Significant reassessment of the Gauls

[Viggen]

A discovery in central France has led to a significant reassessment of the Gauls, who were, it transpires, much more advanced than previously thought. Rather than the random gatherings of rudimentary thatched huts illustrated in the Asterix books, first published in 1961, archaeologists now believe the Gauls lived in elegant buildings with tiled roofs, laid out in towns with public squares or forums.They also crafted metalwork just as complex as anything produced by the Romans, even before the Roman invasion in 52BC. The findings have been made at a dig in Corent, near Lyon, where archaeologists have uncovered what they believe is the palace of Vercingetorix, the last military leader of all Gaul.

 

full article at the Telegraph

[Vibius Tiberius Costa]

uh-oh, this could mean a lot of editing in my book.

 

vtc

[Primus Pilus]

uh-oh, this could mean a lot of editing in my book.

 

vtc

 

I wouldn't worry too much. The notion of Gaul as a primitive civilization has been long discredited. Considering that the story relates the Roman invasion of Gaul to 52 BC, and that a discovery of such magnitude (if it were a new discovery) would focus on rewriting some albeit popular illustrated books, one should probably just ignore it.

 

It's fairly common knowledge that Gallic architecture included permanent stone structures of various scale. While Celtic Britain was fairly isolated in terms of architecture and art prior to the Roman invasions, Gaul had long been exposed to Greeks, Phoenicians (Carthaginians), Etruscans, Romans, etc. In any case, Gaul was not nearly so primitive, it just lacked some of the large scale societal and organizational sophistication of its southern neighbors.

[Vibius Tiberius Costa]

uh-oh, this could mean a lot of editing in my book.

 

vtc

 

I wouldn't worry too much. The notion of Gaul as a primitive civilization has been long discredited. Considering that the story relates the Roman invasion of Gaul to 52 BC, and that a discovery of such magnitude (if it were a new discovery) would focus on rewriting some albeit popular illustrated books, one should probably just ignore it.

 

It's fairly common knowledge that Gallic architecture included permanent stone structures of various scale. While Celtic Britain was fairly isolated in terms of architecture and art prior to the Roman invasions, Gaul had long been exposed to Greeks, Phoenicians (Carthaginians), Etruscans, Romans, etc. In any case, Gaul was not nearly so primitive, it just lacked some of the large scale societal and organizational sophistication of its southern neighbors.

 

phew, crisis overted

 

vtc

[Ozymandias]

"Until now Gauls for the French were people who lived in huts among the trees, frightening people.

 

eh ? I've never ever heard about that ! where did he get that ?

 

Parents would threaten to send their children to the Gauls if they did not go to sleep.

 

mwahahahahah ! that one is hilarious !

 

Rather than the random gatherings of rudimentary thatched huts illustrated in the Asterix books, first published in 1961, archaeologists now believe the Gauls lived in elegant buildings with tiled roofs, laid out in towns with public squares or forums.

 

This sounds kinda like generalizing a bit too much. You can't compare what was seemingly a very important place, in terms of economic and strategics witha small seashore village, moreover from a cartoon (and Asterix's vilage has lots of stone houses...)!

[G-Manicus]

Interesting read. Thanks.