Living in the Past (1978 Iron Age reality tv) - part 4

[sorrowsingsoftly]

Erm... The wicker man was used to ward off disease. And it was filled with people and animals before it was burned.

[Amandainthekettle]

@sorrowsingsoftly Erm... obviously they weren't going to do that for a reality show in 1978.

[Isthisthelongestname]

@sorrowsingsoftly

Erm...they didnt burn people in it - the romans said they did - to make the celts seem like savages and emphasis how they needed to be under the control of rome etc. In fact 5 famous writers of the time mention celtic sacrifice but none talk about burning. The only one to mention it was Julius Caesar, but it is suspected this was propaganda to gain support to continue his wars against gaul and britannia which were taking many years and costing alot of money.

[ghughesarch]

@Isthisthelongestname While it may have been propaganda (and there's, so far, no archaeological support for burnt human sacrifice), it's hardly likely to have marked the Celts out as "savages" to a Roman audience, given how they themselves behaved.

[750triton]

I'd love the opportunity they had

[updougdown]

Educated idiots but great programme at the time.

[scarletharlot69]

Give me that Old Time Religion!!!!