Semester 1 Modules

The module is divided into two sections. Both sections must be taken to complete the module.

SG111 (A) Early and Medieval History of the Celts
This section of SG111 will provide an introduction to some of the more important aspects of the archaeology of the Celtic world, dealing briefly with such topics as the discovery of the archaeology of the Celts in the nineteenth century and the material culture (weapons, personal ornaments and art) that came to be identified with the spread of Celtic-speaking peoples across Europe. Aspects of the Celtic archaeology of Britain and Ireland will also be examined. The module will then survey the linguistic background to the identification of the Celtic languages as a distinct group, locating them within their proper geographical and historical contexts as Celtic languages, and showing their relationship with, and distinctiveness within, the vast family of languages known as Indo-European, which historically includes languages spoken in the territory from the west of Europe to India (since modern times also into the lands of the New World). The lectures will also look at the way the ancient Celts were portrayed by the classical Greek and Roman authors who are our only source of information on the history of ancient Celtic Europe.

SG111 (B) Early and Medieval History of the Celts
This section of SG111 will introduce the student to some of the most significant events, changes and movements in the history of Ireland and Britain from the late centuries BC to the tenth century AD. The topics addressed will include the insular Celtic migrations and settlements of the early medieval period (including the migrations from Britain to Brittany and from Ireland to Scotland, and the Irish settlements in Wales and in Man), the Christianisation of the West (of Ireland, of western Scotland from Ireland, and of northern England from Scotland), and the incursions, settlement and impact of the Vikings.

Learning outcomes:

• Knowledge of the prehistory and ancient and medieval history of the Celts.
• Awareness of the types of source available for the study of the history and prehistory of the Celts.
• Awareness of the relationships and tensions between archaeological, linguistic and historical sources.

Assessment method:

Please see the Celtic Civilisation Student Handbook or find detailed information on assignments on the module's Canvas page.

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This module will examine a selection of early Irish lyric poems and voyage tales from the period c. AD 700-1100. The selected texts illustrate the richness and creativity of medieval Irish literature which constitutes the oldest vernacular literature in western Europe. Emphasis will be placed on the genres of medieval Irish literature, the scribal context, the existence of hermitic or nature poetry, the interaction of history and literature in early Irish tales, and on examining the allegorical significance of these texts. All poems and tales will be read in translation and students will contribute to the online annotation of these texts.

Learning outcomes:
On completion of this module, you should be able to:

• List the primary manuscript sources of early Irish lyric poems and/or narrative tales.
• Summarise the general motifs and features of early Irish literature and classify early Irish tales using their narrative content.
• Examine a selection of poems and tales and consider the structure, themes, motifs, creativity and functions of this literary tradition.
• Prepare an activity to illustrate the content and/or imagery of a selected poem or tale.
• Critique scholarly analysis of early Irish lyric poems/narrative tales, comparing this work with your examination of these texts.

Assessment method:

Please see the Celtic Civilisation Student Handbook or find detailed information on assignments on the module's Canvas page.

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The main source of prose stories in medieval Wales is the collection known in modern times as The Mabinogi. These eleven stories from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries cover a wide range of themes, from the very human concerns of friendship, love, honour and betrayal, to grand adventures combating strange beasts, giants and mysterious supernatural forces. Some of the tales are located in the concrete landscape of medieval Wales, where we can trace exact locations of events and routes of journeys. Other tales take place in a vaguer, otherworldly landscape, with no clear location in the real world.

Learning outcomes:

• An understanding of the themes of medieval Welsh stories.
• An understanding of the techniques of the medieval Welsh story-teller.
• An understanding of the social and historical context of medieval Welsh stories.
• An understanding of the application of critical analysis to medieval Welsh texts.

Assessment method:

Please see the Celtic Civilisation Student Handbook or find detailed information on assignments on the module's Canvas page.

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In the period 600 – 1100, Wales experienced a flowering of poetic expression which formed the traditional basis for the continuation of the Welsh love of, and skill in, poetry in the subsequent centuries and down to the present day. The earliest Welsh poetry reflects significant aspects of the culture, history and thought of the time, from the politics of rule to the delicate relationship between humans beings and nature, from the ethics of war to the potential loneliness of old age. This module will explore how the earliest surving Welsh poems represent and express the hopes and fears, the brutality and tenderness, the knowledge and the propaganda, of an early medieval society.

Learning outcomes:

• Detailed knowledge of the themes and structure of medieval Welsh Poetry.
• Appreciation of the beauty and variety of medieval Welsh poetry.
• Ability to deal critically with a medieval poetic tradition quite different from modern poetic expectations and practice.
• Understanding of the value of medieval Welsh poetry as a source of information on the mental and emotional world of the early medieval Welsh.

Assessment method:

Please see the Celtic Civilisation Student Handbook or find detailed information on assignments on the module's Canvas page.

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