Empire for many hundreds of years and the
Roman writers such as Tacitus, Julius Caesar, Strabo and Diodorus Siculus
described the warriors and the way they fought, as well as their clothing
and the social conventions that they practiced.
Another way of finding out about the people who lived so long ago is by
photographing the landscape from an aeroplane as has been done at
North Duffield and all the surrounding area. This shows up features which
cannot be seen from the ground. The features discovered at North
Duffield are on the “crop marks” card.
When something interesting is revealed the ARCHAEOLOGISTS can start
to dig as they do in “Time Team” on the television and as we did in the
school playing field in 2011. Pottery, coins and even skeletons are found
on some of these “digs”. One of the most famous finds was the CHARIOT
BURIAL found at Wetwang on the Yorkshire Wolds. It was so famous that
the British Museum had a replica made. A picture of it is on the
“WEAPONS” card and you can see it at the Southburn Museum near
Beverley where it is on show.
ND
CH
S.
or
g.u
k
THE IRON AGE CROPMARKS
OF NORTH DUFFIELD
S.
or
g.u
k
The Iron-age/Romano-British
settlement on the edge of North
Duffield. A field
System with
Enclosures
Containing
roundhouses
ND
CH
Look at the card with
the explanation of
what crop marks are
and how the
Archaeologists
interpret them
This mark shows the
positions of roundhouses with the
doorways facing east
to benefit from the
morning sun.
The black lines are the crop marks which indicate where the
little field boundaries were in ancient times. The “c” marks
are the houses where the families lived.
THESE CROP MARKS SHOW US THAT PEOPLE
HAVE LIVED HERE FOR AT LEAST 2300 YEARS
AND PROBABLY MUCH LONGER
Round Houses 1
S.
or
g.u
k
The people who lived in the part of the country we now call East Yorkshire were
known as the PARISI and most likely came from the continent around the area of
Paris well before the Romans invaded in 43AD. Britons lived in round house unlike
the continentals who built square ones. Below left is how North Duffield might have
looked 2300 years ago
What do you think it was like
living in a place like this?
Write a little story of how
your life might be for one day
What do you think you would
do during the day?
ND
CH
Right are two round houses which have
been constructed at Butser Ancient Farm
in Hampshire from archaeological
evidence. Here in Britain the weather is
always a challenge with high winds,
heavy rain, snow, ice and sometimes hot
sunshine. Houses had to be strong and
durable. They were always
made from locally sourced
materials. Here in the east
of the country there is no
stone so the houses were
made from wood and
reeds.
CUT OUT AND MAKE YOUR ROUNDHOUSE
These pictures demonstrate how the houses
were constructed.
1 A ring of posts is set into the ground.
2 The posts are joined at the top by short logs, jointed and pegged.
3 Roof spars are tied at the top and pegged at the wall plate logs.
4 The walls are made from inter-woven willow or hazel called WATTLE.
5 The roof is made from straw or reeds tied on in layers called THATCH.
6 The Wattle is filled in using mud, straw and cow dung called DAUB.
Pictures courtesy of Butser Ancient Farm and London Museum.
S.
or
g.u
k
ROUNDHOUSES 2
The large round houses were very
spacious but would probably seem
crowded when all the family were
present and all the equipment for
living was in place.
The fire was the most important part of the
house as without it, life could not go on. The
fire was in the middle of the house, it
provided warmth and was for cooking. It was
never allowed to go out, particularly in winter
when it would be “banked up “ at night to
keep the temperature at a suitable level.
There was no chimney so the smoke filtered
out through the thatch. This had the added benefit of killing the insects so the birds did
not pull at the thatch to get at insects.
ND
CH
As you entered the house it was the custom to go round to the
left side, this was the working or ‘living’ side of the house. You
would only go to the right side if you were family or an invited
guest. The right side was called the sleeping or ‘dead’ side. You
would first pass the outdoor coats and also the spear and shield
of the man, put there so he could grab them easily in case of danger or if there were strangers approaching. In a large house this
part is also the work area. The loom could be here to get most
light from the doorway. Next is the kitchen area with shelves for
the cooking pots and bowls and perhaps a table for food
preparation. Behind the central fireplace was the public space
where guests or strangers would
go to sit and talk. The Romans said
that the Britons sat on the floor
and ate at low tables.
