【BBC英国史】Beginnings英国起源(9)

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Beginnings 起源（3100 B.C.——1000 A.D.）
And with tribal manufacture came trade. The warriors, druid priests and artists of Iron Age Britain shipped their wares all over Europe, trading with the expanding Roman Empire. In return, with no home-grown grapes or olives, Mediterranean wine and oil arrived in large earthenware jars. So Iron Age Britain was definitely not the back of beyond. Its tribes may all have led lives separated from each other by custom and language, and they may have had no great capital city, but taken together they added up to something in the world, the bustling of countless productive, energetic beehives. What the bees made was not honey, but gold. So the Romans would have known all about this strange but alluring world of fat cattle and busy forgers. Evidence of its refinement would certainly have found its way to Rome. But along with the glittering metal ware came stories of alarming cults, which might have prompted the usual Roman dinner time discussions. But all very interesting, I dare say, but would we really want to call them a civilisation? Supposing they would have seen an ancient sculpture, like this haunting stone face with its archaic secretive smile, the eyes closed as if in some mysterious devotional trance. The nose flattened, the cheeks broad, the whole thing so spellbindingly reminiscent of things the Romans must have seen in Etruria or around the Greek islands. Would they then have said, "Yes, this is a work of art"?随着部落制造业的繁荣，贸易随之兴起。铁器时代不列颠的士兵，德鲁伊祭司和艺术家，将其商品大量运往欧洲，倾销至不断膨胀的罗马帝国市场，换回的是本地不出产的葡萄或橄榄。巨大陶器装满的葡萄酒和橄榄油源源运来。因此，铁器时代的不列颠绝非蛮夷之地，或许碍于语言与习俗，部落间相互隔绝不相往来。亦或许他们不曾拥有繁荣的首都，但整体来说，也为世界文明贡献了力量。正如一个个熙攘而充满活力的蜂房，不过他们所酿绝非蜂蜜，而是黄金。罗马人对这个家畜成群，工场繁忙的陌生而诱人地方，肯定有所听闻这里文明的制品，肯定也早就行销罗马，但随着闪亮金属制品而来的，是可怖的邪教。这些也成为了罗马人饭后的谈资。我想这的确都很有趣，但我们真的能称之为文明吗？ 假设他们看到了一尊远古雕塑，像这张令人难忘的古老而神秘的笑脸，双目紧闭，仿佛正在虔诚地祷告，鼻梁平塌，面颊宽阔，通体与罗马人在伊特鲁利亚和希腊诸岛所见的艺术珍品神形俱似,他们是否会颔首称道"这确是艺术珍品"呢？