Prof. Hutton has true encyclopedic knowledge --LISTEN to him answer audience questions with such incredible specificity : dates, ancillary characters, etc. A truly GIFTED SCHOLAR ❤
So incredibly important to have lectures like this available to the public, especially at a time when certain groups and ill informed people are seeking to rewrite history to suit their own narrative through social media propaganda and pressure groups.
The way he speaks, him and people like Tolkien (I've heard his voice on tape from a reading he did in the 60s) just the rise and fall of his voices tempo. Captivating. I would love to attend a lecture of his.
The clarity of delivery and elegance of structure in Hutton's erudite analysis offers the listener an almost magical experience. A fascinating and intensely absorbing lecture. What a wonderful scholar he is.
What a treat to hear such an interesting lecture about Wales. We are so often overlooked. The head of Bran is buried on a hill called Twm Barlwm near where I live, it's protected by a swarm of bees. That's what everyone around here believes anyway. Diolch yn fawr Professor Hutton.
@Theresa323 - I agree. Wales is the ignored Celtic nation. Yet our literature, traditions and Cymraeg language are the last links to the Britonnic roots of Britain. The problem is that our history and traditions are so often reappropriated by ‘others’ that not many know of the original Welsh/Briton origins. Eg; Arthur is a Welsh name (Means ‘Great Leader/man’). Professor Hutton is a breath of fresh air. Inspirational.
As a Welsh person, thanks for this lecture on Welsh culture, you welsh pronunciation it's not bad actually. Im a proud welsh woman and will always be.🏴
I'm a Welshman who lives in a village near Bridgend called COITY and we have a beautiful castle here, it's great to see Welsh history being taught in England.
@@adamweston4152 I know Bridgend but not Coity, we are lucky in Wales hey we have beautiful castles etc & yes it is great that Welsh history being taught in England, wish it would also be taught outside the UK too as Wales don't seem to get mentioned outside the UK much. 🏴
@@adamweston4152 Hi Adam. Yeah I've been following that story about the ruins but it seems that the Welsh Authority isn't interested in preserving that area as a site of historical interest. All they are interested in is the holiday chalet park which has been in the planning for quite some time. It's all about the financial gain that it will generate, same old story. I used to play on the mountain Foel Fawr as a kid in the late 70's early 80's. Such a shame.
I am German Austrian and I wish it would be possible to have a true scholar like him present our old culture in Such a manner. Sadly, this is unwanted since decades and with "political correctness" established, this wish won't ever be granted. 😢
@@lisasternenkind6467I was typing a comment in response to yours about how I seconded your hope and wish, when it disappeared. So I'm retyping it but keeping it shorter; while it is sadly true that the decades of having to be political correct all the time likely makes it impossible, I still urge you to keep hoping because IT COULD happen. And I definitely hope it does for you and others in Germany.
@@lisasternenkind6467 And I apologize if you get some random, babbling paragraph-length comment sometime in the near future in the event my original comment comes through. It was interrupted by disappearing in the middle of my typing it so who knows if it will have everything I was typing intact. Lol
As a Cornishman, it is sometimes upsetting to realise that a majority of people think of us as 'English' per se. England over-ran Cornwall many years ago, eroding the Cornish identity to a larger extent. Our Cornish language has, to most intents and purposes, been replaced by the English language. This is the 'way of things'. However, contrary to popular belief, many Cornish folk of the older generation have never seen ourselves as 'English', merely somewhat 'Anglicised' by the numerically more prevalent Anglo-Saxons (English). Now here is an example of our differing identities. Quite recently, the Neo-Cornish language was re-introduced, as part of the curriculum, in certain Cornish educational facilities. "Nothing new there", I hear some say, but here's a thing. In the far South West of Cornwall, there is still, and always has been, a nucleus of us who speak the original Brythonnic, Cornish language. As a former miner, I have worked along-side men from the Penwith part of Cornwall, who are a part of these speakers of the Cornish language proper. Also, unlike the lowland Scots and English, we older generation Cornish have never spoke of witches, we speak of, "The little people": The Piskies. These are but two examples of a seperate identity structure that sets 'us' apart. Please do not get me wrong, I am no 'Cornish Nationalist, bristling with a self-righteous indignacy toward the 'English heathen', as my Grand-mother used to refer to the "Sowson". My wife is an Englishwoman, though the rest of my relations are of Breton, Welsh and Irish Republican decent. I am simply making a legitimate observation, which may, or may not, give rise to future exploration by Professor Ronald Hutton. "Piskies, Quoits and Fogus", say I and I.
