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The Celts: A Very Short Introduction 1st Edition

by Barry Cunliffe (Author)
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 252 ratings
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Savage and bloodthirsty, or civilized and peaceable? The Celts have long been a subject of enormous fascination, speculation, and misunderstanding. From the ancient Romans to the present day, their real nature has been obscured by a tangled web of preconceived ideas and stereotypes.

Barry Cunliffe seeks to reveal this fascinating people for the first time, using an impressive range of evidence, and exploring subjects such as trade, migration, and the evolution of Celtic traditions. Along the way, he exposes the way in which society's needs have shaped our visions of the Celts, and examines such colorful characters as St. Patrick, Cu Chulainn, and Boudica.
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  1. ISBN-10
    9780192804181
  2. ISBN-13
    978-0192804181
  3. Edition
    1st
  4. Publisher
    Oxford University Press
  5. Publication date
    August 28, 2003
  6. Part of series
    Very Short Introductions
  7. Language
    English
  8. Dimensions
    7.02 x 6.8 x 0.45 inches
  9. Print length
    161 pages
  10. See all details
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From the Publisher

very short introducations, introductions, comprehensive
very short introductions, VSI, key features, concise, exper authors, analysis, grow your knowledge
Very Short Introductions, reviews, praise

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'It is a brilliant, articulate exposition of one of the most fascinating new ideas in archaeology.'"

About the Author

Barry Cunliffe is Professor of European Archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, Oxford University, and a Trustee of the British Museum.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0192804189
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (August 28, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 161 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780192804181
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0192804181
  • Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1450L
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.02 x 6.8 x 0.45 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 252 ratings

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Barry W. Cunliffe

Barry W. Cunliffe

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Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
252 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Peter Reeve
5.0 out of 5 stars What it means to be Celtic
Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2006
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The Celts have had a long and complex journey, both through history and myth, and this entry in the excellent Very Short Introduction series is a great place to start tracing that journey. Some historians question whether 'Celtic' is even a meaningful or useful term. Is it a modern invention? Who were, or are, these people or peoples we call 'Celts'? Cunliffe warns at the outset that finding reliable answers will not be easy, then proceeds to make it as easy as possible.

He views the subject from various angles - linguistic, archeological, Classical (the Roman and Greek accounts), ethnological - and gradually builds a coherent picture. His bias reflects the current orthodoxy that cultural influence spreads without the mass migrations that used to be assumed -- ideas and customs spread, not necessarily people. He encourages us to take a view from the Atlantic, and see the Celts as European peoples who traded along that seaboard. Some readers might wish for more detailed maps -- the author or publisher seems to assume that you will know which rivers are the Marne, Danube, etc.

This is an authoritative and accurate work, although I did spot one surprising blunder: On page 137, the ceremony of All Souls is described as taking place on October 31, preceding All Saints. In fact it follows All Saints, on November 2.

Cunliffe's prose is very readable, except that he has a fondness for litotes ("It is not unreasonable to suppose..." "It is not unlikely that..."). This can get not unirritating after a while.

A great deal of misinformation surrounds Celticism. It has become a tool for propagandists and nationalists. There is a certain amount of healthy debunking in this book, but the Celts emerge alive and well. Before I read it, I thought I was of Celtic descent on my mother's side. After reading it, I still do, but now I have some idea of what that means. If you want to know about the Celts, then you need to choose your sources with care, because - as Cunliffe hints - there are many 'lunatic fringe' publications out there. This is a safe place to start.
49 people found this helpful
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R. McCoy
4.0 out of 5 stars Based on scholarship - but...
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2012
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Finally, an introduction to the Celts based on scholarship and not wishful thinking. Popular books make the Celts out to be either the greatest heroes or the worst villains of Europe. This intro relies on archeology, linguistics (philology) and historical sources to tease out who the Celts were (and even IF they were). Origins, culture, migrations, art, and movements are covered. Modern treatment of the Celts is also covered, and how a new mythology has grown up around them. This overview provides a departure point for interested students to begin their studies with some solid grounding.

The reason for 4 stars vs 5 is the lack of comment on genetic studies. The author is clearly aware of research in this field but makes no real mention of it. For example, I look at a distribution map of haplogroup R1b and I see it apparently mirroring the present day distribution of "Celts". But I also recognize my inexpert tendency to draw these conclusions may not be scientifically warrantied. I would love to have read the author's comments on genetic investigations, and recommendations for further study. Genetic studies have something to offer, but how does it overlap the other disciplines?

