[55] Cæsar's _Gallic War_, Book III, c. 13-15.
It must not be imagined that the "sea sense" was cultivated because man took pleasure in risking the perils of the deep. It was stern necessity that at the beginning compelled him to venture on long voyages. After England was cut off from France the peoples who had adopted the Neolithic industry must have either found it absolutely necessary to seek refuge in Britain, or were attracted towards it by reports of prospectors who found it to be suitable for residence and trade.
Attractions of Ancient Britain--Romans search for Gold, Silver, Pearls, &c.--The Lure of Precious Stones and Metals--Distribution of Ancient British Population--Neolithic Settlements in Flint-yielding Areas--Trade in Flint--Settlements on Lias Formation--Implements from Basic Rocks--Trade in Body-painting Materials--Search for Pearls--Gold in Britain and Ireland--Agriculture--The Story of Barley--Neolithic Settlers in Ireland--Scottish Neolithic Traders--Neolithic Peoples not Wanderers--Trained Neolithic Craftsmen.
The "drift" of peoples into Britain which began in Aurignacian times continued until the Roman period. There were definite reasons for early intrusions as there were for the Roman invasion. "Britain contains to reward the conqueror", Tacitus wrote,[56] "mines of gold and silver and other metals. The sea produces pearls." According to Suetonius, who at the end of the first century of our era wrote the _Lives of the Cæsars_, Julius Cæsar invaded Britain with the desire to enrich himself with the pearls found on different parts of the coast. On his return to Rome he presented a corselet of British pearls to the goddess Venus. He was in need of money to further his political ambitions. He found what he required elsewhere, however. After the death of Queen Cleopatra sufficient gold and silver flowed to Rome from Egypt to reduce the loan rate of interest from 12 to 4 per cent. Spain likewise contributed its share to enrich the great predatory state of Rome.[57]
Long ages before the Roman period the early peoples entered Britain in search of pearls, precious stones, and precious metals because these had a religious value. The Celts of Gaul offered great quantities of gold to their deities, depositing the precious metals in their temples and in their sacred lakes. Poseidonius of Apamea tells that after conquering Gaul "the Romans put up these sacred lakes to public sale, and many of the purchasers found quantities of solid silver in them". He also says that gold was similarly placed in these lakes.[58] Apparently the Celts believed, as did the Aryo-Indians, that gold was "a form of the gods" and "fire, light, and immortality", and that it was a "life giver".[59] Personal ornaments continued to have a religious value until Christian times.