East Anglia, once a Celtic stronghold, is also often overlooked as simply English, despite our distinct magical traditions, folklore, and remnants of Celtic language in counting rhymes, etc.
@@cleoldbagtraallsorts3380East Anglia is literally named after the Angles though. A Germanic tribe originally from Denmark and northern Germany, who occupied most of England after the Roman departure from Britain, and whose name has become that of England itself. Any Brythonic identity in the area of present-day East Anglia has been eroded very, very long ago, way before Cornwall that actually kept its native Celtic language until relatively recently.
Interesting! I will probably be going down a 🐇🕳 soon on those! I sooooo hope to visit Cornwall and Wales some day. Most of my family immigrated to the US from Wales and parts of Ireland/Scottland...mostly Wales, my grandparents spoke it sometimes, it was so wacky.
Truth too many think expressing identity can only be through English hating, culture and ethnicity is complicated, if it makes you feel better Cornish is often viewed as a separate identity in many strategy games I play
My life long desire to hear the, best of all possible, pronunciation of these characters has come at last . Prof.Hutton triumphs again ! Wishing you at Gresham all the best and thank you for posting these wonderful lectures .
Good lecture. Ive heard that the ancients that are associated with horses were the Tuatha Da Dannan. Their legends are part of the Irish legends so its very possible that Rhiannon was a part of these legends too, especially the horse association with her. Glad i found your channel. Been trying to look into our welsh histories ❤
@@WalesTheTrueBritons None of the Irish myths or legends are based on anything Welsh, as prof.Hutton has stated it was these Welsh forgers and con artists who borrowed from Irish mythology. Have you some proof that Welsh folklore was older than Irish folklore? The Irish and Welsh are two very distinct and unrelated peoples, there is absolutely no Welsh basis for Irish mythology or folklore. "Welsh" history died with the druids, you are merely a "principality."
I had initially thought I would fall asleep to this lecture, but it was so fascinating that I watched and really enjoyed the whole thing! Thank you so much!
Burying Bran at the tower of london sounds like it might be related to the name Brân which welsh word translates to crow (oft interchangeable with the word for raven) which might have some connection to the ravens at the tower of london. Also Avalon sounds the same in welsh as Afal lôn which would be 'apple lane'
Robert Graves, in his book 'The White Goddess', goes into the burial of Bran's head under the White Hill in London where it was to protect Britain from harm; after Arthur dug it up the country was unprotected, first the Vikings and then the Normans came. William built the White Tower over it as an act of subjugation and the rest of the Tower of London subsequently followed. The story of the Ravens protecting England is a continuation of Bran protecing Britain from invasion, perhaps if Arthur hadn't dug it up the Normans wouldn't have succeeded! Iolo Morganwg refers to it too in 'The Triads of Britain' #53 'The three concealments and disclosures of the isle of Britain' but of course that was Iolo, but it's still an interesting read.
At the risk of being thought superficial, when the question of Bran the Blessed burial, which Professor Hutton suggested it might be a reference to the ancient custom of burying significant people under landmarks, I immediately thought of Richard III buried under a car park.
Two hours after release i can sit here in Linköping, Sweden, and listen to this lecture, while indian-looking neighbors on the green practice cricket. The world is growing smaller.
i suppose I only came across this talk now because i am reading The Mabinogian. fortunate synchronicity. I am so grateful for these talks by Professor Hutton, and very much appreciate his wit.
