The Ethnology of EuropeLatham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
History
The Ethnology of Europe
Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
Ethnology -- Europe
The third section is found in the _north_ of Portugal, and in the
neighbourhood of Cape Finisterre. Here Strabo places the Artabri, and
close to them _Celtici_ and _Turduli_ of the same nation with those of
the south, _i.e._, those of Alemtejo. His language evidently suggests
the idea of a migration. Such is the Keltic area as determined by
external evidence, and it cannot be denied that it is very remarkable.
It is of considerable magnitude, but very discontinuous and unconnected.
The internal evidence is wholly of one sort, _viz._, that which we
collect from the names of geographical localities. One of the common
terminations in the map of ancient Gaul is the word -_briga_ (as in
Eburo-_briga_), which takes the slightly different forms of -_briva_,
and -_brica_--Baudo-_brica_, Samaro-_briva_. Now compounds of -_briga_
are exceedingly common in Spain. They occur in all the parts to which
_Celtici_ or _Celtiberi_ are referred, _and in a great many more
besides_. Hence the internal evidence--as far, at least, as the
compounds in -_briga_ are concerned--gives us a larger Keltic area (or
more Keltiberians) than the testimony of authors; indeed it gives us the
whole of the peninsula except Andalusia, a fact which explains the
import of a previous remark as to absence of compounds ending in -_briga_
south of the Sierra Morena. It is rare, too, in Catalonia--perhaps
non-existent.
Tested, however, by the presence of the form in question, Valentia on
the west, and all Portugal (the ancient Lusitania) on the east, were
Keltiberic--as may be seen by reference to any map of ancient Spain.
But there are serious objections to the usual inference from this
compound. It is nearly the only geographical term of which the form is
Keltic. And this is a remarkable instance of isolation. The
terminations -_durum_, -_magus_, and -_dunum_, all of which are far
commoner in Gaul than even -_briga_ itself, are nowhere to be found.
Neither are the Gallic prefixes, such as _tre_-, _nant_-, _ver_-, &c.
Hence, it is strange that, if Spain were Keltic, only one Keltic form
should have come down to us. Where are the rest? I am inclined to
believe that the inference as to such a Spanish name as, _e.g._,
Talo-_briga_, being Keltic, on the strength of such undoubted Gallic
words as Eboro-_briga_, is no better than the assertion that the Jewish
name Samp-_son_ was in the same category with the English names
John-_son_ and Thomp-_son_ would be. Such accidental resemblances are by
no means uncommon. The termination -_dun_ is as common in Keltic, as the
termination -_tun_ is in German. Yet they are wholly independent
formations. At the same time I cannot deny that the internal and
external evidence partially support each other.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account