Brief History of the Celts (UK)

Brief History of the Celts (UK) | Peter Berresford Ellis

so-so

Some interesting nuggets but I get the same feeling I do with the author's fiction, that he views the Celts through much too rosy glasses. And his obsession with seeking parallels with Vedic Indians got a bit tedious at times.

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rwmg

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

#lunchandabook

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

pick

Interesting book. It covers a lot of territory. It‘s not exactly brief, but it does it‘s best to give the best over view it can, as quickly as possible. Ellis‘s thesis was to give “a thematic survey of the visual wealth left to us by the Celts, as well as an introduction to their colourful early history and fascinating culture.” He has certainly pulled this off. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

GingerAntics Different parts of this book were of more interest than others, but again this was a good launching point. I believe I will use the “Further Reading” section extensively to dive deeper into subjects I have a greater interest in. This book is 16 years old, so I would love a second edition or a follow up book, as there were several places where Ellis said ‘new information is coming out almost daily on this.‘ 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 5y

GingerAntics Certainly in that amount of time, our understanding of these topics has expanded and I would love to see those things (or at least know where to look for up-to-date information on them). My only complaint is that this book uses BC/AD, which has been replaced for at least a decade now with BCE/CE. I know it was written in 2003 when BC/AD was still widely used, but this is a digital book, so it wouldn‘t be hard to update. 👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 5y

GingerAntics It also has one paragraph that repeats. It only happened once, but again, in the 16 years since this was published no one thought to correct this? Again, it‘s a digital book so it wouldn‘t be that hard to submit an update. #peterberresfordellis #thecelts #celtichistory 5y

18 likes3 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

This is for all the people who claim the Celts weren‘t/aren‘t real. For being imaginary people, they sure do pop up in a lot of places in history. Thanks for buying into Rome‘s BS propaganda and allowing their almost successful genocide to be successful in modern times. The Cleopatra bit is pretty awesome.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #rome #egypt #galatia #celtsthroughhistory #realpeople

readinginthedark There are people who claim the Celts weren't real? 🙄🤦‍♀️ 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark yup...it‘s a big thing in academia. “They didn‘t call themselves Celts. We should just call them Iron Age peoples of Britain.” First, they didn‘t call it Britain either. Second, they spoke what is now known as Celtic languages and actually there is evidence they called themselves something you could get Celtic from. Apparently there is a joke in every Celtic studies department where they say “do you speak Iron Age?” lol 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark I think outside of academia it‘s just hate. Why would people in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, etc think they can have a shared identity that is independent of the arse holes who invaded them and have treated them like shite all this time? 🙄 It‘s ridiculous the arguments people come up with for how the Celts are this made up thing and we‘re all delusional. I would imagine a lot of them now would call the Celts “fake news.” 5y

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julesG I'm with @readinginthedark - there are people (academics?) claiming the Celts aren't/weren't real? Honestly, it's the first time I've heard about it. Having researched the history of Christianisation in Europe, I know that the Roman Church was aware of the Celts in different areas of Europe. They were even aware of the trade connections between the Celts and Rome. 5y

GingerAntics @julesG it‘s truly shocking, yes. I think it‘s more fueled by prejudice than anything. It‘s enough that the introduction actually addressed it, though. It‘s obviously ridiculous. 5y

readinginthedark 🙄🤦‍♀️ 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark my sentiments exactly 5y

15 likes7 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

“Rome had other ideas...” like genocide.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #rome #genocide #warriors

18 likes

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

I feel so proud. I actually know ‘tá sé‘ and ‘tá sí‘ in Irish. The process is slow, but Duolingo is teaching me Irish. I feel like my ancestors would be proud.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #irish #duolingo #learnirish

BiblioLitten That‘s great! Duolingo is a very useful app. 👏😊 5y

GingerAntics @BiblioLitten I love Duolingo. I‘ve wanted to learn Irish since I was a kid, so the fact they added it was absolutely awesome. 5y

BiblioLitten Have you been to Ireland? 5y

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GingerAntics @BiblioLitten sadly, no. It‘s a lifelong dream, I think my mother would like her ashes scattered there (at least partially), and I‘ve actually looked into PhD programs there (and in Scotland). I fully intend to get there one day. 5y

BiblioLitten I‘m sure you will. 😊💕 5y

readinginthedark My cousin fell in love with Ireland in college and now teaches Irish and creative writing and writes poetry in Irish. I don't understand any of it, but it's a beautiful language. 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark seriously?! That is absolutely awesome!!! I want to write poetry in Irish!!! Talk about goals. How did she learn Irish? I seriously wish I could take some classes or something. 5y

