- The Army, Weapons and Fighting -
world and the large numbers of weapons discovered in watery circumstances make
this an important source of information. Did such deposits represent dedication
before the battle, with the casting of swords, shields, spears and bronze objects into
the waters of the river Thiele near its confluence with the Lac de Neuchatel at La
Tene or into the pool of Llyn Cerrig Bach in Anglesey? Were such rituals part of a
thanksgiving after a successful campaign with the deposit of weapons gathered
from the battlefield? The circumstances of such offerings can never be known, but
the preservation of evidence for the shape and make-up of shields as at La Tene or
identification of the ash of spear shafts make them a valuable source of practical
information. Ritual dedication of weapons may be an answer at Gournay-sur-
Aronde (Oise), a ditched enclosure with an internal stockade; the stockade appears
to have been decorated with trophies of warrior gear (sword, scabbard, shield,
spearhead), particularly on the eastern side of the enclosure. Skulls too appear to
have been displayed. The ritual aspects of the site are obviously one reason for its
importance: the large numbers of weapons recorded in stratified deposits - over 200
shields for example - are among the most extensive in the Celtic world (Brunaux et
at. 1985; Brunaux and Rapin 1988).
SPEARS, SWORDS AND SHIELDS
A brief examination of the development of the sword (and suspension chain), spear
and shield of the foot soldier illustrates the panoply and hints at the tactics of the
mass of the Celtic warrior band. Volleys of spears were thrown at the start of an
engagement; such volleys were clearly an important first stage, striking at the heart
of any opposing band, as well as causing havoc if the spears became embedded in an
enemy's shield. A considerable range of shapes of spearhead has been found from
burials and ritual deposits; throwing spears - javelins (the word coming from the
Gaulish gabalaccoslgabalottus) - had lighter heads and presumably shorter shafts
than the lances, which might be both thrown or used in hand-to-hand or mounted
combat. The large number of spearheads from Gournay-sur-Aronde has allowed a
typological sequence to be proposed illustrating fashions in shape from before 300
BC to about 100 BC; spearheads of classic lanceolate form occur throughout the
period, but more oval forms are present in the third century and more bayonet-like
heads, particularly suitable as thrusting weapons, are present in the second century
(Brunaux and Rapin 1988: 132-4). From La Tene itself come two complete spears
measuring over 2.4 m in length from tip to butt with shafts of ash from which the
bark has been stripped (Vouga 1923: 54). Ash was also favoured for the shafts of the
spears at Llyn Cerrig Bach, Anglesey (Fox 1947: 6), and ash, willow and hazel in
Yorkshire (Stead 199 Ib: 75).
In Champagne swords of the Early La Tene period taper to a long sharp point,
while those of La Tene II have a longer blade, which tapers only towards the tip to
a more rounded point (Stead 1983: 490). From the late second century the typical
sword is longer and wider than its La Tene II predecessor. In his studies of weaponry
Rapin has convincingly shown that the evolution in the combat gear demonstrates
the determination of Celtic armourers to ensure the lightest and the most effective47