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Wales
The Romans mined for gold here, the Tudor dynasty was founded here, and the Normans built castles here. Each of the major periods of history has left its mark on Wales, some more attractive than others. The scars of the industrial revolution are now being healed by a forward-looking people with their own National Assembly. But the sense of past can still be felt all around Wales: from a windy hilltop with a half-ruined castle, to the quiet darkness of a mine miles underground.
Prehistoric Sites
Wales's history of human settlement stretches back into the mists of time - as far back as 250,000BC. The country is dotted with mysterious prehistoric sites, burial chambers, standing stones and hilltop forts.
Excavated prehistoric sites reveal much about the beliefs and practices of our ancestors. Anglesey and Pembrokeshire are particularly rich in megalithic sites. Barclodiad y Gawres Burial Chamber near Rhosneigr is one of Wales's finest neolithic (New Stone Age) tombs. Excavations here in the 1950s revealed rare examples of prehistoric rock carvings. Pentre Ifan Cromlech near Newport, Pembrokeshire, is another impressive chamber that still has its great 16½ft (5m) capstone in place. Iron Age hillforts are also plentiful in Wales - the massively fortified Carn Goch, near Llangadog, is one of the largest.
The Celts
A Celtic heritage has survived in Wales for thousands of years. It has an undeniable resilience, despite the hammer blows dealt by Roman soldiers and, later, Saxon invaders and Anglo-Norman warlords. This heritage has become an indelible part of the Welsh spirit. You can discover more about its roots if you visit places like Castell Henllys in Pembrokeshire, where a reconstructed hillfort provides an insight into Celtic tribal life. Similarly, the Museum of Welsh Life near Cardiff has recreated the typical circular Celtic dwellings that reflect life in the Iron Age.
Celtic Crafts
The Celts loved decoration. Art, magic and fantasy were part of everyday life and all kinds of objects - from household goods to jewellery - were decorated with complex, intriguing designs. Many fine examples survive - the intricate metalwork, motifs and patterns to be seen on items at Cardiff's National Museum, for example, and the wonderfully carved Celtic crosses which survive from north to south. This rich Celtic heritage still inspires craftspeople. Welsh woollen weaves are patterned with Celtic motifs, and designers like Rhiannon at the Welsh Gold Centre, Tregaron, make exquisite Celtic jewellery.
Celtica
Celtica at Machynlleth takes you on an enthralling journey back to the times of the Celts in Wales. An imaginative audio-visual tour takes you back in time to a Celtic village where characters tell you in their own words what life was like in Wales over 2,000 years ago. Then comes the exciting Vortex, where Celtic legend leads you from the past into the present and future. This handsome heritage centre also contains well-presented displays and exhibitions on Celtic and Welsh history - and its tearoom is renowned for its delicious home-baked traditional cakes!
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