I got deep into Welsh history back when I was in college. My mom's side of the family is pretty much entirely Welsh and Irish. I kind of came to the same conclusion he does here, but about "Celtic Spirituality" in general. It seems that every source I tried to track down referred to just a few guys in the 18th and 19th century. Other than that there are the accounts of Christian monks and such, but that is an outsiders perspective. Essentially the Romans started the job and the Christians finished the erasure of Celtic religion.
There are many examples of academics who are reluctant to vocalise in public their beliefs. If these beliefs are boldly different than mainstream opinion they will be subject to massive critical response rather than measured discussion. Eventually they could loose their paid job(tenure). Sticking to facts and carefully worded theories backed up by research is the only way of keeping the respect of peers.
A very erudite and interesting lecture - thank you. Surprised you didn't mention the legend of the Lady of the Lake and the tradition of the Physicians of Myddfai. Professor David Bellamy was hugely impressed by the West Wales pharmacopoeia recorded by - I think - the Black Book of Carmarthen. While the Lady of the Lake story appears to have links to continental fables like the story of the water witch Melusine (supposed ancestress of the Angevins), the herbal remedies reflect a very sophisticated knowledge of the plant resources of the Welsh countryside and are still taught in classes on medical herbalism at the National Botanic Garden. I would be surprised if they do not reflect many centuries of traditional experimentation. Maybe this is where the Druids are lurking? 🏴💚
As a proud welsh man diolch an incredible retelling of our unique history with our poetry and our ancient kingdoms and how we were very troublesome for the saxons and later the normans brilliant lecture and not bad with the pronounsiation either our language is far from easy to master especially if your not born to it 🏴🇬🇧
Thank you. Thank you. Great lecture. I'm lucky I can now share my grandmother's inheritance due to such postings, resurch, and books as l don't share my grandmothers language.
Arien 31:45 is the name Tolkien used for the goddess that chariots the sun through the skies. I wouldn’t have thought to look for it if you hadn’t also mentioned Arwen earlier
The Mabinogi are true tales recorded to the timeline according to the positions and movements of the stars and planets. Ergo, some names refer to people, some are the names of the relevant stars at the time. Britain (particularly Wales and probably elsewhere) has features (natural and enhanced) that reflect the firmament. These features are locatable and can also give the location of many happenings. In Wales, many Cymric place names translate ‘the obvious’. A knowledge of the old astronomical names will be enlightening to those truly interested. It wasn’t just the Greeks etc., who had their ‘pantheon’ (thought to be ‘gods’ 😅).
With regard to the question about Bran's head being buried under the tower of london. I am reminded of the bog bodies of the iron age and kingship, particularly Old Croghan Man who appears to have been dismembered before burial. There is also the purported Iron Age practice of head hunting, the head appears to have been imbued with particular powers in the iron age tribal mind. In other headhunting cultures, the head is used in magical practices post capture and the heads (and bones) of particularly powerful people are seen to have a particular anima or Mana that is believed to imbue the holders with power. the Christian veneration of saints relics itself probably developed from an older practice that may well have been in practice in the UK cultures and neighboring peoples at the time of Roman colonization.
No. Christian veneration of the relics of martyrs is already heavily recorded in the 1st and 2nd centuries, centuries before Christianity ever came to the British Isles. Please do not opine about Christianity when you know nothing about it. It's deeply offensive for you to rewrite the history of my people.
Quakers appear to have adopted welsh/druid tolerance, anti slavery, wide sharing of wisdom of women, love of animals and more. As well as their basic pacifist philosophy .
11:33 pretty sobering to think that five centuries might be enough to wipe out a whole culture simply by forgetting and no longer practicing 22:10 😂 25:33 Ox plus Seven always sounds like ancient astronomy to me: The Pleiades Star Cluster (6 or rather 7 sisters in Greek Mythology) are considered the shoulder of Taurus the Bull, and they are the direction the Taurid Meteor stream seems to originate from etc. (add my usual catastrophism Spiel about the running of the bulls in Pamplona, to the Tauroctony Scene on the altars of the Mithras cult, to killing the Bull of Heavem in the Gilgamesh Epos, to the Lascaux Cave Paintings were the Bull is clearly shown in direct proximity to some dots that probably represent the Pleiades star cluster) 27:07
I wish Prof Hutton had his own show every week. I would watch hours and hours worth. His knowledge and delivery are an example in excellence
Agree!
