Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebek
I thought that the Celts were a different race than the Germans.
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Most Europeans are of the same
race. Celts and Germans were a different
culture. (Note: We're also the same
race as most Indians and Iranians.)
But if you go back far enough, they all go back to the Indo-Europeans, who probably lived around what is now the Black Sea. As the populations grew and migrated and separted, languages and cultures began to change and evolve. But if you go back far enough, the Germans and Celts were the same people.
Go back farther than that, and we were ALL the same people. This is one of the fun facts where science and religion both meet. Every single human being on the planet today had a common ancestor, a woman who most likely lived and died in Africa many thousands of years ago. Our DNA proves it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebek
Celts have dark eyes, hair, and darker skin. The Germans are more Nordic. Celts have dark eyes, hair, and darker skin.
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That’s a common misconception. When you are talking about “Celts” or “Norse” or “Hellenic” or any other kind of people, you are talking primarily about culture and language. The fact is that both Celts and Germans had lots of physical diversity. Hair colors of all sorts, varying skin tones, body builds, etc.
This is probably because we humans have been interbreeding since the beginning of time. If you cut your average Irishman, he’ll bleed a little Celt, a little Anglo-Saxon, some Viking, probably some Spanish, and whatever pre-Celtic peoples lived in Eire before the Celts showed up.
This is why classifying people according to race is not only inaccurate. It’s silly. Language and culture are much more accurate classifications.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebek
The Germans Didn't the Norse leave written evidence of their religion i.e. runestones, "Beowulf" ect..
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The Norse had runes, certainly, but those were mostly for inscriptions, ornamentation, and religious uses. There is lots of Nordic literature, but every bit of it was written down by Christian monks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Trebek
The Celts had no writing?
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Not until they became Christians.
Ancient Celts had the oghma, but like the Nordic runes, they were used for inscriptions and such, not writing history or literature. The druidic religion was strictly an oral tradition. Most historians agree that it was considered taboo and sacrilege to write down any of the particulars of their religion. It was their way of preserving their traditions.
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