B.+Natalie+B

__Timeline of the Celts__

· Why is the early period referred to as ‘Hallstatt’? The early period is named after Hallstatt, a mountain village in Austria with a very early saltmine, it is named this as the earliest found phase of Celtics.

· During the above period/culture, on what was the Celts’ wealth based? The Celts wealth was based on their ability the melt iron, bronze and gold into desirable objects for trading.

· Why is the later period referred to as ‘La Tene’? The later period was named after a site on Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland, where thousands of objects were found in shallow water. Many of these objects were ritually broken and evidently ceremonial. The tree of the gods

· What was a distinguishing feature of the above period/culture? The distinguished feature of the La Tene period was the advancement in Celtic art and knowledge and medical as well as spiritual concepts.

=__Sacred Places Worksheet__=

1. Viereckschanzen is a sacred celtic land enclosures.
==== 2. They are located in Britain, France, Southern Germany and Bohemia. 3. Viereckschanzen's are squared acres of land which seems to have a moat looking dip around the borders as if to keep it protected from others. 4. ====

[[image:http://www.druidcircle.org/images/gauting.gif]]
5. Viereckschanzen is a sacred celtic enclosures believed to be used for religious activities although it is possible that they were used for sectional functions like a farm or dwelling.

6. The Viereckschanzen orginated from the Late Celtic Era - 100-15 BCE. Viereckschanzen are associated with pre-Roman Celtic populations living at the end of the Iron Age Viereckschanzen range across a 130-year period, from 181 to 51 B. C

=__Ancient Religion Assignments__=


 * // Outline the principal beliefs concerning the origins of the universe. //**

Niflheim is a place in the north, which is full of darkness and ice; Muspelheim is a place in the south filled with ice. The first being came into existence from a drop of water when ice from Niflheim and fire from Muspelheim met. This first being was Ymir, a primeval giant he was nourished by a cosmic cow, Audumla. Audumla fed herself by licking rime-stone, until it was the shape of a man. The stone-man was named Buri and he was the first primeval god. Buri was the father of Bor who married the giantess Bestla, the daughter of the frost giant Boltha they became parents of the first Aesir gods Odin, Vili and Ve. Ymir grew so large and so evil that the gods killed him. Odin and his brothers then used his body to create the universe. This universe comprised of nine worlds. They placed the body over the void Ginnungagap. They used his flesh for the earth and his blood for the sea. His skull, held up by four dwarves was used to create heaven. Then using sparks from Muspelheim, the gods created the sun, moon and stars. Ymir’s eyebrows were used to create a place for the human race to live. This place was called Midgard (middle earth). The great ash tree, Yggdrasill (world tree) supported the universe, with roots that connected to the nine worlds. One extended to Muspelheim (world of fire), another to Niflheim (world of ice), while another connected to Niflhel also know as Hel (world of the dead), another bound to Asgrad (home of Aesir) and another to Vanahiem (home of Vanir). The frost giants lived in Jötunheim, //Alfheim// was home of the light elves (ljósálfar). There was also the underground world for the black elves (svartálfar), called //Svartalfheim//, these other worlds, which the roots were also bound to.


 * //Identify the principal beliefs of the religion//**

- Primarily important realms (threefold separation) Gods are the upper branches, mortals halfway up the tree and the underworld is nestled among the roots. || - Gods - Asgard - Vanaheim - Alfheim
 * || Three realms are supported by an enormous tree (Yggdrasill)

- Mortals - Midgard - Jotunheim - Nidavellir - Svartalfeim

- Fridgid - Hel - Niflheim - Muspellheim

Three taproots each sank into a sacred spring. Dark spring (Hvergelmir) Spring of wisdom (Mimir) Spring of fate (Urd)

Bitfrost a bridge made of air, water and fire, which connected Asgard and Midgard. This was seen as a rainbow because of its colours red, blue and green. The bridge was occasionally seen in Midgard and believed to connect heaven and earth. Only the Gods could cross the bridge, which was guarded. Bitfrost was also associated with the Milky Way, believed that during the battle between good and evil it collapsed from the weight of the monsters.