100% agree
Couldn't agree more
"What baffles us as scholars may be a gift to us as artists" Wonderful and true.
Yes, I love it.
…reminds me of the song, For Artists Only.
It's a great day when there's a new lecture from Prof. Hutton. Thank you!
The man is an utter clown! 😂😂😂
utter rubbish lecture!
it's HIM!!🙀🎉 He's been on Time Team a few times!!!
Indeed it is
@@davideddy2672 what are you on about?
The best academic lecture I have heard about Welsh literature. I lived in Wales for 17 years. I love the Welsh.
Were you in the army there 'tin soldier'?
@dave_hoops why did you serve in the military Dave mate ?
Never thought I’d be listening to a lecture on Welsh gods… but here I am, and glad of it!
Me too...
Prof. Hutton has true encyclopedic knowledge --LISTEN to him answer audience questions with such incredible specificity : dates, ancillary characters, etc.
A truly GIFTED SCHOLAR ❤
🤣😂🤣
@@davideddy2672imagine clicking a video just to laugh at the content, rather than watch something you appreciate, what a strange person you are
So incredibly important to have lectures like this available to the public, especially at a time when certain groups and ill informed people are seeking to rewrite history to suit their own narrative through social media propaganda and pressure groups.
YES! I love listening to his lectures as long as these are available. Prof. Hutton is one of the few scholar, who still hold true culture in honor.
The entire lecture, is one example of why I LOVE Professor Hutton so much! Thank you!
The way he speaks, him and people like Tolkien (I've heard his voice on tape from a reading he did in the 60s) just the rise and fall of his voices tempo. Captivating. I would love to attend a lecture of his.
The clarity of delivery and elegance of structure in Hutton's erudite analysis offers the listener an almost magical experience. A fascinating and intensely absorbing lecture. What a wonderful scholar he is.
Well said!
The great and most esteemed professor Hutton , delivers another broadside to the good ship ‘ misconception’ thanks
Professor Hutton, always a delight. Never disappoints!
What a treat to hear such an interesting lecture about Wales. We are so often overlooked. The head of Bran is buried on a hill called Twm Barlwm near where I live, it's protected by a swarm of bees. That's what everyone around here believes anyway.
Diolch yn fawr Professor Hutton.
@Theresa323 - I agree. Wales is the ignored Celtic nation. Yet our literature, traditions and Cymraeg language are the last links to the Britonnic roots of Britain. The problem is that our history and traditions are so often reappropriated by ‘others’ that not many know of the original Welsh/Briton origins. Eg; Arthur is a Welsh name (Means ‘Great Leader/man’). Professor Hutton is a breath of fresh air. Inspirational.
Consult with your ancestors, i have decoded this.
@@fpvangel4495 my ancestors believed that we are our ancestors. I like codes too.
@@Arianrhod323 Are you ready for your revelations?
@@fpvangel4495 I’m ready….
Insightful, witty, succinct and poetic at the same time. Excellent talk.
A wonderful lecture - a case where the supporting text slides were not needed because the speech was so clear and well delivered. Thank you.
As a Welsh person, thanks for this lecture on Welsh culture, you welsh pronunciation it's not bad actually. Im a proud welsh woman and will always be.🏴
I'm a Welshman who lives in a village near Bridgend called COITY and we have a beautiful castle here, it's great to see Welsh history being taught in England.
@@adamweston4152 I know Bridgend but not Coity, we are lucky in Wales hey we have beautiful castles etc & yes it is great that Welsh history being taught in England, wish it would also be taught outside the UK too as Wales don't seem to get mentioned outside the UK much. 🏴
@@adamweston4152 I know Coity well, I'm from Maesteg.
@@The4thDensity really, just up the road from me then. Caerau has got ancient castle ruins and caerau actually means land of castles..
