The Tribe of Witches facts for kids
The first edition cover of the book, depicting Cleeve Hill in the background, with a relief of Mercury and his consort found in Gloucester in the foreground.
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| Author | Stephen J. Yeates |
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| Country | England |
| Language | English |
| Subject | English Iron Age archaeology, Anglo-Saxon archaeology |
| Publisher | Oxbow Books |
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Publication date
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2008 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 195 |
| ISBN | 978-1842173190 |
| Followed by | A Dreaming for the Witches (2009) |
The Tribe of Witches: The Religion of the Dobunni and Hwicce is a book that explores ancient religions. It looks at the beliefs of two tribal groups, the Dobunni and the Hwicce. These tribes lived in central England during the Iron Age and the Early Middle Ages.
The book was written by an archaeologist named Stephen J. Yeates. It was published in 2008 by Oxbow Books. Yeates had shared some of his ideas before in a longer study.
In the book, Yeates examines different archaeological sites and places in the Dobunni and Hwicce areas. He shows how the landscape changed over time. This includes temples, sacred rivers, mines, and old forts.
The Tribe of Witches was reviewed by experts and by modern Pagans. Some experts thought his ideas were a bit too imaginative. However, many praised his writing and the many sources he used. Yeates wrote another book, A Dreaming for the Witches (2009), which continued his ideas.
Contents
How the Book Was Made
This book came from research Stephen Yeates did at Oxford University. He worked on it from 2001 to 2005 for his D.Phil. degree. His teachers and other experts helped guide his study.
Some of Yeates' ideas were published before this book came out. For example, his theories about a goddess named Cuda were in academic journals. One expert even said that Cuda should be recognized as the origin of some place-names. Yeates also wrote about river names in the Cotswolds. His ideas about how cultures continued over time were also published in another paper.
What the Book Is About
Discovering Ancient Beliefs
Chapter one, "The Dobunni, the Hwicce and Religion," introduces the book's main ideas. Yeates explains that he uses history, archaeology, and the study of names to understand ancient religions. He gives a quick overview of the Dobunni and Hwicce tribes. He also talks about how experts have studied old religions in Britain before.
Gods and the Landscape
The second chapter, "The Deity and the Landscape," looks at old shrines and temples. These were found in the Dobunni area from the Pre-Roman and Roman Iron Age. Yeates uses clues from language to suggest there were unknown gods in the region. One example is an Iron Age goddess of the Cotswolds called Cuda. Yeates tries to show how people in the past saw their land as "spiritual and filled with divine power."
Rivers and Their Secrets
Chapter three, "The Sacred Rivers," explores how rivers were seen as gods in the British Iron Age. It also looks at archaeological evidence of offerings made in them. Yeates examines rivers in the area, like the River Severn and River Wye. He points out any signs of ancient rituals along their banks.
Tribal Gods and Connections
The fourth chapter, "The Gods of Tribes and Folk Groups," discusses how communities developed over a long time. It looks for links between Iron Age and Early Medieval settlements. Yeates suggests that old Medieval writings mention two local Iron Age gods, Weogonera and Salenses. He uses this to argue that the Hwicce people were descendants of the Dobunni. This means their culture continued for a long time.
Mining and Beliefs
Chapter five, "Mining and Minerals," explores evidence of mining in the region. It highlights how mining was connected to religious beliefs in ancient societies. Chapter six briefly discusses aspects of war in the region.
Hunter Gods and Sacred Places
Chapter seven talks about a local hunter god and sacred groves, also known as nemetons. Ideas about a hunter god in Dobunnic religion have been around for a while. Chapter eight looks at tree shrines. Chapter nine discusses the importance of burials in the landscape. Chapter ten considers the sacred horse. Chapter eleven examines tribal deities. Finally, chapter twelve looks at how Christianity influenced the region.
