This article can help you to understand something about the Keltoi.
Keltoi, Celtici: Tartessos and The Celtic Beturia. The Celts in the South.
Centuries VI - I BCE A land between the river Guadiana (river Anas) and the Guadalquivir River (river Betis) were called Beturia.
In two known Beturia: a Celtic and other Túrdulos.
The Túrdulos is considered as indigenous peoples who had not experienced oriental influences as Betis Turdetans Valley. The Celts, however, are considered Indo-European peoples in different waves had reached these southern lands settled in principle in populated areas, and in many cases exert cultural influence on the native substrate.
The Beturia Túrdulos currespondería the Sierra Morena area of central and Eastern Europe, while Celtic Beturia the western Sierra Morena, Badajoz basins to the river Anas and Andévalo peneplain of Huelva and the Portuguese Alentejo to the Algarve. The boundary between these zones of influence would be east of the province of Huelva.
Missing reliable sources that help us understand the origin of these peoples. All they have is the model of classical authors, as well as recent research that these people begin to relate with others in the west and northwest Spain.
There is also the problem of the relationship with the legendary civilization Tartessos earlier in time and matching it appears in space. Issue we will address below.
During the II century BCE VII Begin arriving waves of Celtic Hallstatt Central to the Peninsula, occupying the north and northwest, the plateau, Iberian System, reaching the south of Portugal, Extremadura and probably in several waves Huelva different in time, and mixing varying As previously established with the people in those areas, according to the degree of depopulation of the same.
So what happened when these Celts arrived in the ancient lands of Tartessos? , What peoples Hallstatt Celts found on his arrival in Huelva?, Is it possible that also were attracted by the legend or myth Tartessian like Greeks and Phoenicians?.
Today we begin to relate to people in southwestern Spain with other peoples of the northwest.
According to Somoza Marcelino Sanchez (October 2002): "Here I put the reasons that led me to define what is Galiza tube called" ZAAR "in prehistoric times, and this gave rise to pre-Celtic people, the Celts" Gal. "
The "ZAAR" later called "Cal" and "Gal" would be a family with Gaelic, Welsh, Irish, Scots, and the inhabitants of nearby islands (Chanel, Man, etc..) Or what is, the people now called "Celtic."
These towns or parts of them were a different branch of the Indo-European Celts who spoke Greek, but share many similarities with the Celts, for what they did wrong to many ancient Greek authors.
Since the Greek authors spoke of Celtic Hyperboreans (Hyperborea now called a region of northern Russia near Cimmeria), from Celtic to dry with that concern all people from all over Europe were not the same Greeks, and Celts "Keltoi" which clearly defined the Celts in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and Galicia (which were really the only ones who called themselves Keltoi worldwide). "
It is quite probable that before the arrival of Central European Hallstatt Celts (seventh century BC) at the beginning of the second Iron Age, the Atlantic Arc during the Bronze Age and early Iron Age past was populated by Indo-Europeans, which also was called "Celtic culture", "Proto", or quite similar, because the very nature of such Indo-European. It is for this reason that indigenous or autochthonous substratum elements in the northwestern, southwestern Spain Lusitanian or did not have any problem of cultural assimilation by the arrival of Central European Hallstatt Celts later. In the plateau there were many problems to be more sparsely populated in part during this period, the arrival of the Central. In contrast, the Hallstatt Celts did not arrive either physically or culturally to the Levante area and South Iberian.
With all that we might ask the question: Was originally the cradle of civilization tartessos the people whom the Greeks called Keltoi?. This question is difficult to answer in complete safety, at least for now. I know that is not enough but here I propose several points in favor of this hypothesis:
• Language tartessos, although not strictly Indo-script, is closer to strictly Celtic languages to the Mediterranean Iberian Peninsula.
For example the root of the word tartessos, Tarschisch (according to the Bible. "Ezequiel.27.12 (c. 580 BC)) or tartessos. (Escimno.164 sixth century BC) means the Celtic languages as in current Irish Gaelic as "tir" and also the Scottish "tir" land or country.
"Tir" = "Tar"
Also in the old protocelta, which derive the ancient Celtic languages, the term "smooth" also means land or country.