@@adamweston4152 Hi Adam. Yeah I've been following that story about the ruins but it seems that the Welsh Authority isn't interested in preserving that area as a site of historical interest. All they are interested in is the holiday chalet park which has been in the planning for quite some time. It's all about the financial gain that it will generate, same old story. I used to play on the mountain Foel Fawr as a kid in the late 70's early 80's. Such a shame.
MONKS HOWL LIKE A CHOIR OF DOGS!
Man that SLAPS! Fantastic stuff! Will definitely re-watch and take notes.
This lecture is so packed with information that I shall have to listen to it all again.
Always a pleasure to hear Professor Hutton share his knowledge. Thankyou for the upload 🙏
Oh, it's Professor Hutton? I can immediately click 'Like' with confidence :D
I love Professor Hutton's bright, clear and always interesting lectures!
This is an amazing lecture as I'm Welsh and never got taught this in school.
I am German Austrian and I wish it would be possible to have a true scholar like him present our old culture in Such a manner. Sadly, this is unwanted since decades and with "political correctness" established, this wish won't ever be granted. 😢
@@lisasternenkind6467I was typing a comment in response to yours about how I seconded your hope and wish, when it disappeared. So I'm retyping it but keeping it shorter; while it is sadly true that the decades of having to be political correct all the time likely makes it impossible, I still urge you to keep hoping because IT COULD happen. And I definitely hope it does for you and others in Germany.
And in Austria. And in many other countries, especially in Western society because we have lost sight of and access to, our own cultural pasts.
@@lisasternenkind6467 And I apologize if you get some random, babbling paragraph-length comment sometime in the near future in the event my original comment comes through. It was interrupted by disappearing in the middle of my typing it so who knows if it will have everything I was typing intact. Lol
This lecture is one of the greats. I'd watch him any time.
As a Cornishman, it is sometimes upsetting to realise that a majority of people think of us as 'English' per se. England over-ran Cornwall many years ago, eroding the Cornish identity to a larger extent. Our Cornish language has, to most intents and purposes, been replaced by the English language. This is the 'way of things'. However, contrary to popular belief, many Cornish folk of the older generation have never seen ourselves as 'English', merely somewhat 'Anglicised' by the numerically more prevalent Anglo-Saxons (English). Now here is an example of our differing identities. Quite recently, the Neo-Cornish language was re-introduced, as part of the curriculum, in certain Cornish educational facilities. "Nothing new there", I hear some say, but here's a thing. In the far South West of Cornwall, there is still, and always has been, a nucleus of us who speak the original Brythonnic, Cornish language. As a former miner, I have worked along-side men from the Penwith part of Cornwall, who are a part of these speakers of the Cornish language proper. Also, unlike the lowland Scots and English, we older generation Cornish have never spoke of witches, we speak of, "The little people": The Piskies. These are but two examples of a seperate identity structure that sets 'us' apart. Please do not get me wrong, I am no 'Cornish Nationalist, bristling with a self-righteous indignacy toward the 'English heathen', as my Grand-mother used to refer to the "Sowson". My wife is an Englishwoman, though the rest of my relations are of Breton, Welsh and Irish Republican decent. I am simply making a legitimate observation, which may, or may not, give rise to future exploration by Professor Ronald Hutton. "Piskies, Quoits and Fogus", say I and I.
East Anglia, once a Celtic stronghold, is also often overlooked as simply English, despite our distinct magical traditions, folklore, and remnants of Celtic language in counting rhymes, etc.
@@cleoldbagtraallsorts3380East Anglia is literally named after the Angles though. A Germanic tribe originally from Denmark and northern Germany, who occupied most of England after the Roman departure from Britain, and whose name has become that of England itself. Any Brythonic identity in the area of present-day East Anglia has been eroded very, very long ago, way before Cornwall that actually kept its native Celtic language until relatively recently.
@justsomeofmyfavs That does not change the fact we are a distinct group, and not to just be lumped in with all of the other English.
Interesting! I will probably be going down a 🐇🕳 soon on those!