GingerAntics @BiblioLitten 🤞🏻 5y

readinginthedark He just learned it in person, I think. I'm pretty sure he didn't speak it at all before he first went there. Not sure it would work for me; he's very outgoing. 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark wow, that‘s impressive. The immersive method is supposed to be the best way, though. 5y

readinginthedark That's what they say! It would make me a nervous wreck. 😆 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark yeah. I could never go with absolutely zero knowledge. I need to know something. 5y

18 likes12 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Love this mental image. I‘m still trying to figure out if this is reincarnation or not.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #immortalsoul #theotherworld #reincarnation

RvnclawWhovian Between recently learning that my ancestors emigrated from there and reading all your quotes from this book, I REALLY want to go to Ireland now 5y

GingerAntics @RvnclawWhovian it seems like it would be an awesome place to visit. I recently learned the province my family came from, so now I really want to go all over that province. Apparently, I‘m a highlander!!! 🤣😂🤣 5y

16 likes2 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Oh dear. 😏
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #triunegod #triunegoddess #notanoriginalidea

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Oh wait, this wasn‘t in the Bible?! Don‘t tell the Christians!!!
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #triunegod

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Truth has been relative in some parts of the world for way longer than we‘d like to admit.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #truth #cosmology #fakedrecords

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

For a supposedly illiterate society, they were great and accurate record keepers.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #cosmology #whosilliteratenow #naturalphenomena

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

I guess Celtic hospitality extended to everyone. I said this during the chapter on women in Celtic society, and I find myself saying this again. We have much to learn from the ancient Celts. We need to stop pretending they didn‘t exist (through some amazing mental gymnastics that is downright ridiculous) and start learning from them.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #thesick #thepoor #careforall

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl this goes with the conversation we were having the other day. These people ruled the entire British isles. Only in today‘s society are people trying to say poor people and sick people and less abled people should be on their own. Then again, just about everyone who studies Celtic history will tell you the English generally staunchly deny any ties to the Celts and will do just about anything to distance themselves. 🤷🏼‍♀️ (edited) 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl seems they are distancing themselves from their own history and human decency simultaneously. 🙄 5y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics it‘s an awesome society! This Englishwoman loves the celts and as I‘ve said before idolised my local gal Boudicca. 5y

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Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics I really hate the way the world seems to be going towards dog eat dog. I‘m a big believer in a moral and caring society. What‘s the point otherwise? 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl exactly! Societies in general were created to allow everyone to thrive. If we‘re going to go back on that now, we are going to have to stop calling ourselves more civilised than ancient societies that were clearly more civilised than us. 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl I mean, shite, they could manage “we will kick you out of society if you keep sexually harassing people.” We‘re just now sorta kinda rediscovering this with the me too movement. WTF society?! 5y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics right?! Just saw that r Kelly interview clip on the news. Hope he rots. Arghhh 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl haven‘t seen it yet, but I heard he was claiming he was being assassinated. 🙄 Of course he thinks he‘s the victim. 5y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics when he‘s crying he is looking in the camera not at the person interviewing him. It‘s so fucking transparent 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl 🙄 5y

11 likes10 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

I started this book back on 23 January with the intent of reading a chapter each morning and being done in about two weeks. That has clearly not happened. Just starting chapter 8 this morning. #peterberresfordellis #thecelts #behind

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Here, honey, I brought you a present.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #womenmatter #badasswomen #womeninhistory

TheBookHippie I love this! 🤣 5y

GingerAntics @TheBookHippie right? So much good material in this chapter. I highlighted most of it. I tried to keep my posts to a minimum. 5y

15 likes2 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

And some people say we have nothing to learn from ancient civilisations, especially if they weren‘t Roman or Greek.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #womenmatter

Bookwomble I think the early church's view that anything pre-Christian was worthless, satanic or both has a lot to do with present-day misapprehensions that other societies were/are brutish and unsophisticated. 5y

GingerAntics @Bookwomble I‘ll definitely agree with that. I suppose they were doing what any other religion would do. “Look we‘re the real deal. They‘re all cheap rip offs or evil in some way.” This is just one of the consequences since it ended up taking over the world. 5y

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

WHY NOT TO MANSPLAIN: BCE Edition
Apparently, women have been dealing with mansplainers for THOUSANDS of years. Too bad (or luckily for the mansplainers) we can‘t take the same actions as our ancient ancestors.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #whynottomansplain #bceedition #nomansplainingzone #celtichistory #whyhistorymatters

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

A different look at Culloden. It was this ancient fighting style that probably prevented them from rising up and actually taking back their independence. Hopefully they have better success if they want to leave the UK and rejoin the EU.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #battleofculloden #celticwarriors #scottishhistory