This is no coincidence that we should not overlook. We can see in:
www.terra.es/personal5/albannach/lengua/frameset.htm
The alphabet is too early Tartessian (dated about 2000 BC), was discovered by studying the gravestones found in a reservoir of the Huelva estuary, Tartessos heart. This alphabet have 15 letters to those currently used. Although today we discuss whether the "Tartessian" belonged or not to all Indo-European languages, if you have to think of something to do with the Indo-European before the formation of the ancient Italic languages, Proto-Germanic or Proto. There is evidence to consider Tartessian relations between language and other Indo-European character, which undoubtedly considered as indoeruropeas, appeared later.
Symbologies also Ibera or Euskara, for example, have no known connection with Indo-European languages.
Is it also in the former no man's land Lusitano, problems within the language group it Celtiberian?. Is in the air!.
• The southwestern peninsula like the rest of the European Atlantic arc during the Copper Age to the Iron Age megalithic culture was the same. Culture that did not occur in many areas and Mediterranean, and the rest of Europe. This no doubt is setting a common ground across the Atlantic Arc completely defined, both culturally and in people's identity, ancestral relationship between the peoples of the border, led by the metals trade between the West and the rest of Atlantic Countries . Trade through Galicia was made with Britain, England and Ireland.
Another question to be asked is why was developed both the southwestern Spain (Keltoi South) by becoming different from the atlantic challenge, even with the same common elements in origin, What caused that to happen Tartessos look also at the hem Mediterranean and Eastern cultures?
Look back in time. What they had in common Egyptians, Sumerians and Assyrians (Mesopotamian peoples) and Tartessian, so they can develop the most developed and flourishing civilizations of their time?. The answer is clearly a "fertile crescent own" the development of agriculture production, essential for the development of any civilization (early agrarian cultures), and trade surplus situation in the border areas, trade, wealth and prosperity. If we add the important area of southern peninsular metalliferous will result in a flourishing civilization Tartessos. This development is probably what made southwest peninsular differentiate from other peoples of the European Atlantic arc, making it look more to the other developed areas of the East: to the 2000 - 1000 BC the Cretan cultures (Greece), Mycenae (Greece) Hittite (Turkey), Ebre (Palestine), and later to the 900 to 800 BC by Phoenicians. The approach might be mutual, synergistic, but in many cases fighting could take place, especially the latter, known hegemony in this period in the Mediterranean.
However, not all Tartessos must have been "developed" as it is shown by the scant remains found inside. In the countryside, far from the coast and the city, far from centers of commerce, the only flourishing were the mining areas (Sierra Morena) development in the activity of exploitation and trade of metals have probably fluvial, with the coast. The inner zone had little contact with Phoenicians and Greeks had preserved their ancient customs enough "Atlantic", like the brothers Keltoi of Galicia.
Furthermore, although Tartessos born in the land of the Keltoi (Celts in the south), because of its length across the peninsular south and southeast trade relations with the peoples of the valley of Betis, and also relations with Greeks and Phoenicians (oriental effects) mean that, along the entire area tartessos finally, there can therefore be considered as Celtic, but as the Iberian, also being subsequent Betis Valley turdetanos natural heirs of the ancient civilization Tartessos.
And what happened after the end of culture tartessos?.
The end of Tartessos is situated towards the 650 to 600 BC It is still a mystery. Southwest begins to decline, mining activity is reduced and there is the depopulation of the area, moved into the valley of Betis (Guadalquivir), more fertile and rich lands Beturia unproductive.
With the arrival in these lands of Central European Hallstatt Celts, after the fall of Tartessos, indigenous peoples in decay, merge with the newcomers. These new people the Romans called them "celtici" may be a translation from the Greek word "Keltoi"
In this merger and there is no evidence as such, but must have taken place since in the province of Huelva abound own Celtic elements of this new period: 600 BC - 100 BC
Here are some of the fragments collected on the local history of the peoples of Huelva:
• About The Country of Andévalo.
"The Celts Beturienses (celtici) inhabited it, calling this area" or Sierra del Andévalo Country, "whose nomenclature took the large hill at the foot today is Cabezas Rubias (Huelva). There existed a temple dedicated to the deity "Endóvelo" or "Endovélicoo"
Undoubtedly, Phoenicians and Greeks in their long sea routes in those risky journeys in search of metals and trade give these people the name "Keltoi", later called "celtici" by the Romans.
Carthaginians and Romans took up the place for its strategic location aforementioned. Completed the "Punic Wars" and defeated the Carthaginians, the Romans started the Romanization of the area, something that made without much difficulty to find a town with low cultural and social. Gradually they were touching the lives of indigenous people and were gradually changing their traditions. Those people, accustomed to the free life of the field, had become, in their majority, slaves used in the extraction of minerals or agricultural work in the possessions of the rich patricians and many feared would swell the Roman legions and participate in the conquest of the Empire.
