Riastarthae essays

Riastarthae essays Early Irish war culture, animal symbolism, and mating Then his riastarthae came upon him. You would have thought that every hair was being driven into his head. You would have thought that a spark of fire was on every hair. He closed one eye until it was no wider than the eye of a needle; he opened the other until it was as big as a wooden bowl. He barred his teeth from jaw to ear, and he opened his mouth until the gullet was visible. The warriors moon rose from his head. This excerpt, from The Boyhood Deeds of C Chulaind, describes C Chulainds war spasm/war anger (riastarthae) which is a perfect example of a mythic Celtic warrior. Many (if not all) of the early Irish myths and sagas revolve around a warrior culture theme. Celtic warriors were often from the middle/upper class and being a warrior meant being heroic. The Celtic warrior culture lived for war; everything had to be larger than life. Ritual was a large part of life and boasting of victories was on the top of the list. Fighting amongst warriors was an important part of life and many warriors were reckless due to their glorification of bravery. The Celtic warriors were known by sight and description by their dress and chariot. Many warriors used little armor and often opted to fight naked. Swords were as long as 2.5 meters and large oval shields were used as the only source of protection. The Celtic warrior was a head hunter. After a battle the severed head would be displayed within their temple, and sometimes submerged in a vat of wine. Animal symbolism can be related to the warrior culture. Flocks of birds are sometimes seen flying above a warrior and charioteer. The birds represent a warriors prowess by method of capture, prophetic knowledge, bloodshed, and skill. The chariot is pulled by two horses which are vibrantly described in stories. The horses represent fertility, prosperity, and ...

When the Biblical Exodus Would Have Taken Place

When the Biblical Exodus Would Have Taken Place Exodus is not only the name of a book in the Old Testament but a momentous event for the Hebrew people- their departure from Egypt. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer as to when it occurred. Was the Exodus Real? Although there can be a chronology within the framework of a fictional story or myth, dating the events is generally impossible. To have a historical date, normally an event must be real; therefore the question must be asked as to whether or not the Exodus actually happened. Some believe the Exodus never took place because there is no physical or literary proof beyond the Bible. Others say all the proof that is needed is in the Bible. While there will always be skeptics, most assume there was some basis in historical/archaeological fact. How Do Archaeologists and Historians Date the Event? Archaeologists and historians, comparing archaeological, historical, and Biblical records, tend to date the Exodus somewhere between the 3d and 2d millennia B.C. Most favor one of three basic time frames: 16th century B.C.15th century B.C.13th century B.C. The main problem with dating the Exodus is that archaeological evidence and Biblical references do not line up. 16th, 15th Century Dating Problems Make the period of the Judges too long (300-400 years long),Involve extensive interaction with kingdoms which only came into existence laterMake no mention of the heavy local influence the Egyptians had in the area of Syria and Palestine 16th, 15th Century Support However, some Biblical evidence supports the 15th-century date, and the expulsion of the Hyksos favors the earlier date. The expulsion of the Hyksos evidence is important because it is the only historically recorded collective exodus from Egypt of people from Asia until the first millennium B.C. Advantages of the 13th Century Date The 13th century date solves the problems of the earlier ones (the period of the Judges would not be too long, there is archaeological evidence of the kingdoms the Hebrews had extensive contact with, and the Egyptians were no longer a major force in the area) and is the date accepted by more archaeologists and historians than the others. With the 13th century dating of the Exodus, settlement of Canaan by the Israelites occurs in the 12th century B.C.