Celts

Drawing on the most important recent work in the field, John Koch's 'The Celts' presents a broad-ranging overview of Celtic history and culture.

The Celts were west European peoples, who included the pre-Roman inhabitants of Britain and Gaul and their descendants. They are typically associated with the regions of the British Isles such as Ireland, Wales, Scotland and Cornwall, as well as Brittany. Their history begins in the Bronze Age, but they reached their most powerful in the Iron Age when they occupied a large territory in Europe during the 'La Tene' period (5th-1st Century BCE). They influence is evident in popular mythology and culture to this day.

Scholars have long debated the origins, identity and historical development of the Celtic peoples. In this book, John Koch offers a new approach to the subject. First, he makes the case for the importance of linguistic evidence to illuminate the findings from archaeology. In particular he argues that the term 'the Celts' has till now been applied too loosely, with the effect of blurring the boundaries between different Celtic groups. Second, he argues for a new interpretation of the origins of the Celts, seeing the emergence of the Celtic languages in the Atlantic west, rather than in central-Europe as previously believed.

The book will be at once a provocative re-assessment of the Celts for those immersed in the debates and a lively, authoritative introduction to the subject for students and general readers.