I sooooo hope to visit Cornwall and Wales some day. Most of my family immigrated to the US from Wales and parts of Ireland/Scottland...mostly Wales, my grandparents spoke it sometimes, it was so wacky.
Truth too many think expressing identity can only be through English hating, culture and ethnicity is complicated, if it makes you feel better Cornish is often viewed as a separate identity in many strategy games I play
Love listening to Prof Hutton. In depth information presented clearly, and with a hint of humour.
Wonderful talk with such love of Welsh culture. Thank you.
As always a great lecture. Awesome when I see a new one pop up on my feed. Thank you Prof. Hutton.
Prof Huttons lectures are always a delight.
My life long desire to hear the, best of all possible, pronunciation of these characters has come at last . Prof.Hutton triumphs again ! Wishing you at
Gresham all the best and thank you for posting these wonderful lectures .
Good lecture. Ive heard that the ancients that are associated with horses were the Tuatha Da Dannan. Their legends are part of the Irish legends so its very possible that Rhiannon was a part of these legends too, especially the horse association with her. Glad i found your channel. Been trying to look into our welsh histories ❤
This was brilliant. Would love to see a lecture from Professor Hutton about Irish folklore and gods too
Seconded.
Third 🙏
Yes please.
Why? They are all based on the far older Brythonic (Welsh) ones.
@@WalesTheTrueBritons None of the Irish myths or legends are based on anything Welsh, as prof.Hutton has stated it was these Welsh forgers and con artists who borrowed from Irish mythology. Have you some proof that Welsh folklore was older than Irish folklore? The Irish and Welsh are two very distinct and unrelated peoples, there is absolutely no Welsh basis for Irish mythology or folklore. "Welsh" history died with the druids, you are merely a "principality."
Fascinating and informative...as are all Prof. Hutton's talks and lectures and published works. Thank- you...and him, so much!
Except mainly wrong
Fantastic! Such a wonderful interesting lecture bravo Professor Hutton 👑🎉
I had initially thought I would fall asleep to this lecture, but it was so fascinating that I watched and really enjoyed the whole thing! Thank you so much!
There are times a scholar and his subject are perfectly matched!
Another fantastic lecture from Prof. Hutton!
As soon as this guy started talking I liked him
Particularly interesting as my dear daughter is named Rhiannon. I always thought her story was about the contrast between royalty and humility.
Fantastic lecture, I’m glad this was recommended to me.
Fantastic lecture and an appropriately poetic conclusion. Thank you!
I fell in love with this guy when he got interviewed by Philomena Crunk. So excited to hear him here.
Diddorol iawn! Diolch yn fawr! :) (Interesting! Thank you very much! ) 💃
Thank you, Gresham College and Prof. Hutton for a wonderful lecture about Welsh literature. Enthralling! ♥🌻
Thanks a lot for this fabulous lecture!
Interesting FLW house in Wisconsin is names Taliesan
FLW was Welsh -American so that’s the link
Burying Bran at the tower of london sounds like it might be related to the name Brân which welsh word translates to crow (oft interchangeable with the word for raven) which might have some connection to the ravens at the tower of london.
Also Avalon sounds the same in welsh as Afal lôn which would be 'apple lane'
Robert Graves, in his book 'The White Goddess', goes into the burial of Bran's head under the White Hill in London where it was to protect Britain from harm; after Arthur dug it up the country was unprotected, first the Vikings and then the Normans came. William built the White Tower over it as an act of subjugation and the rest of the Tower of London subsequently followed. The story of the Ravens protecting England is a continuation of Bran protecing Britain from invasion, perhaps if Arthur hadn't dug it up the Normans wouldn't have succeeded! Iolo Morganwg refers to it too in 'The Triads of Britain' #53 'The three concealments and disclosures of the isle of Britain' but of course that was Iolo, but it's still an interesting read.
Truly compelling and fascinating. A most enjoyable lecture thank you 🌹🌹🌹
Prof Ronnie is my fav! Big Ups Prof Ronnie Aitch! 💪🏽💪🏽😎😎✌🏽✌🏽
thank you
At the risk of being thought superficial, when the question of Bran the Blessed burial, which Professor Hutton suggested it might be a reference to the ancient custom of burying significant people under landmarks, I immediately thought of Richard III buried under a car park.