All this information has been
discovered from archaeological
digs.
Imagine you are a visitor to the
house, write down your impressions of the house, its contents and
family. (Use all three house pages
to help with your story)
Pictures courtesy of Butser Ancient Farm
Roundhouses 3
S.
or
g.u
k
Behind the central fireplace the public area is
where people
congregated to talk or
play board games.
Here you see skins
draped over beams to
act like the back of a
settee to the skins on
the floor. Some clothes
are hanging over a
wooden chest on the
left. Behind the settee
is a low table.
ND
CH
Above are two double beds in a large roundhouse. The base is made
of bracken with a frame to stop it spreading all over the floor. On top
of this would be a mattress filled with horse hair or maybe even
feathers and then skins and furs for the bed clothes. Above the beds
are storage areas for personal items such as clothes, jewellery or
cosmetics boxes for the ladies.
Left is a single bed with
furs and blankets. All the
beds were fairly close to
the fire so every one
would always be warm
and cosy, but what
might the dangers be
with these
arrangements?
Pictures courtesy of Ryedale Museum and Butser Ancient Farm
S.
or
g.u
k
CLOTHING 1
Here are some pictures of ancient Britons of the Iron Age. At top is a typical family of the PARISI Tribe of
East Yorkshire. This is how you would have dressed had you lived about 2300 years ago. Below left are two
very important people, maybe the chief and his wife. At top right is a warrior with his spear, shield and summer
cloak. You could make a peg doll dressed as one of these people
ND
CH
We know that the ancient Britons dressed in bright coloured clothing because the
Roman writers such as Julius Caesar, Pliny and Tacitus told us so in their accounts
of the British people. The Romans were surprised as their clothing was always
plain, usually white or self coloured.
BELOW Although a warlike people,
the Parisi were mostly farmers
and led an agricultural lifestyle.
The two girls above are members of a Re-enactment society who live life as it
was during the Iron Age at weekends and holidays. They work at the crafts,
making replicas of articles which have been discovered in archaeological
excavations. They are wearing loose tunics over a long sleeved top.
Write a short story of
what you would do on
one of those weekends.
RIGHT Replica clothing
hanging in a round house.
Draw one of the
pictures and label
all the articles in it
Pictures courtesy of Ryedale Museum and Butser Ancient Farm
[
Decorative jewellery
S.
or
g.u
k
Both men and women wore some sort of ornamental jewellery
The most valuable and spectacular were the gold TORCS.
These are neckrings made from twisted gold wire with cast
gold ends in a variety of designs.
C Trustees of the British Museum
Design a TORC for an Ancient British
Chief
ND
CH
This pin of gold and
enamel was used to
fasten a cloak
These mirrors show what
beautiful metalwork the Ancient
Britons were capable of.
Courtesy of the British Museum, Dr D Freeman and The Gallica Website
FOOD AND DIET 1
S.
or
g.u
k
Bread was an important part of the
Ancient British diet and was produced from the
old types of wheat called Einkhorn and Emmer.
Barley, rye and oats were also grown.
Meat was produced from pigs, sheep, poultry
and cattle, which also provided milk. Fish and
eels were available from the river and local
streams. Foraging for herbs, fruit, mushrooms
and berries was probably a regular job for the
children. Vegetables such as peas and beans and
grain crops were grown in small fields or little
plots.
The central fireplace in the house would be where most
of the cooking took place. The cooking pot is hanging on
a chain and might contain a stew or porridge
ND
CH
The Ancient Britons stored
much of their food in the
ground. The picture at right
shows a large storage pit ,
partly underground, where
meat was hung on beams. It
was kept cold by collecting
big chunks of ice from the
river in winter and wrapping
them in cloth so that they
stayed unmelted all through
the summer and acted like a
refrigerater.
