Rural Life and Farming

Summary

In just the same way as it is impossible to isolate the Celts, so it is to determine a specific kind of agriculture which might be described as 'Celtic'. That agriculture formed the basic economy of Europe and the Mediterranean zone by the first millennium BC is not in question. However, outside the classical world our knowledge of the nature of agriculture is severely restricted by the lack of any significant documentary sources. A few tantalising references occur in the works of Greek and Roman commentators, but they are barely enough to construct any kind of coherent picture. The practice of agriculture, probably more than any

other industry, is constrained by the nature of the soil and vicissitudes of climate. It is, therefore, important to recognise that agriculture in Europe and particularly in Britain is quite different to the agriculture of the Mediterranean zones. In consequence the classical works on agriculture cannot be used to provide any kind of generalised insight into what happened in Europe. This applies equally to soil preparation and treatment, and to the particular crops cultivated. Bearing in mind that agriculture in the sense of food production probably began in the latter part of the seventh millennium BC in the fertile crescent at the eastern end of the

Mediterranean and gradually spread throughout Europe to include Britain and Ireland by the fourth millennium BC, specific Mediterranean practice would have been adapted and changed quite significantly as man responded to soil and climate change. Similarly within the Celtic world of the first millennium BC (arguably the land area stretching from the Pyrenees to the Rhine and from Ireland to Romania), contemporary farming practice would have varied quite considerably from one zone to another, with differences being dictated by the varied climatic zones and soil types. Until the quite recent advent of agrochemicals, farmers had been able to grow only those crops which any particular landscape allowed them to cultivate. The ability to influence the natural prevailing conditions was extremely limited.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Butser Ancient Farm Archive 1973-2007   •
• EXARC Experimental Archaeology Collection

Keywords

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): EXARC Experimental Archaeology Collection Manager

Record Identifiers

ExArc Id(s): 3873

Notes

Rights & Attribution: The information in this record was originally compiled by Dr. Roeland Paardekooper, EXARC Director.

Rights & Attribution: Christine Shaw contributed a copy of this document to the collection. EXARC thanks her for her dedication to preserving the Butser Ancient Farm Archive.

General Note: More information about the Butser Ancient Farm Archive and this document can be found at butser.org.uk.

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