Celt - No such thing !!!

[Robert Vermaat]

@ Carlton:

Thing is, we have several languages that are defined as the 'Celtic' family. Some people call their speakers 'Celts'.
Then we have references in our sources to people called 'Keltoi' (the Romans called them 'Galli'). Some people call those 'Celts'.
Then we have a material culture in the archeological record that associates with the regions where the Keltoi are located by ancient writers. Some people refer to all people who were part of this material culture 'Celts'.

The problem is that we have no way of being sure how, to what extent, or even whether the three things are coterminous. It is just about possible that the material culture of La Tene and post-La Tene went hand in hand with a cultural and linguistic identity based on precursors of modern Celtic languages, and that the Greek writers appreciated that and referred to these people as 'Keltoi'. But it is far from certain.

I agree - but I think you can put that a lot stronger - it's not possible to determine if the owner of a certain item spoke a certain language or even had an idea of himself as a 'such-and-such'. Only from written sources you once in a while get a glimpse of such a combination.

Many Roman citizens continued to speak a Celtic language even after centuries of 'occupation'. So are they 'Celts' or 'Romans'?
The Byzantines referred to certain European groups as 'Celts'- call that anachronistic! But to them it was the proper term.

Anyone using the terminology shoul clearly define what they are speaking about - ancient or modern language, material culture, classical source, or modern modern political of society-determined group.

Are there Celtic languages - yes, but only because modern scientists defined them as such.
Is there, say, 'Celtic pottery'? I'd say no, only styles used by groups that we today define as 'belonging to a Celtic group', which is extremely thin ice.

And then you have the modern nation states who claim ancient 'ancestors'as 'theirs', which especially has soured the research into germanic and Celtic languages and groups for a very long time.

Quite a few German (and an increasding number of other) archeologists nowadays refusae to even use the term 'Celt'.

Now that I find extremely silly. I can only imagine that the reason for that is political.