The people drank water from the river
and streams. They got milk from the
cows and they made beer from barley.
REMEMBER They had to produce all their
own food—no shops or supermarkets. How
difficult do you think this was?
Write about some of the problems you
Think they might have faced
This is a Beehive quern.
It is used for grinding corn into
flour. There is a fixed stone at the
bottom and the dome shaped stone
at the top is rotated by a handle on
a spindle. The hole in the top is
where the grain is poured. It is
ground by the two stones rubbing
together.
Above is pictured a meal. There is a lot of
food so it is probably for a feast or celebration
of some kind. The large iron pot on the fire
would be heating a vegetable stew. Draw the
picture and write down all the names of the
different foods you can see. What sort of veg
etables do you think would be in the
Using just some of the food in the picture plan
a simple meal for two adults, two children and
a baby. What do you think they would all
drink?
Grain was also stored in pits,
like the one on the right. The
top was sealed with a basket
covering and mud. Because
the air was excluded the
grain kept fresh and did not
go mouldy.
S.
or
g.u
k
FOOD AND DIET 2
This picture shows how the ancient farmers of North Duffield 2300
years ago ploughed their little fields.
AT RIGHT IS A PICTURE OF AN ARD
THIS IS A RECONSTRUCTION OF AN
IRON AGE PLOUGH. AN IRON SPIKE IS
FITTED ON THE POINT. THIS IMPLEMENT JUST SCRATCHED THE GROUND
RATHER THAN TURNING THE SOIL
OVER LIKE A MODERN PLOUGH. THIS
MEANT THAT THE GROUND HAD TO BE
PLOUGHED BOTH WAYS IN A CRISS
CROSS FASHION ON THE FIELD IN
ORDER TO BREAK THE SOIL UP
SUFFICIENT FOR PLANTING.
ND
CH
WHEN THE CROP WAS RIPE IT
WAS HARVESTED BY HAND USING
A SICKLE. IT WOULD BE HARD
BACK- ACHING WORK AND ALL
THE ADULTS AND CHILDREN OVER
ABOUT SIX YEARS OLD WOULD
HAVE TO HELP GETTING THE
CROP IN.
IN ORDER TO MAKE FLOUR THE GRAIN HAS TO BE CRUSHED.
THIS WAS DONE EARLIER BY RUBBING IT BETWEEN TWO
STONES AS SHOWN ABOVE. THIS IS CALLED A SADDLE
QUERN. LATER A BEEHIVE QUERN WAS INVENTED.
THIS CONSISTED OF A DOME-SHAPED
STONE WITH A HOLE DOWN THE CENTRE
ON TOP OF A FLAT STONE WHICH HAD A
WOODEN PEG ON WHICH THE TOP STONE
WAS ROTATED BY A HANDLE ON THE
SIDE. THE GRAIN IS POURED DOWN THE
HOLE AND IS GROUND INTO FLOUR BY
THE STONES RUBBING TOGETHER. Draw a
diagram of the two types of querns, a Sickle and an Ard. Label your drawings.
S.
or
g.u
k
ANIMALS OF THE IRON AGE IN BRITAIN 1
Dogs were probably the first animals to be companions to people and became early hunting partners.
During the Iron Age hunting dogs were one of the main exports to the Roman Empire along with
slaves and grain. TRY TO DRAW ONE OF THESE DOGS WITH A HUNTER
ND
CH
Horses were very important to the Ancient Britons.
They were used for riding, pulling carts and chariots,
and for food. From archaeological evidence it has
been found that the ancient horses were very similar
to the Exmoor ponies pictured left.
Horses were thought to be very special animals, above is
the grave of a horse from the Iron Age. It had been
placed in a stone lined pit.
LEFT This is The Uffington Horse,in Oxfordshire, cut
into the chalk hill side about 3000 years ago and below
is The Kilburn White Horse in North Yorkshire. It was
cut by a man called Thomas Taylor in1857 and is our
nearest hill horse. Horse are still being cut into hill sides
and the latest is one near the entrance to the Channel
Tunnel. Some of you may have seen it.