LOL. That was church property, and the R helped.
I get so caught up in his beautiful speech I have to listen twice to hear the talk! What a treasure!
Wonderful presentation. Yes, I definitely want to know more about the ox with the headband and collar!
Very chuffed to hear the Prof echo the reasons why I chose to call my daughter Rhiannon
It is fortunate for us all that scholarship still thrives. Thank you, Gresham College and Prof. Hutton.
Brilliant. Many thanks.
Two hours after release i can sit here in Linköping, Sweden, and listen to this lecture, while indian-looking neighbors on the green practice cricket. The world is growing smaller.
I, a white Canadian woman of Scotch-Irish descent, now live next door to an indigenous family, Zapotecs, in SW Mexico.
Mighty glad professor Hutton posted that fantastic knowledge, thanks for sharing with us, i am from Brasil and love to watch professor Hutton. 💯🇧🇷
Very good.. was surprised and educated
i suppose I only came across this talk now because i am reading The Mabinogian. fortunate synchronicity. I am so grateful for these talks by Professor Hutton, and very much appreciate his wit.
if i see a prof hutton video from gresham, i just click on it and like it before even watching it
Me too!
The guy is constantly wrong and parrots a victorian made up history
Thank you for this incredibly informative and eloquent presentation!
Ok, I've been binging all these videos and it's pretty awesome! I'm learning so much!
Thank you
I got deep into Welsh history back when I was in college. My mom's side of the family is pretty much entirely Welsh and Irish. I kind of came to the same conclusion he does here, but about "Celtic Spirituality" in general. It seems that every source I tried to track down referred to just a few guys in the 18th and 19th century. Other than that there are the accounts of Christian monks and such, but that is an outsiders perspective. Essentially the Romans started the job and the Christians finished the erasure of Celtic religion.
@@LeeGee lol
Have had the pleasure of meeting with this gentleman before.
Very… Reticent about his own beliefs.
There are many examples of academics who are reluctant to vocalise in public their beliefs. If these beliefs are boldly different than mainstream opinion they will be subject to massive critical response rather than measured discussion. Eventually they could loose their paid job(tenure). Sticking to facts and carefully worded theories backed up by research is the only way of keeping the respect of peers.
Brilliant!
Interestingly there is a town in South Wales named Bethlehem and in North Wales a small hamlet called Nasareth.
We have quite a few like that. Bethesda & Bethel are other ones.
This was wonderful, and valuable. Diolch yn fawr!
Go, Ron!
Kernow Bys Vyken. Us Cornish and our ballads are still here too
Fascinating.
A very erudite and interesting lecture - thank you.
Surprised you didn't mention the legend of the Lady of the Lake and the tradition of the Physicians of Myddfai. Professor David Bellamy was hugely impressed by the West Wales pharmacopoeia recorded by - I think - the Black Book of Carmarthen. While the Lady of the Lake story appears to have links to continental fables like the story of the water witch Melusine (supposed ancestress of the Angevins), the herbal remedies reflect a very sophisticated knowledge of the plant resources of the Welsh countryside and are still taught in classes on medical herbalism at the National Botanic Garden. I would be surprised if they do not reflect many centuries of traditional experimentation. Maybe this is where the Druids are lurking? 🏴💚
He is a wonderful speaker and obviously teacher! So interesting.
What a fantastic lecture and delivered WONDERFULLY! Gwych rhaid ddweud! 🥰
I have been enjoying all his lectures.
A thoroughly interesting and charming lecture. Thanks.
'Mabinogion' is really Mabinogi.
Lady Charlotte assumed that Mabinogi was not a plural and added 'ion' to pluralise.
Wonderful!
