germanic and celtic houses

**the_handsome_viking** · 08-07-2005, 19:35

Quite a simple question really, would anyone here be able to provide some fairly good links based on germanic and celtic houses and what they looked like , how they were made, what their level of quality was , etc.

thankyou. =)

**Kääpäkorven Konsuli** · 08-07-2005, 19:42

http://www.gallica.co.uk/celts/build.htm
This was only I found.
Btw, I build gallic house couple moths ago, but it wasn't very good quality. The roof lasted almost 3 weeks before it fell down. Only good thing was I wasn't inside when it happened...

**Dux Corvanus** · 08-07-2005, 21:21

The Celtic often dwelled in a protected village called castrum, which in its most modest configuration consisted in round houses made of wood and adobe -also stone- with a wooden and grass roof -that was not too durable and was changed every season- and some storing and common facilities, all rounded by a palisade. Of course, this is only the basic configuration: greater settlements and oppida -fortified positions- included more complex examples.

The Cantabrii -an Iberian northern tribe- actually built houses in the Celtic style. Last month, I had the chance to visit a reconstruction of one of those villages. It's the place you see in the pic. Don't get mistaken by their look, those huts are really comfortable. The top of the roof could be dismantled to change it for other new, or allow a bigger fire to be lit in the interior. There was an adobe bench all along the inner wall, as well as straw beds, storing pottery and straw boxes, and a central fireplace with cooking accesories and cauldrons suspended from hooks:

**Samurai Waki** · 08-07-2005, 21:33

actually that looks quite liveable

I have a certain nostalgia for my more ancient and medieval ancestors way of life, except for the pillaging, slavery, disease, and hairy armpits bit.

**the_handsome_viking** · 08-07-2005, 22:25

Originally Posted by Wazikashi

actually that looks quite liveable

I have a certain nostalgia for my more ancient and medieval ancestors way of life, except for the pillaging, slavery, disease, and hairy armpits bit.

I always thought the celts shaved off all their body hair... weird.

**Ranika** · 08-08-2005, 04:24

Celts did shave (or burn; I'll explain in a moment) all of their body hair off. Some Celts used a compound made with lye to essentially burn hair off, down to the follicle, so it wouldn't grown back; very painful. It was done out of matters of cleanliness. Celts were very big on personal hygiene, and body hair kept dirt close to the body.

And some Celtic houses show stonework types unlikely of Greek influence; generally the houses supposed to have belonged to wealthy merchants and aristocracy.

**Samurai Waki** · 08-08-2005, 18:58

Originally Posted by the_handsome_viking

I always thought the celts shaved off all their body hair... weird.

Did the Women?

Most ancient historians and Anthropologists left women out of their observations for the most part, unless they did something that was extremely noticeable... but seriously, do you know if Women did the same thing as the men... I'd hope so... it would make barbarian life back then just that much more enjoyable

**Ranika** · 08-07-2005, 21:35

Not all Celts built round houses; it depended on the period and region. The inhabitants of Britain built round houses, as well as the more Celtic inhabitants of Iberia, but others built mostly square houses; their basic town would be constructed on a hill, with a mound wall, and square houses arranged around the local chief's house. Germans, to my understanding, built a lot of lean structures; buildings adjacent to walls, and I believe rectangular buildings as well.

**the_handsome_viking** · 08-07-2005, 22:22

thanks to everyone that replied and gave information on the subject.

i must admit the houses arent all that impressive to look at though i have heard quite a lot of people say that celtic round houses were very comfortable inside.

the thing that surprises me though was the celts particularly seemed to be very good when it came to metal work , yet why did you not see much in the way of sophisticated housing?

ive read that not much is known about iron age celtic and germanic homes, so that does leave room for the possibility of sophisticated housing belonging to those cultures that just hasnt been found.

but ive always wondered if the rock in their areas was hard to work with which is why they didnt have stone houses. which would have resulted in more of a focus on wooden homes. and because wood obviously doesnt last as long as stone a large chunk of evidence as to how they lived has gone missing over the years.

that said , ive seen pictures of some la tene homes that were made of stone, though the information source said the celtic peoples had borrowed greek influences.

so over all im somewhat confused , and would be interested in further discussion on the subject.