Celts

The Celts were groups of ancient peoples who lived in many parts of Europe. They were not one single kingdom. Instead, Celtic groups lived in regions that today include Ireland, Britain, France, Spain, and central Europe. They are known for unique languages, metalwork, stories, and social traditions that developed over many centuries.

Early Celtic groups appeared during the Iron Age, a period when people used iron tools and weapons. Two well-known archaeological cultures linked to early Celts are the Hallstatt culture and the La Tène culture. Archaeology means the study of past human life using objects left behind. These cultures show patterns in art, tools, weapons, and clothing that help historians understand how Celtic peoples lived.

Most Celtic communities were organized into tribes. A tribe was a group of families led by a chief or warrior nobility. Many Celts lived in small farming villages, while others lived in larger hillforts. A hillfort was a defended settlement built on high ground, often with walls and ditches. Farming, metalworking, and trade were important parts of daily life. Celtic metalwork, especially in iron and bronze, included swords, shields, jewelry, and decorative objects.

Celtic languages formed a large language family. Some of these languages still exist today, such as Irish, Welsh, and Breton. Other Celtic languages, such as Gaulish, have no modern speakers but are known through old inscriptions. These languages help scholars trace the movement and connections of Celtic peoples.

The Celts had many stories about heroes, battles, and supernatural beings. These stories were passed on by spoken word. People called bards or druids had important roles in keeping knowledge, history, and tradition. A druid was a religious figure who took part in ceremonies and gave advice to leaders. Because Celts did not write down their stories in early times, much of what we know comes from archaeology and from writers in ancient Greece and Rome.

Over time, Celtic regions changed as the Roman Empire expanded. Rome conquered many Celtic lands, such as Gaul, which is most of modern France. Other areas, like Ireland and parts of Scotland, were never taken by Rome and kept their Celtic traditions for much longer. Today, people use the word Celtic to describe both ancient peoples and modern cultures that still speak Celtic languages or follow traditions from the past.