Otherwise, great little book. Highly recommended.
16 people found this helpful
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Emily herron
5.0 out of 5 stars Very informative
Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2017
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Extremely informative book. Great read if you have an interest in the Celts. It really gives you an idea of who they are and makes them very relatable as people. This book goes through the history from a very early point and in decent detail without becoming overly dry like a lot of history books do. I also found it great that events that are discussed they also put an excerpt from written records of the time after so you can get a real sense of the feelings of the people involved. I'm over half way through this book and so far I'd recommend it highly if your intreseted in this topic.
2 people found this helpful
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habitzg
5.0 out of 5 stars Part of my heritage
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2023
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Who isn't descended from the Celts or the Picts? I'm glad I have it but its a little difficult to understand, although I don't know how they can be any more understandable....who knows very much about them?
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Cara Diemont
3.0 out of 5 stars Useful and balanced summary
Reviewed in the United States on August 8, 2013
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This book is written with an easy to follow journalist style. The information is shared with a clear, straightforward explanation and some commentary about its bias and point of perspective. This is not book that seeks to justify the romantic idea of a golden age Celtic civilization. Rather, it one looks for cultural and social similarities that might lead to the notion of a collection of peoples who can be "labelled" with the term Celt due to these shared aspects.
2 people found this helpful
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G. Barbier
5.0 out of 5 stars Who were the "Celts"?
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2020
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Was there a single cohesive group that we could say were "Celts"? The classical writers from Roman times called a lot of people "Celts"; not to mention "Gauls". A very interesting read. If you want to become educated about the Celtic culture, read this book and, maybe, "The Ancient Celts" also by Barry Cunliffe.
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Oshram
4.0 out of 5 stars Quick but thorough read
Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2013
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This was the first 'Short Introduction' book I'd ever read, and I found it educational and enjoyable. Obviously at a little over 100 pages you're not going to get an in-depth study of the subject, but the material that is here is well-organized and presented and provides an excellent overview of the Celts. I'd recommend this for those who have a casual interest in the subject or want a smart overview; it would be an excellent starting point for further study, but is not, nor is it meant to be, comprehensive. An excellent read.
One person found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect starting point!
Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2018
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Great synopsis of Atlantic European “Celtic” history and culture. The author presents a conscientious and well-researched perspective. Very informative, non-biased and enjoyable reading!
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Top reviews from other countries

Johnny Darkness
5.0 out of 5 stars quick but comprehensive study
Reviewed in Canada on March 16, 2022
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As I read (and paraphrase): it is as though the author sat down one rainy weekend and decided to just write what he knew, concisely. I have Irish, Scottish, and English (not 100% A-S) and have been interested in the idea of "the Celts" and their development and role in history. Where did they come from, are they "one people" or a culture that spread, were they the 1st people in, say, Ireland or did they invade or did the culture spread to the Island? Are the Bretons Britons? What does archaeology show of their origins and movements? Questions anyone might ask. But answered they are, to the best of our knowledge. So much I did not know--their vast movements, their victories and losses, their possible origins... and that some of Paul's letters were written to descendants of "Celts" in what is now Turkey. If you're interested and not an expert or an academic, this is well-worth your investment of money and time.
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Amazon customer
3.0 out of 5 stars Three Stars
Reviewed in India on February 4, 2018
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Nice book about the Celts.
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Iha_to
5.0 out of 5 stars Good purchase, thanks!
Reviewed in Japan on December 31, 2019
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Good purchase, thanks!
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Le3
5.0 out of 5 stars packed information
Reviewed in Germany on June 15, 2015
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This is a great book as it avoids any redundant information, but is a packed source of reference which tries to answer most of the questions related to the topic. Well written and a great easy read, linking to a bunch of source material for further deeper research. A great book to get a good solid overview about the celts and clear out any myth and misunderstandings. 5 Stars
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Jon Chambers
5.0 out of 5 stars Celts: the myth and the reality
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 5, 2008
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Generally speaking, those VSIs written specifically for this series are livelier, more recent, more engaging and more in keeping with its spirit. Cunliffe's The Celts (2003) illustrates this distinction well.

The author is an expert on Celtic civilisation and well-placed, therefore, to separate myth from reality. The myth has a surprisingly long history. Plato, writing in the 4th century BC, was the first in a long line to characterise the Celts as warlike and drunken. Strabo thought 'the whole race ... war-mad' while Diodorus enjoyed Roman merchants' exploitation of the Celts' perceived love of alcohol: 'for one amphora of wine they got a slave - a servant in return for a drink!' All excellent propaganda and amusement for a Graeco-Roman audience, of course.

Cunliffe, however, presents a culture which is in many ways parallel, not inferior, to those of the Mediterranean. The Late Bronze Age warrior-aristocracy of northern Europe, with its rituals of hospitality, gift-exchange and obligation, was 'not at all unlike the kind of society depicted in the works of Homer.' Celtic cultures had their bards and an oral tradition to rival the Homeric sagas. Julius Caesar, for one, was notably impressed by tremendous feats of memory, and Cunliffe notes the almost miraculous continuity of this oral tradition, persisting (in Ireland, at least) well into the twentieth century.

This VSI is careful to avoid the kind of over-simplification that can lead to romanticising. Cunliffe is quite clear that the term 'Celtic' is largely a modern construct and, as such, to be treated with caution. The various 'Celtic' tribes, spanning modern Portugal in the west, Hungary and Romania in the east, and Scotland and Ireland in the north, probably had little or no sense of collective identity. They may well also have spoken mutually unintelligible languages.

This is a clear and concise addition to an excellent series. It is enjoyable and expertly written with the non-expert always in mind.
16 people found this helpful
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