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It all depends as to what your after, if your after the myths then your pretty much covered, I did quite a bit of research for the book Im planing and had to resort to a large number of different places. There are sites that have information on Celtic Warfare including sea and others that deal with how the tribes were spread. If thats what your after let me know.
Posts: 27 | Registered: Jan 2005
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That's a tough question. Which Celts are you talking about? The Irish Celts? The Welsh? I found an online site with the tales of the Mabinogion:
This Sacred Texts site apparently has quite a number of the kind of tales you might be looking for. At the top of the page above you'll see a link that says "Celtic" It leads here:
I for one just found a new site to bookmark! And if you like Celtic myth, have you read The Red Branch by Robyn somebody or other? Great book. Novelized version of Cuchlainn's life, but still very mythic in tone.
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The celts stretched from Ireland to the Middle east. Their religions varied greatly depending on which area they lived in. The northen celts (italy northwards) you'd be pretty safe with irish tales as a generality. The southern and eastern celts (scythian, galatians, etc) were more polyglot and had Roman, Greek, Iranian, and eventually Christian beliefs (since there is a book of the bible devoted to the Galatians). Of course the northern celts became christian as well but it was almost two hundred years later. Investigating that side to their culture and tales could be very interesting for you. How one people could be so diverse and still be one people. Even without a functioning empire. Held together not by fierce law but a system of bards and druid storytellers and kingmakers, even meshing deeply different religious views and practices.
On the other hand many readers have the idea that celt means Irish so it may be a good idea to stick with the better known stories. You know don't break the stereotype.
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Time Life books produced an excellent series on the celtic civilization. You can usually pick up a copy for under $5 at used bookstores. They had three titles One for legends and myths, one for their civilazation, and one for archeological highlights. Of course I can't remember their specific titles.
Posts: 451 | Registered: Dec 2004
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Theres also the book by George Green that was quite an interesting take on the Tain that is worth reading. As to the Celts it will all depend as to where your planning to either settle them or base them as each tribe had a different weapon for example the Iberean Celts of Spain were famed and feared for thier use of the falcata, (basically a weapon with the beauty and fighting style of a sword with the power of an axe) which was based so many believe on the Kopesh of ancient egypt.
Posts: 27 | Registered: Jan 2005
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>>the Iberean Celts of Spain were famed and feared for thier use of the falcata, (basically a weapon with the beauty and fighting style of a sword with the power of an axe) which was based so many believe on the Kopesh of ancient egypt.
Also the celts invented the rapier long before the broadsword. The rapier went out of fashion because the riveted handles broke off. But at the height of swordmanship the rapier returned with a frenzy after a thousand years of being forgotten. Furthermore there is some debate as to actually invented iron first, evidence is growing that the northern celts discovered the smelt and tempering process of iron simultaneously with the assyrians.
That may not seem significant but having such a "magical" weapon in the bronze age could lead one to become regarded as a god.
[This message has been edited by JBSkaggs (edited January 06, 2005).]