Is there enough evidence to prove why Celts settled down in Hambledon hill? Essay

Today, Hambledon cumulation is cardinal of Dorsets most impressive and distinctive bring inmarks. Now, it is home to a some grazing cows, but in the past it has been the home of numerous people. any(prenominal) of the most well-known inhabitants of the cumulation in the past were the Celts of Dorsets Durotrige tribe, during the entreat Age. There are many reasons why these people choose to adjudicate on Hambledon, and this essay aims to examine why Hambledon was chosen.Before deciding why the Celts chose Hambledon as the localisation of function for a firmness of purpose, we need to look at who they are, and accordingly what they would need from a settlement. As the Celts did not often record things in writing, the evidence that modern historians bedevil is derived from two sources. The first of these are literature by their invaders, the Romans, and the second is archaeological evidence.The people that this essay is studying make itd on the hill from circa 750BC to th e Roman occupation of 43AD. They were the first farmers, growing their own crops, and bringing up their own animals, so therefore flat and fertile soil would be an requisite requirement of a strengthen.Archaeological artefacts such as ploughs and opposite farming machinery found across Europe show that the Celts were farmers, and gives a adjuvant insight into the crops grown, and methods of farming.The Celts kept many animals such as cattle and sheep for take such as wool, leather, milk and meat, and horses were certainly kept for transport and working(a) in agriculture. The Celts also grew forms of barley, wheat and rye.An new(prenominal)wise essential expectation of the fortify would be defence. An invading Roman Soldier described the Celts in Dorset as a sturdy people, fierce and warlike. If they were warlike they were likely to take leave wars and a fort that was easy to plunk for would be an distinct returns over the enemies.Archaeological evidence shows that th e Celts had basic forms of money, which they used to trade with other tribes, so being geographically end other tribes was an advantage for a settlement.So, having examined what the Celts would require from a settlement, the task is to investigate the properties of Hambledon Hill and its power to give up the required site for a settlement.Initially, the most obvious aspect of Hambledon Hill is evident in its name Hill. This would have been an weighty reason why the Celts chose to inhabit the vicinity, due to the obvious defensive advantages of juicy ground. Defence was definitely an important advantage, as during the Neolithic period, the Roman Armies were rampaging across Europe and Northern Africa, so the Celts needed to be able to defend themselves. In addition to this threat, the Durotriges may have required defence from other parts of the Celtic society, such as the Belgae from the east, and Dumnonii from the west. The Celts significantly added to the defences, building i mmense groynes and ditchesAnother important aspect in discovering why the Durotriges settled on Hambledon Hill is found in the ground. The hill and surrounding countryside are cover in green grass, showing an abundance of fertile and well irrigated soil, and the land around the fort is also very flat. This meant that the Celts would be able to provide for most their dietary needs near the fort there was no need to transport regimen over large distances, and it was not essential to trade for food with other tribes, so a blockage of food supply roots was unlikely to be instantly devastating to the population of the fort.Another advantage is that the soil was relatively easy to dig. As the higher up image shows, the Celts constructed ramparts around the summit of the fort, to aid the defence. If the hill was made of other(prenominal) material, it would probably not have been possible to dig the comprehensive rampart system.In the present age, the fort is a surrounded by a small am ount of woodland. When the Celts settled, the hill was surrounded by woodland, and this would have been another important factor in choosing the site for a settlement. The woodland meant many things to the people it gave them wood for building their homes and fuelling fires, it would have given then somewhere to hunt, and there also may have been a spiritual aspect. frequently archaeological evidence shows that the Celts believed that some types of trees were special or sacred in some way, especially the oak. Many of the Celtic religious festivals involved the venerate of trees, and the word druid is believed to have originated from the Celtic from knowledge of the oak.Although the Neolithic inhabitants of Hambledon Hill are probably the most well known, the hill had been a home to many peoples for generations before. Archaeological evidence shows that people chose to live on the hill during the Palaeolithic and Neolithic eras, probably due to many of similar factors that force in the Iron Age people. The fortifications highlighted in red on the plat show the Northern section of the fort, which was inhabited by the Neolithic people. The originally inhabitancy of the hill may have been an influence on the closing to settle there for many reasons.The first of these is that the Neolithics had already had a settlement on the hill, so the basic infrastructure previously existed pathways, houses and ramparts were all in existence, so less work was required on Hambledon than if a new site had been chosen. There may have been another element in the decision to settle the people may have wanted to live where their ancestors did, possibly to live near the remains of their ancestors and probably to share the same holy site. Allowing previously religious sites to fall into disuse and disrepair would probably have been regarded as a form of sacrilege, so the Iron Age Celts may have thought that living near the sites would please their ancestors.A advance reason tha t the Celts would have chosen to settle on Hambledon Hill is its close law of proximity to other forts, such as Hod Hill, and the other settlements shown on the map above. This would be important for defensive and economic reasons. People could be moved from one fort to aid the defence of the other, and if one fort was captured, survivors could escape to the undefeated one. Economically, having so many forts in close proximity to each other meant that trading between them could happen easily.Being close to other forts also helped to prevent inbreeding with the inhabitants of a single fort, resulting in an boilersuit healthier and more resistant population.Another advantage with the geographical location is the proximity to the coast. Although the Hill could not be described as coastal it is within travelling distance of the coast, so goods could be brought in from overseas.To conclude, as with any decision to settle, the choice of Hambledon Hill was affected by many things. The str ong defensive position was essential, and the presence of woodland, water and flat, fertile land was also vital. The previous inhabitancy of the site would have been an indication that it was an good place to reside in, and the proximity to other forts was also very important.Sources tutor provided sourcehttp//www.Roman-Britain.orgThe Celts by Robin PlacePeoples of the past series MacdonaldInvaded Islands by RJ Unstead