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The Dumnonii were a Celtic people in the far south-west of Britain – in today's Cornwall and Devon (whose name derives from them).
Their peninsula was rich in tin – the rare metal that turns copper into bronze. Long before Rome a long-distance trade ran from here to the Mediterranean; ancient authors report of the tin island "Ictis".
Lying far in the west, the Dumnonii were only loosely ruled by Rome. Celtic language and culture held on here especially long – a bridge to the later Cornish language.
"The inhabitants of the headland Belerion … dig the tin and skilfully work it."after Diodorus, Library 5 (public domain, own translation)
The Dumnonii lead to the western end of the Celtic world. Continue with the Silures and Veneti.
The Britons · The Silures · The Veneti · The Celtic Warriors · The Atrebates.
