The people who lived in Britain during the Iron Age, in the centuries preceding the Roman invasion, are often called 'Celtic'. Celts are seen as a family of European peoples, speaking related languages and sharing much in common, from art to aspects of religion and social organisation. The authors explore the British Iron Age as to whether it was part of a 'uniform' Celtic world or something more distinctive, complex, strange and fascinating . 'Britain was a home to a group of developing societies related to their neighbours in Ireland and on the Continent; 'Briton ' is more a geographical than a cultural or political label. It may also still sometimes be useful to think of them as part of a wider world we choose to call 'Celtic'. However 'The continuing explosion of knowledge is constantly bringing new insights into the lives of the peoples of Iron Age Britain, and the debate over their relationships to the peoples of contemporary continental Europe is sure to continue.' Drawing on recent research and discoveries and on the wealth of archaeological evidence in the British Museum and elsewhere, the authors offer a fresh and lively survey of the life, art and culture of Iron Age Britons.
