Tintagel, from Lundy, Isle of Avalon by Mystic Realms



	Tintagel

Mystic Realms	Arthur, the rightful king	Arthurian Pictures
Mystic Realms Shoppe	Arthurian eBooks	Arthurian PosTerS

Tintagel - The site of Arthur's conception and birth.

So many pieces of sixth c. Mediterranean pottery have been found at Tintagel that they are termed 'Tintagel Ware.'

This pottery has also been found at other sites testifying to the existence of an extensive and organised trading network at this time.

"no doubt that Tintagel was indeed central to the economic activity of western Britain." Chris Morris ( Professor of Archaeology at the University of Glasgow)

Merlin's Cave, Tintagel, Cornwall

Tintagel in the 5thC;

Pottery archaeology tells us it was an important centre for long established trade routes with the Mediterranean cultures. Indeed so many pieces of sixth c. Mediterranean pottery have been found there that they are termed 'Tintagel Ware.'

Building archaeology depicts an early Christian celtic monastic establishment.

Legends describe Tintagel as a stronghold ruling the surrounding lands.

Tintagel ware' pottery has also been found at other sites testifying to the existence of an extensive and organised internal trading network at this time. Sites like St. Michael's Mount, Glastonbury Tor, Cadbury castle, Chun, Dinas Powys, Gwithian, Lundy.

The Mediterranean trade routes were widely used long before 500 AD. Links were established between the silver miners of the south west and Carthage as early as 450 BC.

Sea trade between South west Britain and the Mediterranean flourished before the rise of Rome, under the Roman Empire, and long after the fall of the western roman empire to the barbarians.

imported mediterranean pottery

"The principal recipients were the native princes in their refurbished hillforts ie South Cadbury, Cadbury / Congresbury in Somerset, High Peak in S.Devon & Dinas Powys in Wales. Also TINTAGEL, LUNDY, GWITHIAN, GLAST.TOR, TREVELGUE HEAD, CHUN CASTLE." 'fox aileen----south west england,3500 b.c. - 600 a.d.'

"Pottery was brought from Alexandria & Carthage to these areas(Wales & S.W.) in the period between 450 & 520.The earliest dateable monastery in the British Isles was established at Tintagel between 470 & 500. 'Where platters and amphorae could travel so too could pilgrims too and from the Holy Land, occasional refugees, books and ideas."-'Charles Thomas,'Brit.& Ire.in early Christ Times 400-800AD.'

These trade routes were widely used long before 500 AD. Links were established between the silver miners of the Severn Estuary and Carthage as early as 450 BC.

" -Tintagel -within the courtyard of site 'A'-a tomb shrine or LEACHT - normal feature in Celtic cemeteries - relics of saints or founders." Quest for Arthur's Britain'

Tintagel - graveyard contained the founder's tomb or Leacht - a masonary found. 5ft.square 'South W.Eng.'

" The evidence of Professor Thomas' excavations in Tintagel churchyard (1990) which appear to reveal a group of graves of noblemen, probably christian and dating from the 5th to 6th c.2 - 'unity and variety.' similar to those found on Lundy

There is no doubt that Tintagel, like Lundy, was the site of an early Celtic-Christian monastic settlement.

The glass fragments found during excavations by members of Glasgow University Department of Archaeology at Tintagel in the summer of 1998 provide, for the first time, evidence of a direct link between South west Britain and Southern Spain in the sixth century.

Taken together with the many fragments of amphorae, characteristic Mediterranean pottery, of this period found at Tintagel there can be no doubt that sea trade between Dumnonia (the ancient kingdom of Devon and Cornwall) and the Mediterranean World continued long after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

Also the continuation of a Romanised way of life in the South west long after the departure of the Romans– Gildas wrote in the south west – Patrick -

The medieval castle at Tintagel

The medieval castle at Tintagel was built around 1233. It appears that after he became Earl of Cornwall in 1227, Richard, the brother of King Henry III, went to great lengths to acquire the manor of Tintagel. Sometime after 1230 Richard built his castle on the headland, nearly a century after the early medieval texts started to circulate. The historical evidence demonstrates that, like the Tower of London, the castle was built in response to the international fame granted to the site by the widespread circulation of the Arthurian romances. It does seem to suggest that the legends surrounding Arthur had just as strong an influence on people then as they do now.

*** That Arthur's reality can be denied because Tintagel castle didn't exist pre 1233 goes to demonstrate how successful Richard and his successors were in their pretence of being the heirs of Arthur

Tintagel

imported mediterranean pottery

The medieval castle at Tintagel

Trade Routes