 * //Identify and describe the role of the supernatural powers and deities in the religion//**

Odin - Highest of the deities, king of the deities. He is the God of universal wisdom, war and victory. Thor - god of thunder, lightening and storms. Odin’s eldest brother. Loki – Odin’s foster brother, trickster God, notorious among the deities. Father of the monsters, gave Nordic’s the fishing net. Balder – son of Odin, God of light, most beautiful in Aesir Freyr – god of fertility, freya’s twin, sControlled rain and sunshine, one of the Vanir. Njord – god of the sea, father of the twins. Tyr – sword god, arm bitten off by fenris wolf Heimdall – god of the rising dawn, stood guard at Asgard side of the Bitfrost bridge, carried Gjallar - mighty war horn.
 * //__GODS__//**

Frijj – Odin’s wife, Queen of the deities, goddess of love and death. Cared for all especially women and children. Freya – originally vanir fertility goddess, can be worshipped for warfare, love affairs, beauty, soothsaying (prophecy) and the arts. Freyr’s twin, The Valkyries – foster daughters of Odin, originally corpse goddesses, were cupbearers to the spirits of dead warriors and shield maidens under the leadership of Freya. The Norns – “Three Fates” terrible sisters, Urd (Fate) past, Verndandle (being) present and Skuld (necessity) future. Spun threads showing each individuals destiny (not just the humans but gods as well). Tended to Yggdrasill and kept it healthy
 * // __GODDESSES__ //**

Hela – Queen of the dead, lived in the underworld. All who died of sickness or old age passed into Hela’s world. Offspring of Loki, the trickster.

Nordic history, folklore and mythology has been developed through findings that inhabit Nordic sacred spaces. The Norse have many sacred sites throughout Scandinavia as they worshipped nature as a representation of the gods and spiritual realm of Yggdrasill.
 * //Discuss the relationship between sacred spaces and the beliefs of the religion//**

Norse people worshipped the spirits of their deceased family and that they had to be well treated as they went into the afterlife as the world was full of them and they affect ones happiness. Mortals had to worship the gods and other supernatural beings and give them their due. However no sacrifices were ever offered to the Norns.
 * //Identify the principal rituals and examine their significance for the individual and community//**

Vikings practiced human sacrificed, it is believed that Odin crucified himself on the world tree for nine nights to attain divine wisdom. In similar fashion the Vikings would hang prisoners as a sacrifice, although it is not clear why this sacrifice was performed. Nordic warriors were sometimes buried with slave girls, as it was believed they would become their wives in the afterlife.


 * //Explain the relationship between the religion and its society//**

The Norse religion has originated from the Vikings, which invaded and inhabited the countries of Scandinavia. These are Greenland, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Iceland.

=__JUDAISM SST__= Semetic- belief in one God, Western religious tradition Jewish- having characteristics of the Jews of Judaism Judaism- a monotheistic religion of the Jews that begun around 4000 years ago in the northern desert of Arabia. It orginated from Abraham (the father of Judaisum) Covenant- agreement between God and His people Decalogue- ten commandments Mitzvot- 613 laws Patriarch- regarded as the father Torah- Jewish book, containing the first 5 books of the Old Testament which is the entire body of Jewish law, literature and teaching. Israel- the Jewish republic in southwest Asia on the eastern Mediterranean Sea Exodus- the second book of the bible which recounts the departure of the Israelites from slavery in the Egypt. Revelation- the divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence or the world. Conservative- a form of Judaism, particularly prevalent in North America, that seek to preserve Jewish tradition and ritual but has a more flexible approach to the interpretation of the law than Orthodox Judaism. Orthodox- a major branch within Judaism that teaches strict adherence to rabbinical interpretation of Jewish law and its tradition observances. Progressive- a form of Judaism by the philosopher Moses Mednelssohn that has reformed or abandoned aspects of Orthodox Jewish worship and ritual in an attempt to adapt to modern changes in social, political ad cultural life.

Religions Pre- 1945 __ First belief system (60,000 Yrs __** ) ** - All about the land - Kinship - Spirits - Dreamtime - Rainbow serpent (creator) - Totems - Rituals - Stories - Oral tradition - Clan - Sacred sites - Lived off land - Nomadic __ 1788 Christianity Arrives (British empire) __ - Terra Nullius (No man’s land) land not claimed by any human or society. - Christianity has to establish itself – building places of worship - Church of England - Main religion the church of England - Church of England the governing body & military & free settlers - Convicts were mainly Irish - Catholics - Spread the Good News - Tried to convert the aboriginals – missions were set up
 * Arrival of Religion **