Our established impressions of early Celtic Ireland have come down to us through the great Irish myths and sagas, yet how do these images compare with archaeological evidence? The author seeks to present a comprehensive and lucid account of the Irish Iron Age. He discusses advances that took place in travel and transport; the common people; the local metalsmiths; and the religious beliefs exemplified by standing stones and offerings in lakes and rivers. New material is examined on Ireland's contact with the Roman world and the final chapter reviews whether La Tene culture was spread to Ireland through invasion or diffusion.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is both invaluable academically - and an interesting and entertaining read. Raftery has an easy style, and brings the subject to life with a deceptive ease: however the most exacting critic could not fault the academic contribution of this work.
He sets out to sift through the enigma that is the Irish Iron Age
and in the process questions a lot of our popular assumptions, from its links to La Tene culture to the question of a celtic invasion. He provides invaluable insight into various sites (both archaeologically and in terms of their social significance at the time) although for me the chapters on the "invisable people",(ie the ordinary population) and the building of the Bog Road were especial highlights.
He has re-evaluated commonly accepted dates and re-calibrated them with new information yielded by dendrochonology, again challenging assumptions about certain sites. The text is well linked all the way through with the illustrations found on almost every page, making his observations both clear and interesting, and the photographs of sites and finds are excellent. For non-academic readers the initial impression given by the book may be a little daunting but Raftery's style soon draws one in and the book is accessible - with a very little effort - to the amateur.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Celts, Pagan Ireland, prehistory or Iron Age.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.5 out of 5 stars
4 reviews
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
An important and timely work
6 May 1999
By A Customer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format: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!
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent source on Iron Age Ireland
19 Feb 2003
By Chesapeake
- Published on Amazon.com
Format: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.
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.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
What I was looking for
6 July 2011
By A. Gift For You
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
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.
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4.5 out of 5 stars
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