Hunter-gatherers of the Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic) from around 10,000 years ago, worshipped nature spirits, migrations and fertility of animals hunted for food, and the seasonal harvest of fruits, nuts and edible roots.
Farmers of the New Stone Age (Neolithic) from around 5000 BC, built chambered tombs of large stones to house the bones and spirits of great ancestors who watched over people, crops and flocks. Standing stones were honoured as 'male/female' elements in fertility cults. Medicine men and wise-women spoke with the spirit world.
Bronze Age communities, from around 3000 BC, revered divine priest-kings. These chieftains, like Egyptian pharaohs, spoke with the gods. Bronze Age temples were circular earthworks (henges) and stone circles/rows were lined up with the sun or moon.
Celtic deities, from around 1000 BC, controlled features of life such as warfare, metalworking, healing and poetry. Druid priests offered precious gifts and seasonal sacrifices to the demanding goddesses Anu and Brigid beneath mistletoe-covered oak trees or in sacred waters.
The lives of Viking settlers, from around AD 800, were controlled by three weird hags (the Norns) and by powerful deities including Odin, Frigg, Thor, Tyr, Loki and Balder. Norse gods dwelt in a realm called Valhalla. Viking warriors who fell in battle joined their gods in an eternity of feasting and fighting.
Read the text then answer the following questions.
Questions
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Copy and complete the table of Pre-Christian beliefs.
Pre-Christian community date what they worshipped the 'hunter-gatherers' 10,000 years ago Neolithic farmers Bronze Age people The Celts the goddesses... The Vikings the gods of...