20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well written & beautifully illustrated atlas, September 25, 2002
This review is from: Historical Atlas of the Celtic World (Hardcover)
This is a beautifully illustrated and well-written book on the Celts. In addition to the text, there are many illustrations and photos of Celtic art throughout the book. I found it hard to put down once I started, and I ended up reading the entire 180-page atlas in a couple of sessions of a few hours each. Well written articles accompany each map section, and as I mentioned, there are dozens of beautiful photos and illustrations, especially of the many striking pieces of Celtic art and jewelry.
The author does a fine job of covering the history, showing how important the Celts were to history for 1600 years, and how their influence is even still being felt today. At one time the Celtic world stretched all the way from Scotland to part of the middle east.
Until I read this book, I didn't know how far south their influence went. I already knew about their influence in Great Britain. But the number of mighty civilizations the Celts met and defeated as they expanded southward is almost ridiculous as they went around marauding in their own inimitable way. For example, they successively fought and defeated the Thracians, then the redoubtable Macedonions twice, then the Greeks at Thermopylae, the Etruscans in Italy, as well as the entire Iberian peninsula, and finally, even further south, fought and defeated the Syrian army. For a while there was an important Gallic settlement in Anatolia. Half of Hannibal's army consisted of Celtic mercenaries, and Celtic mercenaries were even hired by the Pharaohs of Egypt.
Konstam points out that one of the reasons for the Celts' superiority in battle was their stronger and more efficient iron weapons, compared to their opponents, who were still using Bronze Age weapons and materials.
The book is organized into two-page spreads, as is typical of atlases of this type, with an article and its accompanying map, photos, or illustrations covering each two-page section. In addition to that, the book is organized into a number of different chapters or sections, covering the major historical periods; the major archeologically distinct phases, such as the Unetice, Tumulus, Urnfield, Halstatt, and La Tene cultures; Celtic religion; Celtic myths and legends; Celtic art; the Celtic warrior and his beliefs and weapons; and the Roman battles and conquests. Also, there is a chapter on the different Celtic tribes and peoples, including separate articles on the Scots, Picts, Gauls, Welch, Cornish, Irish, Galatians, and Celtiberians. Finally, there is an article on the Celtic revival and how Celtic influence is still being felt today in art and religion.
Overall a very interesting, well-written, and beautifully written history and atlas of this important people.
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17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Should have been titled Pictorial History, not Atlas., December 10, 2003
This review is from: Historical Atlas of the Celtic World (Hardcover)
We couldn't wait to order this book when we read about its release. How disappointed we were when we began to read it.
Silly us; we had expected maps in an atlas.
We didn't realize that this was a picture book. There is text, too, and it is informative. Many people are unaware of the eastern European origins of the Celts, or of their unique cultural contributions to later culture.The photos are beautiful. One can learn much about Celtic History from this book; however,if you are expecting a book of maps, you might be disappointed.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An in-depth history of the Celtic culture in Europe, March 10, 2005
Beautiful, full-color illustrations and photographs on every page enhance the Historical Atlas Of The Celtic World, an in-depth history of the Celtic culture in Europe from its earliest beginnings to its highlights and exquisite artworks to the modern day. Museum professional Angus Konstam applies his knowledge in history and archaeology to seamlessly survey the course of Celtic history and reveal the richness of Celtic heritage and legacy - "Although the last true vestiges of Celtic culture died out in the medieval period, elements of Celtic ways survived into the early modern era." A timeline helps put events in sequence, in this captivating and absorbing study of an ancient civilization.
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