The Celts

[LKM]

I think that the biggest issue is that the term Celtic means different things to different people. In modern times it normally reefers to a grouping of related languages. The term Celtic actually comes from the name of a tribe of people from Northern France known as the Celtae. It was the Romans who said the ancient peoples of Great Britain were like the Celtae tribe of France, calling them Celtaeic. Over time the term became Celtic and has changed meaning in different context.

When you look at Welsh, Scottish, and Irish history and cultures you do find there is a lot known about the ancient peoples of the British Isles. The issue is that the information we normally see is based on the Roman view of the people. I feel that we rely on the Roman records far to much when looking at non-Roman peoples in Europe, especially when the Romans insulted and belittled any non-Raman culture. The ancient Britons had a few writing systems, and only one can currently be read. They passed down allot of information in stories and songs. The people north of Hadrian's wall were known as the Picts, a term used by the Romans that described the tattoos the warriors often had, while the people south of Hadrian's wall called themselves Cumbri or Cumbric, a more ancient term that was used by the people of the island of Great Brittan for themselves.

You can learn a lot about the Cumbri and their culture if you read some of the poems and songs that were left. You can also look at the current cultures of the areas that has little Roman influence and see the influences of the more ancient cultures mixed with modern cultures. If you look at the cultures of the different regions you will need to also look at the history of the areas.

One place that you can read the poetry:
http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/index.html