YOU COULD MAKE A PAPIER MACHE MODEL OF
A HILL AND DO A COLLAGE OF A HORSE ON IT
USING WHITE TISSUE PAPER SCREWED UP INTO
LITTLE BALLS AND GLUED ON IN THE SHAPE.
Courtesy of Dr D Freeman and the Gallica website
ANIMALS OF THE IRON AGE IN BRITAIN 2
S.
or
g.u
k
Sheep, pigs and cattle were very important to the Ancient British people. On the small mixed farms sheep pro
vided both wool and meat. The most common breed was the SOAY, a small animal which existed in several
colours from almost white to dark brown. Both male and female have large horns. (The one pictured below left
is only a lamb) You could cut out and colour the pictures of sheep and pigs to go with the model round houses.
WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT NAMES FOR MALE AND FEMALE SHEEP?
Another ancient breed is the Manx Loughtan at right
which usually has four or six horns. “MANX” means
it originated in The Isle of Man.
The Mouflon sheep has huge horns and is
thought to be one of the ancestors of all
modern sheep breeds. Draw a picture of
one of the sheep.
ND
CH
Pigs were kept on all the small farms of the Iron Age people. They would be Wild Boars. Pork was the favour
ite meat for the feasts. The pig pictured above is a breed called a Tamworth and is the nearest thing to a wild
boar from which all modern breeds are descended. The pigs below are Tamworths cross bred with wild boars.
They are very large, brown and hairy and extremely bad tempered. The male BOAR on the left has wicked
looking tusks and although the female SOWS on the right have smaller tusks they are still dangerous. A sport
of the Parisi people was boar hunting with spears and bows and arrows. It was very dangerous as the animals
were quick and agile and would turn to attack if they got the slightest chance.
Draw one of the pigs
Pictures and information courtesy of Butser Ancient Farm, Dr D Freeman and the Gallica Website
S.
or
g.u
k
ANIMALS OF THE IRON AGE 3
Cattle of the Iron Age were kept by the Parisi tribe in the area of (now) North Duffield, although
domesticated, they were probably half wild creatures but were kept for their milk and meat as
well as pulling the primitive plough ( called an ARD). Goats were also domesticated and valuable
because they will eat just about anything. They were used for food and milk.
Draw and label some of the animals or birds.
ND
CH
Hares were kept as pets during the Iron Age. Be
cause they can run up to 40 miles an hour they were
thought to be the messengers of the Gods. They
were set free and the way they ran and the direction
was interpreted to foretell the future.
Feeding the ducks, hens and geese has always been a job for the
mother and children. They provided eggs, meat and feathers.
What do you think the feathers were used for? Colour the cut
outs and use them with the model of the round house
Pictures and information courtesy of Dr D Freeman and the Gallica Website/
WEAPONS 1
C Trustees of the British Museum
S.
or
g.u
k
The Ancient Britons (sometimes called the Celts) were a very warlike people with a warrior class.
They fought among themselves and with neighbouring settlements, even though they traded and
inter-married. For example there is a large settlement indicated in the crop marks at the village of
Hemingbrough. They would know the people who lived here at the (now) North Duffield and
would probably trade and meet for festivals sometimes and maybe some of the young people
would get married. This would not stop the young men of both settlements from doing a bit of
cattle rustling after a few beers or just generally trying to create a bit of mayhem and have a few
fights.
The Romans said that before a battle the Britons would charge up to the enemy in the chariots with
the CHARIOTEER driving and the WARRIOR balancing on the chariot pole yelling and shouting.
But to actually fight he would jump down and engage the enemy on foot.
THE RECONSRUCTION OF THE WETWANG CHARIOT AND HOW IT MAY
HAVE BEEN USED BY MEN OF THE PARISI TRIBE 2300 YEARS AGO.
