Celtic Reenacting
(and a little other ancient Europe until there's enough for its own page)
During the Iron Age, Celts lived across a wide range of lands, from the Iberian Peninsula (Spain) to Anatolia (Turkey), but the ultimate origin of the Celts is a subject of controversy.
Polybius published a history of Rome about 150 BC in which he describes the Gauls of Italy and their conflict with Rome. Pausanias in the second century BC says that the Gauls "originally called Celts live on the remotest region of Europe on the coast of an enormous tidal sea". Posidonius described the southern Gauls about 100 BC. Though his original work is lost it was used by later writers such as Strabo. The latter, writing in the early first century AD, deals with Britain and Gaul as well as Hispania, Italy and Galatia. Caesar wrote extensively about his Gallic Wars in 58-51 BC. Diodorus Siculus wrote about the Celts of Gaul and Britain in his first century History.
- "Their aspect is terrifying...They are very tall in stature, with ripling muscles under clear white skin. Their hair is blond, but not naturally so: they bleach it, to this day, artificially, washing it in lime and combing it back from their foreheaads. They look like wood-demons, their hair thick and shaggy like a horse's mane. Some of them are cleanshaven, but others - especially those of high rank, shave their cheeks but leave a moustache that covers the whole mouth and, when they eat and drink, acts like a sieve, trapping particles of food...The way they dress is astonishing: they wear brightly coloured and embroidered shirts, with trousers called bracae and cloaks fastened at the shoulder with a brooch, heavy in winter, light in summer. These cloaks are striped or checkered in design, with the seperate checks close together and in various colours.
- [The Celts] wear bronze helmets with figures picked out on them, even horns, which made them look even taller than they already are...while others cover themselves with breast-armour made out of chains. But most content themselves with the weapons nature gave them: they go naked into battle...Weird, discordant horns were sounded, [they shouted in chorus with their] deep and harsh voices, they beat their swords rythmically against their shields." -- Diodorus
If you're interested in this impression or have a unit we need to list, please let us know.
Celt Groups
| Ambiani (France) -- La Tene period (~4thc. BC) Celts in Gaul. Living history, crafts, sword-fighting. |
 Ancient Celtic Clans (USA, NY) -- Located in Upstate NY, near Albany, Ancient Celtic Clans is a Celtic re-enactment group. We are interested in recreating the life and times of all Celtic peoples from 400BCE - 1600CE through the study and participation in their: song, poetry, religion, crafts, combat, and events. |
| Clann Mogh Roith (Ireland) -- Mogh Roith are a Multi-Period Re-enactment, Living History and Experimental Archaeology Group based in Counties Clare and Limerick, in the west of Ireland. The group specialise in the research, development and display of historical artefacts, equipment and costume from many periods in Irish History and Prehistory. We depict aspects of the Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age and Early Christian periods, with some members also having an interest in the 12th through to 17th Century eras. |
 The Celtic Group CARNYX (Tübingen, Germany) -- Founded in the Spring of 1999 by archaeologists and historically interested people from Tübingen and its environs. The main aim of CARNYX is to present the Celtic era of European prehistory as detailed and realistically as possible. Archaeological findings supplemented by information from antique history writers are the main source for the reconstruction of Celtic dress, jewellery, tools and weapons. |
 Gaesatae (USA, NoCA) -- Based in San Jose, CA, Gaesatae was formed to celebrate a vital and often over looked segment of Celtic History. The goal of Gaesatae is to illustrate a life like representation of the nomadic warrior band of Gauls from the 1st Century BCE. |
 Clanne Preachain (USA, VA)--Clanne Preachain Home Page. Preachain (the Clan of the Crow) is a nationwide group of Iron Age celtic re-enactors who participate in several living history and other educational and recreational events each year. |
 Kelten und Römer (Germany)--A portal of Living History and experimental archaeology. A platform for Celts and development for Roman living history and experimental archaeology. It will give an extensive panel, a large link collection and contributions to the antiquity. A meeting place for everyone, which concerns itself seriously with the history of the antiquity. |
 Keltica Iron Age Village (Canada, NB) -- Located in the picturesque province of New Brunswick, Canada, "Keltica Iron Age Village" is an exciting new living history museum which tells the story of the Ancient Celtic culture. It is the only place in North America where all aspects of the ancient Celts are presented, along with their fields, fences, iron-age houses and other buildings. |
 Atrebates Tribe (UK) -- A Living History Unit based at Butser Ancient Farm, Hampshire, helping with the experimental work on this unique site. The Atrebate Tribe help with the experimental work at Butser, such as, assisting in the construction of buildings, making and using pottery kilns, and harvesting the experimental crops. They have also taken part in film and TV work as 'extras' and 'set dressing'. |
 The Celtic Learning Project (USA, CT) -- The Celtic Learning Project, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit group working to educate the general public about who the ancient Celts were, and were not, a subject oft-neglected in the American school systems. We do this by re-creating Iron-Age Celtic cultures with a focus on their differences as well as their similarities. We have created a school cirruculum, run a day camp called "Live Like a Celt", do storytelling, march in parades and work an educational display at many historical and cultural events in New England, and are working to create a mobile "encampment" display. |
 Hassia Celtica (Germany) We are a reenactment group based in the 5th Century BC. We show the life of the early-latène gauls in the area in south and middle Hessen. |
 Teutates (Germany) -- Teutates is a reenactment group, based in the 1st century B.C., especially the time of Gallic War, from Rheinhessen and Hessen, Germany. |
 The Vicus: British (Celtic) and Roman (UK)Legio VIIII Hispanis/The Dobboni and Coritaini Tribes. -- We aim to represent the period of the roman invasion to the battle of Mons Graupis (so in essance AD43 to AD89). As far as we know the we are the only Combat 1st C group in Britain, as such we have Legionarys representing the 9th legion Auxillarys representing the 1st Coh Brittannicus and two Tribes of Britons. Our displays and events are as the group name suggests structured around an impression of a Vicus with the aim of showing the fusion and interaction of the Roman and British cultures, this of course is not only violent. We also demonstrate the combat methords and tacics of the legions and Native Britons in full contact displays. The group also can stage Gladitorial shows with Noxi and Classically paired Fighters, again these shows are done as competative full contact matches. |
For more information regarding individual groups, please contact them directly.
Please send suggestions, comments and corrections regarding this Time-Area to: jeff@kelticos.org.
