The CeltsBy Gary Collins

Who were they? The Celts were a group of people

that occupied lands stretching from the British Isles to Gallatia. The Celts had many dealings with other cultures that bordered the lands occupied by these people.

The first historical recorded encounter of a person displaying the cultural traits associated with the Celts comes from northern Italy around 400 BC, when a previously unkown group of barbarians came down from the Alps and displaced the Etruscans from the fertile Po valley, a displacment that helped to push the Etruscans from history's limelight. The next encounter with the Celts came with the still young Roman Empire, directly to the south of the Po. The Romans in fact had sent three envoys to the beseiged Etruscans to study this new force.

Celts in Ireland Archaeologists dig underground to find evidence of how

people lived long ago. Ireland has lots of old ruins and mounds of earth which hide ancient sites. Archaeological remains like pottery, bones or tools are known as artefacts. They are found in the landscape and tell us a lot of information about people like the Celts. For example, many pins, brooches and items of jewellery have been found which show us not only how the Celts fastened their clothing but also that they were skilled at making beautiful designs on metal. Wealthy Celts wore gold bracelets as well as collars known as torcs. The léine was the long tunic worn by a Celtic nobleman. A belt called a crios was usually tied across the tunic and a woollen cloak called a brat was often worn over it.

Celtic Homes The Celts built large earthen banks or stone

walls around their farms to protect themselves and their animals. These walls were called raths orduns. The more important families had several circular banks protecting their homes and sometimes they built their homes on high ground, which were called hillforts. Some families built forts surrounded by stone walls or banks of earth on headlands looking out to sea. 

Celtic Hillfort

Celtic Torc

Druids The intellect class of the Celts were the

Druids, the 'professionals,' being the judges, lawyers, doctors, historians, genealogists, astrologers, astronomers, philosophers, bards and priests. They were the most trusted of all men who studied sciences as well as philosophy, and a highly organized society. Druids were called the teachers of wisdom. They were privileged, exempt from serving in the military and taxes and had no territorial boundaries.

The End