Celtic
Peasants: The peasants were free to come
and go. Unless they married out of their clan, or studied to
become an artisan, a bard, a druid priest, or a warrior, they had no
reason to venture very far from their
homestead.
Peasant
Men: Along with hunting and fishing, the men
did the heavy labor on the farms. They were wonderful farmers.
The Celts invented a reaping machine, an invention that was copied
by the ancient Romans. The reaping machine let them harvest more
rapidly. With the reaper, they were far less likely to lose
crops to an early frost. It also saved on labor. They stored
grain in pits for the winter.
Peasant
Women: The women gathered berries and other
foods that could be harvested. They cooked and cleaned and sewed
and looked after the children. Although they were busy, most women
spent some time on their personal appearance. At night, everyone
would collect in the big home that served them all.
Kids:
The girls helped their mothers, the boys
helped their fathers. Around age 15, both boys and girls began to
think of marriage. Most would marry someone they met at a clan
festival. The tallest boys might be selected to train as
warriors. Some might learn an artisan skill. Most would be
farmers. With their free time, kids would play war
games. Also popular was a game they played similar to field
hockey.
Food:
They lived on farms. They worked hard.
All the people ate well. They had cheese, butter, milk, mead,
honey, fish, pork, chicken, beef, lamb, vegetables, and breads and
cereals made with wheat, barley, oats, and rye.
Clothing:
Like the nobles, the common people wore
richly dyed wool in colorful plaids. Both men and women wore
tunics. A man's tunic stopped at the knees. A woman's was floor
length. They were both loosely gathered at the waist with a belt.
Both men and women wore shawls over their tunics, wrapped
loosely around their shoulders. The wore sandals, usually made of
leather. The nobles might have clothes that did not show wear, but
everyone wore clothes with colors and designs that represented
their clan or clans.
Jewelry:
Like the nobles, the common people decked themselves out in arms
bands, bracelets, neckbands, lots of rings and heavy belts made of
many materials. Their jewelry was typically not made of gold or
silver, but it was carefully made and quite lovely. The Celts
loved glitter and color.
Campfire
Conversations:
In the evening, everyone in the fine would
gather around a central campfire. Every few day, as they gathered
around the campfire, they would review what had happened in the
last few days. If you had a problem with someone, that is when you
would bring it up. There were no secrets. Problems would be
discussed, resolved, and forgotten.
