Celtic field facts for kids
Celtic fields are an old name for ancient farm fields found in parts of Europe. These fields were used by early farmers long ago, even before the Celts lived there! So, the name "Celtic" is a bit misleading.
These old fields are found in places like Britain, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, France, Sweden, Poland, and the Baltic states. They show us how people farmed thousands of years ago.
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What Are Celtic Fields?
Celtic fields are special because of how they look. They are often found near other old features like ancient homes or sunken paths. Imagine a giant patchwork quilt made of small, square plots.
How Big Were They?
Most of these plots were quite small, usually less than 2,000 square meters (about half an acre). Some bigger ones have been found, for example, in Dorset and Wiltshire in England. Their small size suggests that one person or family might have farmed each plot.
What Are Lynchets?
You can often see lynchets (pronounced LIN-chets) with Celtic fields. These are small banks or terraces that formed over time. They were created by early plowing, which pushed soil up or down the slope of the field. Lynchets show us where the edges of these ancient fields were.
When Were Celtic Fields Used?
Celtic fields were used for a very long time. They date from the Early Bronze Age (around 1800 BC) all the way up to the early Middle Ages. This means people farmed this way for thousands of years!
How Do We Find Them?
Today, we can sometimes still see these fields as earthworks. These are raised areas or bumps in the ground. Other times, they appear as soil marks, which are different colored patches of soil that show up in fields, especially from the air. This happens when the soil has been disturbed by ancient farming.
Where Are They Most Common?
Later, during the Roman Empire, large-scale farming methods took over in many lowland areas. Because of this, Celtic fields are more often found in places that were harder to reach or less developed, like the West Country in Britain.
See also
- Cord rig
- Run rig
- Rundale
- Céide Fields