ND
CH
In 2001 a small paddock in the centre of the village of Wetwang in East Yorkshire was identified as
being suitable for a housing development. Because this was in an area important for Iron Age studies,
it was decided to investigate it archaeologically first. Among other things the archaeologists discov
ered the remains of the burial of a woman alongside the very rare dismantled remains of a cart or
chariot. The full excavation and subsequent preservation of the remains were going to be very expen
sive but English Heritage provided extra funding and the British Museum sent a team of specialists to
do the excavation. Because the burial was nearly 2400 years old most of the material had rotted away
and all that was left were rusty marks in the soil where the iron parts including the iron tyres on the
wheels had been, voids and different coloured soil where the wooden parts had been and fortunately
some bronze pieces of the harness for the two horses (bronze does not rust away.) This was such an
important find that it was featured in a television programme called “Meet The Ancestors”. Also the
British Museum decided to try to reconstruct the chariot. This reconstruction was very successful and
the vehicle can now be seen in the Southburn Museum near Beverley where it is on loan.
Try to draw a picture of the chariot. You could
put a warrior or a lady in your picture
By courtesy of the British Museum and Southburn Museum
WEAPONS 2
Favoured weapons of the warriors of the Britons were
the sword, spear and shield, although bows and arrows
as well as the sling were used. Below right are metal
items from chariot fittings and horse harness.
S.
or
g.u
k
C Trustees of the British Museum
Shields were usually made of wood. The
one on the left is much too fine to have
been used in battle It was probably owned
by a chief for ceremonies or it could have
been thrown into a river as an offering to
a God.
ND
CH
Many ancient swords have been found, the best ones buried
in mud which has prevented rust from forming.
DESIGN A SWORD
AND SHIELD FOR A
WARRIOR.
IT COULD BE MADE OF
WOOD AND A DESIGN
PAINTED ON.
YOU COULD DRAW A
LONG RECTANGULAR
ONE FOR A CHIEF LIKE
THE ONE ON THE RIGHT
OR OVAL AS THE ONE AT
LEFT.
The pictures above show the front and back of the same
shield. The view on the left has the handle for holding the
shield. Originally the front would have had a painted design.
Pictures courtesy of the British Museum
RELIGION IN THE IRON AGE AND THE DRUIDS
S.
or
g.u
k
THE DRUIDS
The Druids were the holy men of the Ancient Britons. Although
very little is known about them, some Roman and Greek writer
have left accounts of their practices. They were the teachers,
priests and judges. They studied nature, astronomy and religion. They passed on the history of their people by story telling.
They lived and worked in the OAK forests. DRUID means
“Knowing the Oak Tree” (The ‘DU’ bit of the name Duffield
comes from a very ancient word for oak trees.) Julius Caesar
said that the Druids were held in honour; they took charge of
public and private sacrifices and the young men went to them for
instruction. A Roman writer, Pliny the elder, said a Druid in a
white robe climbed an Oak tree and, with a golden sickle, cut a
branch of mistletoe which was caught in a white cloak as it fell.
Two white bulls were then sacrificed and a feast took place.
The iron age people were very religious in their daily lives and
had lots of gods and goddesses. According to the Roman and
Greek writers they had deities for every part of their lives. There
were gods or goddesses connected to the air, earth, fire, water,
war, families, health, the sun and moon.
Sometimes they threw their best swords or shields into rivers as
an offering to the gods in order to succeed in battle or to ensure
a good harvest.
DC
H
Look at the card listing the gods and goddesses and draw a picture of what you think some of them looked like to the Ancient
Britons. They may have carved an image on a tree trunk or
drawn a picture on the hide or skin of an animal.
You could draw a picture of an oak tree with people stood round
and a Druid in a long white robe holding a piece of mistletoe with
an image of the god, or the tribe stood on a river bank with the
Druid making a sacrifice of weapons.
Draw a picture of a water goddess.
Draw a picture of a god of war.
Draw a picture of a goddess of the harvest.
