Lindow Man theories from written sources

Question 1

Who were the three people that had written sources on the Celtic tribes during Lindow Man’s life?

Answer 1

Tacitus = Roman writer
Strabo = Greek historian
Julius Caesar = Roman politician/general

Question 2

What were Tacitus’s writing on Celtic tribes?

Answer 2

1. Punishments for different crimes. Traitors/deserter = hung from trees. Cowards/poor fighters/sexual criminals = put into bogs
2. Human sacrifice as celebration/ceremonial
3. Mother Earth (goddess of Spring) rides through tribes and after washed clean in lake by slaves who are then drowned in lake

Question 3

What was Strabo’s writing?

Answer 3

1. Romans put a stop to Celtic sacrifices: e.g. they would strike in back with sword where they would observe the body to make prophecies from way it dies. Done in presence of Druids
2. Make huge human figure with straw and wood and put animals and humans in it. Burn it as offering to god.
3. Shoot dead with arrows

Question 4

Julius Caesar writings?

Answer 4

1. People of Gaul devoted to religion, therefore believe if they sacrifice one person or vow to do so, another would be saved/protected by god in case of diseases and battle
2. Burnt people alive in effigies made of twigs in the limbs.
3. criminals thought to be more pleasing to God, but when low in supply, use innocents

Question 5

From these sources what corresponds with most of them that could be used to explain Lindow Man’s death?

Answer 5

• human sacrifice, offering to god
• punishment/ maybe did something bad
• make prophecies from death

All relates back to Celtic and their traditions