The written records are few romanization. It appears that the entire region is known by the name "Celtic Baeturia, whose population consisted of people from the Celtic races, calling the race" the celticis "or" Celtic beturienses, which have migrated from the Valley Ebro through the Lusitania (Portugal), comprising the territory between the rivers Guadiana (Anas) and Guadalquivir (Real Betis).
Castilluelos small fortresses or perhaps only watch towers or warehouses to supply the troops were in outline. Were embedded in strategic places that dominated the roads. They stood guard military detachments, as well as monitor potential enemy attacks served to defend or monitor the trade in minerals from the mines to the coast. The main strength seems was located in a neighboring hill to the town, now called "Pie Castle" and that the Romans were called "Praesidium".
Religion occupied a central place in Indian life "baeturienses." Among their gods existed before the Roman gods highlighted "Endovélico" and "Ataecina." The first, according to some historians, was represented by the figure of a boar, sometimes with inscriptions in a palm and a laurel wreath. It was an infernal god to some and the god of medicine to others. Oracle gave the sick and they had to spend a night in the temple where they appear in dreams and the god would show them how they should heal. They offered sacrifices of pigs. For other historians Endovélico had an eagle "
"In Paymogo (country of the magician) can be reached from the Moulin de La Laguna, about 2 kms. rivera down a hill is reached called La Sepultura, if we decide to visit the site, find a so-called Celtic burials tholos (broker graves covered by a false dome camera). There are several scattered around the place and are difficult to locate because they are covered by thickets. "
"It is believed that brings the origin of Andévalo denominacinn of Endovélico god, ancient deity. This is tested for having found princip! Years of the sixteenth century a stone near Paymogo, with an inscription that read the name of this popular deity. The ancient geographers mentioned in this territory several towns, including Rubras, Presidium, or Aras. "
• On the Sierra de Aracena.
"Presence of authentic Celtiberian forts as the castanets, nestled in the Sierra de Aracena Huelva and which the excavator interpreted as the foundation of a Celtic people in the process of internal migration"
"The term de Aracena has been inhabited since ancient times. The third millennium BCE there are remains of lithic workshops at the Cave of Umbria. Mid-second millennium we find remains in the town of Catañuelo, and also the Celtic culture that sit in the V century BC. For we know that the remains found were engaged, in addition to farming, metallurgy. "
"Julia Concordia Nertóbrigas: origin of Cumbres Mayores: Pliny in his" Natural History "says that the city was founded by settlers from Tarragona Nertóbrigas:" The Celtic arrived from the Lusitania are from the Celts and this is reflected, by religious rites, in the language and names Oppido. " In this area there was a Celtic settlement as these, from the Milestone Basin, went through hundreds of KMS. to settle in our area looking for fertile land and ideal orography that shield them from hostile nations. When they saw the land has not hesitated to take up residence there and built a city called Nertóbrigas, meaning "mighty fortress", "H fortified."
Celtic archaeological remains tell of a rectangular citadel located at the top of the hill. In the wall built with blocks of very weak structure and awkwardly styled, arranged a series of square towers of a defensive character. "
"The current name comes from the ancient Celtic Aroche Arucci, that time is nicknamed America Arucci Vetus Latina, Arabized later to give the present form.
The presence of man in this area is very old and has been found the first remains almost five millennia. Human settlements, outdoor, were close to water points, mainly the banks and Alcalaboza Chanza, and its economy depended largely on the planting of grain held in "La Vega". Their burials were made under mounds of granite, of which there are still large numbers, scattered throughout the term.
During the Late Bronze Age in the seventh century BC, the whole area Chanza behaves as an extension of Portuguese culture, and so attested by the pottery.
After the unknown and nebulous Turdetano period, entered the Roman world, from about 194 BC The mountainous territory was known to the ancient geographer as Beturia, "where the Celts settled." The Romans imposed on those, and ordered the land, intensively exploiting mines of the Sierra de Aroche. "
• On the south of the province and the coastline.
"People of Fog:
Instead of rich history, its origins are difficult to pin down. The population has been documented from thenineteenth of the Iron Age. From the end of the Bronze, after the arrival of the Eastern Mediterranean lospueblos-first the Phoenicians, Viant century of our era-are remains, settlers llegadospor eastern rivers Anas, Odiel and Tinto were established on its soil attracted elcobre of Tharsis and Rio Tinto mines and Fog became enclave, metal and capital stock of the economic hub that connected the mines and shipping Porth Moqua (after Moguer). These are the moments Tartessos preliminary Nebula dela.
