Pagan Celtic Ireland: The Enigma of the Irish Iron Age [Hardcover]

Barry Raftery (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1994

Our established impressions of early Celtic Ireland come from the great Irish sagas: epic tales of heroic struggles between kings and warriors, of outlandish gods and wise Druids. But how do these images compare with the evidence revealed by the excavator's trowel? Recent research has transformed our understanding of the period. Reflecting this new generation of scholarship, Professor Barry Raftery presents an up-to-date account yet published of Ireland in the millennium before the coming of Christianity. The transition from Bronze Age to Iron Age in Ireland brought many changes, not least the proliferation of imposing hillforts. New findings indicate that the construction of the country's great royal centres, such as Tara and Emain Macha, coincides with the first appearance of the material culture of the European Celts - so-called La Tene artifacts. The author argues that these were the trappings of a rising elite, which expressed its power in highly visible monuments. Professor Raftery also discusses advances that took place in travel and transport - including the creation of the largest roadway in prehistoric Europe; the lives of the common people; the genius of the local metalsmiths; and the complex religious beliefs exemplified by standing stones and offerings in rivers and lakes. He presents material about Ireland's contacts with the Roman world, and in a final chapter he reviews whether La Tene culture spread to Ireland through invasion or peaceful diffusion.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Deserves an honored place in every library. -- Choice --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (June 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500050724
• ISBN-13: 978-0500050729
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 7 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #797,219 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An important and timely work, May 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pagan Celtic Ireland: The Enigma of the Irish Iron Age (Paperback)

This book is extremely useful in that it is the only complete synthesis of the Irish Iron Age archaeology. It is also simple to read and illustrates to the layman the differences between Ireland and Europe during the time of the Celts. However, many people are misled by the mystical title - this is a purely archaeological book!

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent source on Iron Age Ireland, February 19, 2003

By 

Chesapeake - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pagan Celtic Ireland: The Enigma of the Irish Iron Age (Paperback)

In this book the author, who is head of archeology at University College Dublin, gives us a great insight into the current research on this period in Ireland. There is so much pseudo-history and myth that gets repeated over and over again that this book offers a rare insight into what Irish scholars actually know about Celtic Ireland. It deals quite effectively with the issue of the mythological "Celtic" invasion of people and explains the circumstances surrounding the arrival or development of the Celtic culture in Ireland.

It is written from an archaeological point of view but should also be of interest to general readers. I highly recommend it as a source for scholars of this period and readers who want to know more about the Iron Age in Ireland.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars What I was looking for, July 6, 2011

By 

A. Gift For You "James Francis" (Vicksburg, MS) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Pagan Celtic Ireland: The Enigma of the Irish Iron Age (Paperback)

This is a very technical archaeological look at Pagan Celtic Ireland. That is what I was looking for. I was tired of endless speculation and nontruths that have been accepted as fact about Celts in general. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because it is VERY technical, even for me. I was also hoping for more illustrations about how settlements and people might have looked instead of illustrations just of findings, but it's still full of great illustrations and photos. Recommended for any history buff.