Re: Celtic Origins

"JMB" <johnmbyrne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:43ddfd55$0$24960$ba620d2c@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> "Seppo Renfors" <Renfors@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:43DDB7D8.43FD2DCC@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> >
> > Eric Stevens wrote:
> >>
> >
> > [..]
> >>
> >> If the Tuatha De Danaan existed at all they were real
people. I too
> >> have seen them linked with the Baltic region and possibly
as far south
> >> as the Black Sea. The problem is that they date from a
period when
> >> there was little, if any, writing to establish hard facts.
What little
> >> we know has come down by word of mouth to the scribes of
later eras.
> >>
> > http://www.bartleby.com/61/88/T0398850.html
> >
> > This indicates they were tribes that were descendants from
the Gods.
> > This kind of legend is commonplace in particular among the
Greeks and
> > the leaders who all claim a connection to a god - lest they
be called
> > "tyrants".
> >
>
> LOL. That's the etymology. Most of the people here could
have told you
> what it means. They were a tribe of gods, and the main one
was Danu. Much
> like the Olympians and Zeus. (although Danu doesn't play an
active part in
> things IIRC)

Note that the dictionary entry found by Seppo defines them as
"The pre-Christian gods of Ireland", supporting what John has
been saying all along: that this is myth, not necessarily a
record of prehistoric tribal movements.

As for amateur exercises in etymology, which have abounded
through history, the fact that the name begins with a very
common combination, D + vowel + N, has allowed people to imagine
all kinds of connections, with the Greek Danaans, with river
names like the Danube and the Don, with the biblical tribe of
Dan, and so on. It's all loose speculation.

Alan

--
Alan Crozier
Lund
Sweden


.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Celtic Origins
    ... They were a tribe of gods, ... >was Danu. ... Speculation it may be but my original point was that there scholars ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Need help with cite
    ... the origins of primitive trade? ... Tribe A simply left goods in a desgnated spot; ... that the gods had provided. ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Need help with cite
    ... the origins of primitive trade? ... Tribe A simply left goods in a desgnated spot; ... that the gods had provided. ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Celtic Origins
    ... >> If the Tuatha De Danaan existed at all they were real people. ... > This indicates they were tribes that were descendants from the Gods. ... They were a tribe of gods, and the main one was Danu. ...
    (sci.archaeology)
  • Re: Celtic Origins
    ... > They were a tribe of gods, and the main one was Danu. ... > like the Olympians and Zeus. ... not have much resemblance to either Greek or Teutonic gods. ... Unfortunately we do not know enough about other celtic pantheons ...
    (sci.archaeology)