Celtic Europe - (87)

Author: Christiane Elu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features: Through brief or prolonged campaigns, invincible raids, and plundering along the Mediterranean coast, the Celts returned to their homeland laden with exquisite spoils and rich experiences: this is how they sowed the seeds of early production; they built fortified settlements similar to cities, many of which later became cities; they constructed large cemeteries filled with various weapons, ornaments, and utensils; they built temples, which still attract people to visit today; they minted, cast, and scattered countless coins in distant places. Whether it is Gallic inscriptions, or Greek and Latin works written by the enemies of the victorious Celts, or enthusiastic ethnographers, all contribute to our understanding of the Celts. This is the special fate of this "race" composed of Celtic tribes: they shared the same culture and spread throughout Europe, but they never experienced a unified political entity. In the 4th century BC, the "common language" of the Celts covered the entire Europe from the Balkan Peninsula to the British Isles. But the Celts did not achieve political unification; they only formed a cultural community, with highly skilled metalwork and the same burial rituals as their distinctive features. Christiane Elu tells us the history of these Western barbarians across more than 500 years: they loved gold, wine, and fought endlessly; their power once shrank to the region of Gaul, and the Roman Empire tried to force them to submit; while their culture was inherited by the people of the British Isles and Brittany. Long swords, chariots, wine cups, small pots, twin-handled cups, necklaces, bracelets, and hooks unearthed from cemeteries such as Vix, Hallstatt, and Magdalenenberg, whether made of iron, copper, or gold, reflect the exquisite craftsmanship of the Celtic artisans. 230 pieces of evidence witness the brave and barbaric Celts of the Iron Age. In the 4th century BC, the "common language" of the Celts covered the entire Europe from the Balkan Peninsula to the British Isles. But the Celts did not achieve political unification; they only formed a cultural community, with highly skilled metalwork and the same burial rituals as their distinctive features. Christiane Elu tells us the history of these Western barbarians across more than 500 years: they loved gold, wine, and fought endlessly; their power once shrank to the region of Gaul, and the Roman Empire tried to force them to submit; while their culture was inherited by the people of the British Isles and Brittany. Long swords, chariots, wine cups, small pots, twin-handled cups, necklaces, bracelets, and hooks unearthed from cemeteries such as Vix, Hallstatt, and Magdalenenberg, whether made of iron, copper, or gold, reflect the exquisite craftsmanship of the Celtic artisans. 230 pieces of evidence witness the brave and barbaric Celts of the Iron Age.