As a proud welsh man diolch an incredible retelling of our unique history with our poetry and our ancient kingdoms and how we were very troublesome for the saxons and later the normans brilliant lecture and not bad with the pronounsiation either our language is far from easy to master especially if your not born to it 🏴🇬🇧
Thank you. Thank you. Great lecture. I'm lucky I can now share my grandmother's inheritance due to such postings, resurch, and books as l don't share my grandmothers language.
i could listen to him talk for days without end
Arien 31:45 is the name Tolkien used for the goddess that chariots the sun through the skies. I wouldn’t have thought to look for it if you hadn’t also mentioned Arwen earlier
I love everything British. Your prodigal sons the USA love and esteem you, your King, and the people, thank you.
Local legend states that my namesake was baptised by Saint Aelhearn. His church stands on that site in the pentref of LLanaelhearn
placenames probably offer a clue to Pagan deities. Notably the River Severn, which is thought to be derived from the Celtic goddess Sabrina.
Britons (Welsh) haven’t been Pagan since 1st century BC
The Mabinogi are true tales recorded to the timeline according to the positions and movements of the stars and planets. Ergo, some names refer to people, some are the names of the relevant stars at the time. Britain (particularly Wales and probably elsewhere) has features (natural and enhanced) that reflect the firmament. These features are locatable and can also give the location of many happenings. In Wales, many Cymric place names translate ‘the obvious’. A knowledge of the old astronomical names will be enlightening to those truly interested. It wasn’t just the Greeks etc., who had their ‘pantheon’ (thought to be ‘gods’ 😅).
Before Christian Era?@@WalesTheTrueBritons🎉
With regard to the question about Bran's head being buried under the tower of london. I am reminded of the bog bodies of the iron age and kingship, particularly Old Croghan Man who appears to have been dismembered before burial. There is also the purported Iron Age practice of head hunting, the head appears to have been imbued with particular powers in the iron age tribal mind. In other headhunting cultures, the head is used in magical practices post capture and the heads (and bones) of particularly powerful people are seen to have a particular anima or Mana that is believed to imbue the holders with power. the Christian veneration of saints relics itself probably developed from an older practice that may well have been in practice in the UK cultures and neighboring peoples at the time of Roman colonization.
No. Christian veneration of the relics of martyrs is already heavily recorded in the 1st and 2nd centuries, centuries before Christianity ever came to the British Isles. Please do not opine about Christianity when you know nothing about it. It's deeply offensive for you to rewrite the history of my people.
Great Lecture.
Not all the ancient british moved to the far reaches , lots stayed and lived alongside !
That is a very important point.
My maiden name traces back to 1512 in Wales. I enjoyed this very much. Thanks
Medieval Welsh sounds like a magic spell!
I was born in wales cant say i use it as my first language though i do have friends who still speak it....💖💖
Quakers appear to have adopted welsh/druid tolerance, anti slavery, wide sharing of wisdom of women, love of animals and more. As well as their basic pacifist philosophy .
medieval wales had slavery
It's interesting what "Arwen" means and then realize Tolkien's character named thus is based on his wife.
Eureka! Brilliant! Packed with knowledge ! An Oxonian of the highest order. Give him a room at All Souls.
I remember this professor from the BBC Farm series
Brilliant
11:33 pretty sobering to think that five centuries might be enough to wipe out a whole culture simply by forgetting and no longer practicing
22:10 😂
25:33 Ox plus Seven always sounds like ancient astronomy to me: The Pleiades Star Cluster (6 or rather 7 sisters in Greek Mythology) are considered the shoulder of Taurus the Bull, and they are the direction the Taurid Meteor stream seems to originate from etc. (add my usual catastrophism Spiel about the running of the bulls in Pamplona, to the Tauroctony Scene on the altars of the Mithras cult, to killing the Bull of Heavem in the Gilgamesh Epos, to the Lascaux Cave Paintings were the Bull is clearly shown in direct proximity to some dots that probably represent the Pleiades star cluster) 27:07
That last answer has to be one of the most erudite "maybe"s ever recorded!
How come Hutton in not consecrated as a Bard in the eisteddfodd?
As a Welshman it is weird to hear myself referred to in the past tense. Hahahahaha