Celts vs Vikings

Geographically:

From present-day Greece to England, largely north of the Alps, in Austria south of the Danube River

Geographically:

Scandinavia to Iceland (Denmark, Norway, Sweden). Finland was not part of the Viking area.

Time:

Beginning about 750 B.C. (Hallstatt period). In present-day France/Belgium until about 50 B.C., in Austria until 15 B.C. (after which it was considered Roman), in present-day GB until the early Middle Ages

Time:

790 - 1070 AD.

Beginning with the first plundering voyages.

Name:

they referred to themselves as keltoi, Caesar called them Gauls. Basically, however, they saw themselves as members of their tribes, not of a great people.

A people?

No, the Celts were not a unified people, but a culture shared by many different tribes.

Name:

Viking is actually just the "profession name" of the warriors of the Norsemen and is derived from the word "viking"  - sea voyage. The name Viking is generally used for buccaneers and also this not too often - by far not as often as we believe today.

A people?

Originally only tribes, families, later kingdoms.

Religion:

Pantheism (everything is animated).

Local deities whose names are largely lost, most famous: Bel/Lug, Teutates, Cernunnos, Brigid ...

Belief in rebirth in the Otherworld, upon death there rebirth in our world - an eternal cycle.

Religion:

Polytheism (belief in many gods).

Wellknown gods: Odin, Loki, Thor, ... who live in Valhalla.

Belief of warriors that they will dine there with the gods after glorious deaths.

Language:

there was a Celtic language understandable throughout the Celtic Empire in various dialects, it can be partially reconstructed by correspondences in Gaelic/Irish/Bretonic

Writing:

None, or partly the Greek/Latin script in trade with other peoples. In modern GB at our time also the Ogham, a script of straight lines crossing a transverse line.

Language:

Old Norse (Old Danish, Old Norwegian, Old Icelandic, Old Swedish).

Writing:

Runes. Whereby also with the Vikings there were no books (at least up to the Christianization), but writing was used only for memorial stones, name markings etc.. Today, magical powers are attributed to the runes.

Society:

Divided into tribes, which were often at odds. Tribal leaders, an upper class consisting of warriors, artists and craftsmen, then a peasant class. Druids (at least in Britain).

Society:

Initially in family clans. Chiefs were called Jarl, earliest kings were sea kings who lived on their ships. Norsemen, like Celts, were farmers, traders, craftsmen. Later three kingdoms (today Denmark, Norway and Sweden)

Weapons:

Elongated shields, spears, swords (for which they were famous, the "Noric iron" much sought after by the Romans), bows, slings, knives. Helmet (some ceremonial helmets with animals on them were found), chain mail (an invention of the Celts)

Weapons:

round shields, sword, knife, axe, club, bow, slingshot. Helmet (without horns!), chain mail.

How do we know about them?

Unfortunately only from outsiders (Greeks, Caesar), which is partly as reliable as American propaganda against the Middle East.

From excavations - unfortunately much is not preserved here either, because the Celts did not build with stone, but with wood.

Some of their beliefs, ways of life can be reconstructed from ancient legends written down by monks in the early Middle Ages

Known for:

Ornate jewelry, plaid pants, head cult. Joy of drinking, fighting courage (often fought naked)

How do we know about them?

Reports of areas plundered by them, their poetries - which, however, only give a picture of the warrior caste. Also later folk poems, which allow conclusions. And, of course, likewise excavations.

Known for:

Dragon boats, plundering

Drinking, fighting courage (berserker)