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Wow, this is the exact opposite of what we know about this situation today. #peterberresfordellis #thecelts #shakespeare #macbeth #duncan #malcolm #shakespearereadalong

readinginthedark 😆 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark it‘s a bit of a bubble burst isn‘t it? 🤣 It‘s crazy to think we‘ve all got this backward after all this time. I feel entirely justified in defending MacBeth now!!! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙 🤣 5y

readinginthedark I know! It kind of makes me think of when I read some of the early Scottish works on William Wallace--the actual story is so different from Braveheart! 😆 5y

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GingerAntics @readinginthedark I‘ve never seen Braveheart, but after hearing what Scots think of it, I‘ll never see it. 5y

readinginthedark Oh really, do they hate it? It's completely inaccurate. But as a dramatic love and war story, it's pretty good, I think. 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark absolutely hate it. They laugh at it, really. They say “that‘s what Americans think history is.” It doesn‘t reflect well on Hollywood for most of them. 5y

readinginthedark Oh yeah, definitely not historically accurate. I'm not sure anyone actually thinks it is, though. 🤷‍♀️ Kind of like when a book is turned into a movie. 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark you‘d be surprised. I was always interested in the history of the British isles. I asked my high school history teacher about documentaries. She said “you don‘t need documentaries. Just watch Braveheart.” 🙄 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark I think, mostly, especially if it‘s not American history, people don‘t think it matters. I think so much has been said about that specific movie now that I would think most people know it‘s not, but I‘ve found that people can always surprise you, especially when it comes to history. It‘s amazing how many people think history isn‘t important and that it even should be taken out of required curriculum. It‘s nuts. 5y

readinginthedark 😯 Wow, I can't believe your teacher said that! I feel like my teachers never wanted us to watch movies 'cause they didn't trust us to find good ones with accurate information. I do think you're right about people and history, although that may be due in part to school curriculum. I never really liked history until college--or, at least, studying history. It was all names and dates at the time with no application to real lives and current events. 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark I totally agree with that. The way we teach children history is absolutely ridiculous. We‘re just begging kids to be bored to death and not care. 5y

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

@Weaponxgirl AUGUSTINE THE TWAT OF HIPPO STRIKES AGAIN!!! 🙄 Oh my god, just like Shakespeare, this guy just pops up everywhere. The difference is, when Shakespeare pops up I smile and think “of course,” when Augustine pops up I roll my eyes.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #druids #augustine

Branwen Freaking Augustine ruins everything he touches! 😑 5y

GingerAntics @Branwen right? The dude is a freak! 5y

Weaponxgirl My brain is so addled right now my first thought was a wish I knew a vicious hippo 🦛 5y

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Weaponxgirl I would call him Augustine. Augustine the hippo. 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl 🤣😂🤣 I‘m so tired I can‘t stop laughing at this. 🤣😂🤣 I hope you get a hippo to name Augustine!!! 🤣😂🤣 (edited) 5y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics some real pablo eschaban stuff! Feed him to Augustine the hippo! 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl 🤣😂🤣 YES!!! 🤣😂🤣 5y

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

I‘m still not entirely clear on what Druids were, but I am happily aware that all of the crazies are dead wrong. I think the closest I can come to describing real Druids would be to call them Celtic intellectuals.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #druids

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

There are A LOT of “Irish Triads,” almost little nuggets of wisdom, etc. that still exist today. Most of them have been passed down through oral tradition until fairly recently. Interesting to see the first record of it.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #druids

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

As a historian, this is an interesting thought. We frequently take what is written above what is recalled from memory, but in some instances, perhaps, this should not be the case.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #druids

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

THIS!!! This is exactly what I‘m talking about. I knew kids in high school who thought they were druids. You kind find people all over the Internet spouting off and crocheting “ceremonial cloaks” who aren‘t anymore Druids than Santa Clause. This is what annoys me. These are ridiculous people misappropriating a tradition they actually know nothing about. I actually enjoyed this chapter. 5🌟 to this chapter.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #druids

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Oh goodie, a whole chapter on the Druids. I‘m not going to lie, I‘m not a big fan of this topic, most probably because of the modern BS people do and claim to be modern day druids. 🙄 I guess I have ancient writers to thank for that. I might like them more after learning some real information about them.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #druids

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

So many men, as always, but we do have several killer women. Sadly, Ellis has only mentioned two by name. 🤷🏼‍♀️
#thecelts #peterberresfordellis #celtickings #celticqueens #celticrulers

Weaponxgirl Boudicca 😍 I‘m from east anglia and I was obsessed with her as a child and often pretended I was going to go burn London down. 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl I once told my ex I was going to name my daughter that. He told me no because my butt was too big, we couldn‘t name our daughter something where her nickname would be “Booty.” 🙄 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl he should have been fired on the spot. 5y

