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The Name of Bernicia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 August 2009

Andrew Breeze
Andrew Breeze*
Affiliation:
Andrew Breeze, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Universidad de Navarra, 31080 Pamplona, Spain. E-mail: abreeze@unav.es
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Abstract

The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Bernicia has a Celtic name, sometimes explained as ‘land of dwellers in mountain passes’. But this analysis suggests a fiercer interpretation: ‘land of piercers of battle-lines, territory of those making gaps between enemy warriors’.

Résumé

Le royaume anglo-saxon de Bernicie porte un nom celte, que l’on explique parfois comme ‘terre des habitants des cols de montagne’. Mais une analyse suggère une interprétation plus féroce : ‘terre de ceux qui percent les lignes de combat, territoire de ceux qui font des trouées dans les rangs des guerriers ennemis’.

Zusammenfassung

Der Name des angelsächsischen Königreich Bernicia stammt aus dem Keltischen und wird manchmal als ‘Land der Bewohner von Gebirgspässen’ ausgelegt. Eine genauere Analyse deutet auf eine eher kämpferische Interpretation: ‘Land der Durchbrecher von Gefechtslinien, das Gebiet derer, die Lücken zwischen die feindlichen Krieger machen’.

Type
Original Article
Information
The Antiquaries Journal , Volume 89 , September 2009 , pp. 73 - 79
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 2009

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