Celtic Galicia: The Celtic Origins of Galicia in Spain

Celtic Galicia: The Celtic Origins of Galicia in Spain

Galicia on the north-western corner of the Iberian Peninsula has a fascinating history which has many Celtic connections. Galicia and the Iberian Peninsula in general is often cited in origin stories as the region where Celtic tribes sailed from to settle in Ireland and the British Isles.

The name of the region comes from the Romans, who referred to the Celtic tribes of the Iberian north-west as the Callaeci. Over time, Callaeci became Gallaeci. Various tribes made up the Gallaeci, including the Coelerni and the Bracari. The people of Gallaeci spoke the Gallaecian language, also known as Northwestern Hispano-Celtic, a now extinct continental Celtic language.

A defining feature of this Celtic civilization was the fact that they lived in hillforts, resulting in them often being referred to as the “culture of hillforts” or the Castro culture. Today, Galicia is still home to more than two thousand hillforts.

Gallaecians identified themselves by their hillfort, and the king of their area. In relation to their religion, we know that the Gallaeci worshipped numerous Celtic gods, including Coventina, the goddess of wells and springs, who was also known as the goddess of abundance and fertility; Nabia, the goddess of waters and rivers, with the river Navia in Galicia still bearing her name; and Lugus, the god of prosperity, trade, and craft occupations, who was often depicted as having three heads.

During the Second Punic War between Carthage and Rome from 218 to 210 BC, we know that some Gallaecian troops fought alongside the Carthaginian General, Hannibal. The various Celtic tribes of the Gallaeci ruled this corner of the Iberian Peninsula for centuries, until the Roman conquest of Iberia in the 3rd, 2nd, and 1st centuries BC. As well as being interested in commanding a large sphere of influence, Rome also was interested in the lucrative gold mines of Galicia, although I will address the Roman conquest of Iberia in more detail in a future video.

In the 5th and 6th centuries, there was another Celtic infusion into Galicia. As the Anglo-Saxons settled Briton, many Celtic Britons fled to Galicia, as well as to what would become Brittany in France. This settlement in Galicia was known as Britonia. It is thought that these Britons practiced a strong Christian faith.

It is curious that the common Brittonic Celtic language of these Britons did not seem to take hold in Galicia, yet it did take hold in nearby Brittany in France, which is why the Celtic language of Breton is still spoken in Brittany today. Perhaps these migrants from Briton were better assimilated into the Galician culture of the time than their fellow migrants in Brittany, with Galicia controlled by the Germanic tribe of the Suebi.

Celtic influence is still present in Galicia today however, particularly musically. A traditional instrument in Galicia is called the gaita, a type of bagpipe.

The two main languages spoken in Galicia today are Galician (or Galego) and Spanish. Galician is an Indo-European language of the Western Ibero-Romance branch, and it is spoken by more than 2 million people, mainly in Galicia.

Sources:

Creative Commons Imagery:

Landscapes Of Galicia In 4K | Time-Lapse Jorge Piñeiro Instagram: supertimelapse_

#Galicia #Celtic #History

[caolanmaher]

They wore tartan kilts just like the Irish kings. They lived in round houses just like the Irish and Brits. They had a q Celtic language like the Irish. They had the same kingly gold throne caps like those found in the bog of Cullen in tiperarry. They had the same bronze halberds weapons like the Irish. There's plenty more than just that . I'm writing a book on the Irish Spanish origins at the moment.even their tribes are called Tudo like the Irish Tuatha. "As they set sail gallantly from the sunny land s of Spain" 🍀🍀🍀🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸 Irish and Spanish are brothers 👏👏👏

[mateolopez]

As a galician I appreciate this video and thank you for helping spread our history.

[fmilan]

My grandfather used to speak Galician. Don't know much about the language, but I am fluent in Brazilian Portuguese, I can tell you that I could understand it pretty well. It sound like if someone speaking half Portuguese and half Spanish.

[koolmyskool]

Ancient Celtic settlements in Galicia and Northern Portugal are very visible today and they form a tapestry of the many peoples who make up the Iberian DNA.