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Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics it obviously you would change the nickname to bootylicious! What an idiot 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl duh!!! I‘m telling you, he was dumb. I don‘t know why I ever hung out with him in the first place. Plus, Boo is a cute nickname, too. So many cute choices. 5y

Weaponxgirl @GingerAntics that‘s a super cute one! 5y

GingerAntics @Weaponxgirl and then if you get a really clueless, judgey person you could just smirk and say “just kidding she‘s named after the character in To Kill a Mockingbird.” 😏 5y

26 likes7 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Shakespeare is EVERYWHERE I tell ya!!!
#thecelts #peterberresfordellis #shakespeare #cymbeline #shakespearereadalong

readinginthedark Ah yes, the king who could defeat Roman forces but still chose to pay homage to them! That's a crazy but brilliant play. 5y

GingerAntics @readinginthedark that one always did blow my mind. No idea why he did that. Shakespeare had some fun with him, though. 5y

23 likes2 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Interesting. Very interesting.
#thecelts #peterberresfordellis #celticlanguages #celticmythology #celticdeities

RaimeyGallant I love learning etymologies. 5y

GingerAntics @RaimeyGallant I love when it‘s stuff like this. 5y

Gezemice That is interesting! Looks like a good book! 5y

GingerAntics @Gezemice I haven‘t gotten much past this point. It‘s been a crazy busy week, so reading only got done on Monday. 5y

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GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

WE COULD BE COUSINS!!! @julesG (probably not... the Celt tribes moved out as the Germanic tribes moved in) Still that‘s an interesting little tidbit. I wonder now if some of my ancestors went toward Ireland and the rest went toward Norway (I have some of that in me - although that could be from the vikings and thus a different rout than I‘m thinking here).
#thecelts #peterberresfordellis #germany #switzerland

julesG I fear I was born 200km too far north and at least 300km too far east. Damn! Well, my ancestors, 2000 years back, might have had Celtic connections. Alas, I doubt it. I'm probably a bit Slavic, a bit Nordic, and a large part Germanic (grew up in Thuringia). 5y

GingerAntics @julesG I would think most people would be. Those were the people who pushed the Celts out, along with the Romans. I doubt anyone was left behind to marry the invaders. That would seem a bit weird. You‘d think they would have killed off anyone left behind. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 5y

julesG But there were mix-marriages between the Romans and Germanic tribes. And even Neanderthals and Homo Sapiens mixed. So, why not Celts, too. 5y

GingerAntics @julesG I don‘t see why not, really. I just read that apparently a lot of ancient writers we think of as Roman (because they wrote in Latin during the Roman Empire) were actually Celtic, so if that‘s true then it could totally be possible, and that would likely extend to the entire area of Germany tribes so you could have something in there. 🤷🏼‍♀️ 5y

20 likes4 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

Give me a book with a good map any day.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #map

Faibka Cool! 5y

julesG Does that make me a hardcore Celt? I'm from the original heartland area. 😉 5y

GingerAntics @julesG I‘m not sure. The Celts moved out. Other people moved in. I think it just means that at one point in time, people there spoke a Celtic language. So if your ancestors were there in that time period, then yes. That was all BCE though, so you‘d have to go back really far. It means there could be some Celtic stuff buried deep in your backyard. Get the kids to start digging. lol 5y

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julesG I've been thinking about having one of these ancestry DNA tests. Could be very interesting - or boring. 😉 5y

GingerAntics @julesG I found mine to be quite interesting. Some I expected, some I was surprised by. Cool info either way. It‘s great fun for historians. lol 5y

julesG Not sure it can trace Celtic roots, though. 5y

GingerAntics @julesG Celtic is really a language distinction. Most things are, actually. DNA traces geographic distinctions. We confuse those since most counties are geographical and language now. If we go back in time, that‘s less likely. There was no country called “Anglo-Saxia” or “Hebrewana.” It‘s only in modern times that all the native german speakers lived in Germany, and the native french speakers lived in France. 5y

Gezemice So now I know where Illyria is! 5y

GingerAntics @Gezemice is that in a book I should have read, somewhere? lol 5y

Gezemice @GingerAntics Twelfth Night? 5y

GingerAntics @Gezemice oh yeah. 🤪 Sorry, very tired yesterday. My brain was already asleep at that point. 5y

27 likes11 comments

GingerAntics

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

It was really hard to figure out what to read next after Adnan‘s Story. It really sticks with you. I‘m probably going to be thinking about him for a long time. I decided my best bet was to completely switch gears.
#peterberresfordellis #thecelts #history

23 likes

Tove_Reads

A Brief History of the Celts | Peter Ellis

I think it‘s time to tackle this trio!

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