GODS AND GODDESSES OF THE ANCIENT BRITONS
There were many Gods and Goddesses of the ancient world. Lots of them
have been forgotten but some like OESTRA and THE GREEN MAN or HERNE THE HUNTER are still with us today in some form or other.
Here is a small list of some of them.
S.
or
g.u
k
AIRMIG. Goddess of healing and medicinal plants.
ANDRASTE. Goddess of the moon.
ARDDHU OR THE GREEN MAN. God of the forests and nature.
ARTIO. Goddess of wild life.
BRIGIHID THREE GODDESSES 1 POETY AND INSPIRATION
ND
CH
2 MIDWIFERY AND HEALING
3CRAFTS AND SMITHS
CERNUNNOS. The God of fertility, life, animals and forests. He had
horns or antlers. Also called HERNE THE HUNTER
DIS PATER. The chief of all the gods. God of death and the underworld.
DRUANTIA. The queen of the Druids. The forest goddess; her feast day
was Beltaine.
EPONA. The goddess of horses and dogs.
EOSTRA. The goddess of spring; she gave her name to Easter.
LLYR. The god of water.
LUGH. A sun god of healing and reincarnation. He had a magic spear.
MORRIGAN. The great queen goddess of war and death.
MERLIN. Was a Druid and magician.
NANTOSUELTA, The goddess of nature, valleys and streams.
OGMA. A warrior god. He invented the runic language of the druids,
The OGHAM alphabet.
ROSMERTA. The goddess of fertility and wealth. She carried the
Cornucopia or Horn of Plenty.
SEQUANA. A river goddess.
SUCELLUS. A god of agriculture and forests. He was responsible for
taking souls to the underworld.
THE WHITE LADY. The goddess of death. The queen of the dead. She
was an old crone or hag.
Draw one or more of these gods or goddesses how you
think they were thought of by the Ancient Britons.
Look at the OGHAM alphabet and the SAXON RUNES.
Write your name in one of these and exchange secret
messages with your friends.
FEASTS AND FESTIVALS
THERE WERE FOUR PRINCIPAL FEASTS OR FESTIVALS IN
THE YEAR FOR THE IRON AGE PEOPLE
1
SAMHAIN October 31st
S.
or
g.u
k
This was the greatest of the festivals . It marked the beginning of
the year and was celebrated on the night of October 31st. The
earth opened and the spirits walked the land. In the Christian calendar it is All Souls Day, but now we call it something else.
What do you do on this night? What do you call it and how do you
celebrate it? Draw a picture of you and your friends dressed up.
2 IMBOLG February 1st
This was the Pastoral Feast. Although it is still dark and cold there are the
beginnings of the brighter days, with new life appearing. We have Snowdrops and crocuses peeping through the ground and the spring lambs are
being born, and farmers made ready to plough the fields and plant seed.
The ancient celtic goddess Brigit or Bride, the bringer of light was the
deity connected to this feast. Christianity took on the goddess as Saint
Brigit. Draw a picture of Snowdrops or Daffodils or some baby
lambs to represent this season of the year.
3 BELTAINE May 1st
ND
CH
This was the spring festival when the Druids lit the sacred fires and the
young people of the settlements collected flowers for the older members
of the community. A May Queen was usually chosen, and together with
her consort The Green Man or ‘Jack in The Green’, was taken round the
settlement in a cart garlanded with flowers and tree branches. The May
Queen is still celebrated in some villages at the present time, and the
children still dance round the Maypole. Draw a picture of children
dancing round a Maypole with all the ribbons on a village green.
4 LUGHNASADH August 1st
This feast marked the start of the harvest with the god Lugh as the principal deity. This is the time when all the fruits of the earth and the
labours of the people are brought together and will be stored to provide
food for the cold dark days of winter. We still celebrate harvest festivals
today in schools and churches.
What sort of foods do you bring to the Harvest Festival in school?
Make a list and draw the type of food you think would be suitable
for a Harvest Festival.
CH
S.
or
g.
CH
S.
or
g.
uk