Celtic History In the News — December 2019

Recent News in Celtic Archaeology and History

Rare spindle whorl discovered in Pictish excavation in Perthshire
Archaeologists delving into Perthshire’s hidden history are celebrating a successful five-year investigation at an ancient Pictish settlement.

Celtic warrior from 2,000 years ago buried in chariot with weapons and ponies hailed as most important find of its kind in UK
Expert says shield in burial site is ‘most important British Celtic art object of the millennium’.

Collector returns stolen Celtic helmets to Spain
A British collector has returned seven ancient bronze warrior helmets that were stolen in the 1980s from an archaeological site in Spain.

Archaeology bombshell: Archaeologists dig up a Celtic iron mill predating Jesus Christ
Archaeologists in Poland have discovered 12 Celtic furnaces predating the birth of Jesus Christ by at least 400 years.

Study Suggests Wine Was Not Always Reserved for Celtic Elites
Cosmos Magazine reports that traces of Mediterranean wine have been found in vessels recovered in different areas of the Heuneberg site, which dates to around 500 to 700 B.C. and is located in southwest Germany.

Catholic Church discovered in Dublin archeology dig
After the demolition of a Dublin building, archaeologists have discovered the foundations a 300-year-old church.

Unusually Shaped Stones Unearthed in Prehistoric Orkney
nine roughly shaped stones have been unearthed at the site of a structure located near the center of Orkney’s main island. The objects, which are estimated to be 4,000 years old, stand about 20 inches tall and appear to have shoulders, a neck, and a head.

Mysterious Viking dual boat graves unearthed in central Norway
Some of the artifacts the woman was buried with came from Britain and Ireland, such as a crucifix-shaped brooch.

Of Girls and Gaulois: The Equality of Celtic Women in France
Th\e equal position of Celtic women is currently being unearthed in archeological sites, which inspires a new way to look at art, buildings, dress and even tapestries, according to researcher and author Jacqueline Widmar Stewart. Hints of Celtic women’s position and influence can be found through this Celtic lens.

Why Do We Know So Little About The Druids?
The powerful Celtic social class posed a threat to the Roman Empire before being subsumed by Christianity, but their origins remain shrouded in the past.

The history of Irish Christmas traditions
A look at some of the uniquely Irish traditions that are still observed around Christmas time.

Dram history scotched by claims water of life flowed from Ireland
According to the makers of a new film that explores the cultural impact of whisky from its origins to modern times, whisky’s Scottish roots would appear to be ever so slightly Irish.

Invaluable Irish archives burnt during 1922 civil war retrieved
Irish records once thought lost forever have been successfully recreated and will be available online by 2022.