The Celts: Origins, Migration & Legacy
Overview: The Celts were an Iron Age people who dominated much of Western Europe before the rise of the Roman Empire. Their language and culture form the earliest verifiable substrate of British history.
1. Origins and Migration
The Celtic people originated in Central Europe, specifically the regions now known as France, Germany, and the Czech Republic. Their culture is often identified by archaeologists with the Hallstatt and later La Tène periods.
- Migration: They began expanding across Europe around 400 BC.
- Arrival in Britain: Celtic influence reached Britain earlier, by approximately 1000 BC (Late Bronze Age/Early Iron Age).
🎯 Asked in UGC NET English The Celts originated in Central Europe and their influence reached Britain by 1000 BC.
2. Historical Records
The Celts were a pre-literate society in terms of recording history. Our knowledge of them comes primarily from their neighbors and conquerors.
- Greeks: First recorded them as Keltoi.
- Romans: Referred to them as Galli (Gauls). Julius Caesar wrote extensively about them in his Commentaries on the Gallic War.
3. Linguistic Legacy
Despite the later Roman and Anglo-Saxon invasions, the Celtic legacy survived, primarily in the languages of the "Celtic Fringe."
Surviving Languages:
- Brythonic (P-Celtic): Ancestor of Welsh, Cornish, and Breton.
- Goidelic (Q-Celtic): Ancestor of Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic, and Manx.
🎯 Asked in UGC NET English While the Anglo-Saxons pushed the Celts westward, their legacy survives in place names (e.g., Avon, Thames, Dover) and the modern languages of Welsh, Cornish, and Gaelic.