Cuandola region between the Guadiana and Guadalquivir-known losgeógrafos Beturia old and inhabited by the celtici-Romaen passed to 194 NSA about the most important city it was fog, old Ilipla. Itinerary by Antonino references know that figurabacomo an important place in the way Italica, and numismatics, was once so authorized to mint coins with Onuba (Huelva) and Iptuci (antiguaTejada, in term of Paterna del Campo). "
"Ciudad de Huelva
In Roman times the area of Huelva was in what geographers called Beturia: region between the rivers Betis (Guadalquivir) and Anas (Guadiana) and was inhabited by the celtici. Pliny and Ptolemy Huelva cite the name of "Onuba Aestuaria" city that came to coin money. "
I have omitted much of the information belonging to the ancient history of the peoples of Huelva, not wanting to stretch more.
Conclusions:
1. Cultural and brotherhood among people Keltoi Keltoi southwest and northwest, extends to all peoples Lusitanian. This village in western peninsular was cultural and commercial relationship with all the Atlantic arc "Atlantic fringe" during the Bronze Age and Iron Age. Indo-European original character of these towns and in close relationship with the Celtic Hallstatt culture, "Celts themselves" which later came to Spain in the second Iron Age.
Fusion "no problem" between newcomers and indigenous peoples, culture and similar peoples.
2. Origin of the mythical civilization tartessos in the heart of the "Celtic South."
3. Development of civilization tartessos favored by local conditions, a period in which they begin to differentiate themselves from their brethren "Galician", changing the "Atlantic axis" by the "Mediterranean axis" more developed in due course. By 1000 BCE
4. Although the origin of the Keltoi Tartessos outside the Southwest, tartessos civilization extends throughout southern Spain (Betis Valley and southeast), cultural and commercial relations with the indigenous peoples of these areas (not procélticos), as well as with Greek and Phoenicians who left their mark worldwide Tartesso (Orientalization).
However, in the interior (Sierra Morena Occidental), the ancient heart Tartesso, more deserted and devoted to mining, remained on the sidelines of all this development more oriented towards the valley of Betis. This involution was increased with the fall and decline of civilization Tartessos (650 - 600 BC).
5. The Betis Turdetans Valley became the natural descendants of civilization Tartessos.
Meanwhile, the inhabitants of the interior (Sierra Morena Occidental) continued with life in the countryside, with their ancient customs and outside the Iberian adjacent development. Always left out of the Iberian world.
6. Around 500 BCE start coming to these lands the Celts themselves, or also possibly celtizados peoples of the plateau and Lusitania, which fuse with the substrate native Keltoi. This area will be called Beturia Celtic, populated by the celtici.
It was the Romans who called these people "celtici." Maybe it was the Latin translation of Greek Keltoi.
7. The period from 195 to 154 BC marks the exploration, conquest and Roman colonization of these lands. During the first century BC, Celtic again Beturia resurgence in mining splendor (always has been and this was the real engine of the land). In the reign of Augustus the Celtic Beturia is included within the Baetica, a Roman province that most Romanized.
8. Unlike the northwestern peninsula, just romanized, much less Arabized, the Celtic Beturia going to be losing all their Celtic cultural character from Roman arrival. Although originally was a Celtic area par excellence, there is no more.
The few, counted on the fingers of the hands, Celtic traditions still have the inhabitants of Andévalo and the Sierra de Aracena (dance, music, etc ...) No remanecen of pre-Roman times, but were brought during the Middle Ages by Leon afforestation were achieved in these ancient lands.
What I can tell you is that in the Sierra de Aracena, also close to Seville, Celtic settlements there, as castanets (a village), and almost all the old mining area, also on the Andévalo Huelva, Celtic were developed by native people or under the influence of Celtic or celtizada. In times of Tartessos (to 650 BC) was a boom of this Beturia Celtic metal. In this area during this period was known as "country of cempsi." Later, after the fall of Tartessos (after 650 BC) Celts went even further south to the coast, between Anas and Betis, even talk, then, to Celtic in Cadiz (Gadir). These would be people who found the Romans when they came to Beturia. These new Celtic people were called "celtici." Do not know what would be the relationship with cempsis. It is a mystery Tartessos final.
. It was the Romans who called these people "celtici." Maybe it was the Latin translation of Greek Keltoi.