Theory that \'Celts\' are a myth

[Ron Andrea]

In this book there's also a nice wording in introduction, summarizing why 'Celts' are a myth (p. 12):

'Celtic' has become, in the opinion of many, so controversial as to be an unacceptable academic usage, on the grounds that it imputes a spurious, or at least dubious, cultural, linguistic and ethnic homogenity to an area (most of Iron Age western Europe) and a time (the Iron Age) for which there is insufficient evidence to show that any such homogeneity existed. The way in which the term 'Celtic' has commonly been used by academics, it is argued, has involved an unfortunate confusion between two different kinds of ethnic terms which need to be carefully distinguished: those referring to ethnic, or ethno-linguistic, categories imposed from without upon populations with no sense of themselves as belonging to that category, and those referring to ethnic communities which are conscious of themselves as separate historical and cultural groups. The ethnonym 'Celt', as used by Greek and Roman writers and modern historians and archaeologists, more probably belongs to the former rather than the latter group, given that the evidence on which it is based is taken entirely from external sources which may or may not have accurately described contemporary ancient communities.

Now, that actually makes some sense.

Just as Western Europeans today talk about "Moslems" as if they were a homogeneous group, and they discuss "Christians" the same way, in both cases imputing certain value judgments which--while they might actually apply to part of the category--don't necessarily apply to all. On the other hand, it is useful to talk about "Western Europeans" as I just have (even including North Americans) as a kind of short hand to identify a category of peoples who may or may not see themselves as a community. And that's what we're doing with the ancient Celts.

The other problem is that discussions of ancient Celts get conflated with preconceived notions of modern peoples who are labeled or call themselves Celtic, which may have no direct connection with the ancient peoples to whom that label is applied.

However, saying that the term "Celt" is so vague and misused as to be of no scientific, academic or linguistic vale, is far different from saying--much less proving--that no such category of peoples ever existed, even if we can't agree on all the particulars of that category.