Theory that \'Celts\' are a myth

[Conal]

but as John Haywood says; "the Celts of Britain and Ireland were different. So far as we know, none of the Celtic-speaking inhabitants of those islands ever used the word Celt to describe themselves before modern times. Though Roman writers recognised similarities of language and culture between the British Celts and the Gauls, they regarded them as a separate people, as, indeed, the Britons seem to have regarded themselves."

Why do you keep quoting this? This arguement is partucularly redundent as it is recognised that Celtic is a modern terminology used to describe a language group that may very well be a cultural group too. The inhabitants of Ireland, Britain and France probably did not call their language Celtic or Gallic, not did they call their culture La Tene. The Beglae are said to have differentiated themselves from the softer "Celts" but if they are of the same language group you can't just opt one out just because there is no evidence that they called themselves Celtic speakers, did they have a concept of language groups to te extent that not calling themselves Celtic would be relevant?

As for th ecultural links take the Truroe stone, bang in the middle of Galway but of La Tene style ... possible copying of European ones, may have been taken there by traders or perhaps settlers or it may have be there because the cultures were similar enough to warrant it ... we cant tell.. the art style may have had a deeper social/cultural/religious significance than we have been able to glean from mere objects with no written context.

As there seems no convincing archaeological evidence (that I am aware of) of Celtic invasion of the British isles we have to fall back on the language issue. Were these native speakers or transmitted celtophones? Surely, as with the production of 'celtic' artistic culture, the latter notion of importation seems more likely.

Who is now arguing for the Celtic invasion theory? I thought that this was long flung out and that now there was more of an acceptance that cultural trends spred out from Europe and were diluted/adjusted to local custom. Thios is a good book which explores this aspect;

The Britons (The Peoples of Europe)
Christopher A. Snyder

He identifies regions of influence.