Ancient European Ethnic Groups as Cultural Identities (A Case Study of the Iron Age Celts)

Abstract

The origin and widespread of ethnic and cultural entities, such as the Celts, Germans, Slavs, Scythians etc. remain an essential problem for both archaeologists and linguists. The article reassesses the main concepts of the Iron Age Celtic origin, including the traditional “Celts from Central Europe” approach, “the Celts from West” hypothesis, as well as the most recent assumptions according to which the Celts were just a historiographic cliché produced by the Classical authors. It seems that neither of these concepts could be accepted as an explanation of the Celtic origin; however, it is still possible to find common ground in understanding the “Celtic phenomenon” by synthesizing the disciplines of history, linguistics, archaeology, and population genetics. First of all, the Classical authors indeed used to attach an ethnic label Celts/Galatians/Gauls to various groups of population in Europe. However, there is no doubt that most of these groups in fact used some Celtic dialects. As far as the ethnic name Celts/Galatians/Gauls comes from the Celtic languages, it is highly likely that it was used by the Celts themselves at least to some extent (for example, as a sign of belonging to certain social group). Despite the concept of the Hallstatt and La Tène cultures seems to be outdated, the archaeology still proves that most of the “Celtic tribes” shared some common features of craftsmanship, art, religious beliefs, and rituals. At the same time, genetic studies and isotope analyzes of the remains of buried at the Hallstatt and La Tène cemeteries in various regions of Europe, clearly show that there were no major migrations of population during the Iron Age which potentially could lead to the emergence of Celts as a distinct ethnic group. There were rather small-scale migrations and social contacts (i. e., marriage, fosterage etc.), as well as an exchange of goods, technologies and ideas that played a crucial role in widespread of the Celtic identity. The author puts forward an idea that the Celticness once became a prestigious cultural concept for social elite of distinct groups of the barbaric population throughout the Europe.