[EsCoqui]

Greetings from a Galician Puerto Rican, we came from the Pueblo of Piñeiro, Galicia. Funny enough, I had an Irish grandfather who came to Puerto Rico to serve in the Spanish army against the US when they invaded my island. One of my Galician grandfathers was also a soldier who went all the way up to Flanders, France to serve the Bélico Monarquía Hispánica. I had to search up this history on my own, that and my family history.

[visigothxx]

Thank you so much for spreading word of our Galician heritage so eloquently. I Hail from Galicia and Asturias where Celtic Roots run deep. I certainly hope that by openly educating others about our common heritage we may realize the deep kinship between our respective lands. I hope it spurs us to continue a lively mutual collaboration to inform ourselves and others of our Common Celtic heritage and to spark deep interest leading to the re-awakening of our culture.

[Galworld]

I spent so many childhood summers with my grandparents playing in the Rias Baixas

[DarbyOgill-pfmm]

My grandmother was from Galicia, I’m 50/50 Spanish Scottish/ Native American, with blue eyes.
Very proud, thanks for this history lesson.

[sonofhunnewell]

Fantastic description of this Celtic tribe that few know of today. Your best work yet. Keep up the great work.

[Rickky]

They have done recent dna studies showing that the Irish, Scottish & British share dna ancestry with the Spaniards.

[theadventurousallotmenteer]

something I picked up on was the language. Galician for I love you is apparently Querote, in Welsh it's Caru ti. There are no other similar expression for I love you, when you look at European languages as a whole.. definitely at least a slim linguistic connection there.

[jorgemochales]

Quizás sea la cultura Atlántica pero, yo al estar en la costa oeste de Irlanda me ha sentía como sí estuviese en Galicia: acantilados, el carácter de la gente, el color verde, los muros de piedra, las tierras pequeñas con patatas, .. una forma de vida, paisaje y carácter Atlántico de la gente.

[lopazio]

Galician language gave origin to portuguese hence the difference between Castillan language and Portuguese. Portugal and Galiza are what remains of the iberian celtic culture. Portugal means "The port of the Galicians"

[juliosalgado]

I love the way you speak. Never change!

[JC-uvzy]

According to the results of a study that has analyzed the DNA of 10, 000 Britons, it suggests that the Celts who became the dominant tribe in the islands originated from the Iberian Peninsula. Bryan Sykes, a professor of human genetics at the University of Oxford, led the study and publishes his conclusions in the book "Blood of the Isles." His theory is that 6, 000 years ago, these inhabitants of the peninsula developed boats capable of crossing the ocean and reached the British Isles. The territory was already inhabited, but these people were assimilated into a larger Celtic tribe.

[shahani]

My maternal grandmother's maiden last name was Braga. I remember growing up around great aunts who were born mid 1880s and them reminding me I'll always be a Braga no matter my dad's last name 😅 Trying to track down the Braga side of the family. ❤

[Hun_Uinaq]

Asturias, Galicia and Cantabria are three regions of Spain that have strong Celtic influences even to this day. You can especially here it in the music. You listen to their folk music and, unless somebody tells you, you might think it comes from Scotland or Ireland. The pipes sound like something in between a Hulian and a bagpipes. And there’s lots of redheads. That Gene is so strong that it even crops up from time to time in their descendants in Latin America that are mixed with the native population. You sometimes get an olive or darker skinned child with a patch of fiery red hair right smack in the middle of his black or brown haired head. My grandfather had it and my son has it. At least, he did when he was a baby. It’s darkened to Brown now. His Scott’s Irish descended mother thought it came from her until I showed her pictures of some of my family. No redheads in her family but she naturally thought it came from her side at first because, well, she’s a white person and I am more of a bronzy sort of fellow. I look most unceltic. 😆

[edwinfigueroa]

Thank you for the History lesson. My last name is from Galicia spain. Our family is from Puerto rico and America

[thewanderingwindycity]

Thank you for this video as it was very informative. I took an ancestry test some time ago and have come to know after long and continuous research, I have a lot of family ancestors from Galicia. I hope to visit soon and finally meet Galicians!

[bryanwolfe]

This is a great video 😁 thanks for sharing! My great grandfather on my paternal grandfathers side is from Melón Ourense, Galicia, Spain 🇪🇸 and my 3rd great grandfather on my paternal grandmothers side is from Asturias, Spain 🇪🇸