I've been wanting to do this post for quite a while, but it's been one of those that has proved harder to write, wanting to do it justice.

The concept of "who, where and what" with the "Celts" can get both muddy and contentious today because it's mixed up with very modern notions of nation and nationalism, something the Iron Age tribes themselves pre-date of course. The British Museum and the National Museum of Scotland do a good job however, and try to put some context to the archaeology.

The exhibition Celts: Art and Identity has now left the British Museum and is off to Edinburgh's National Museum of Scotland. If you're in Edinburgh or environs, you should definitely have a look (it starts March 10th).

There was a lot to like, particularly the first half dealing with the ancient origins and archaeology. Some of the exhibits are familiar, such as the "Great Torc" from the Snettisham Hoard, something I've written about before.

Perhaps my favourite items on display are the Gundestrup Cauldron and the Braganza Brooch.

Gundestrup Cauldron

The Gundestrup Cauldron was dug out of a peat bog in Jutland, Northern Denmark, in 1891. It is the star attraction of the Danish National Museum in Copenhagen and a very sought after loan. You can see why :

This is a very strange work in some ways, and found a long way from the usual "Celtic" areas of Europe. Although it has some Celtic elements (e.g. figures wear a torc, some are blowing the carnyx, a horn-like instrument), others are harder to explain as "Celtic". It is far from the usual swirling, organic Celtic forms.

Some parts of it seem almost shamanic, such as the antered figure hammered out of the silver on an inside panel :

Where was the cauldron made? No one is sure, but some people posit Thrace, an ancient land now covered by much of modern Bulgaria and European Turkey.

Braganza Brooch

The Braganza Brooch is much smaller but just as beautiful. It only measures about 14 cm long, 5 cm high. Made of gold and some glass, it shows a naked warrior with a celtic style helmet, a sword and a dog (or dragon?) jumping up at him, with his shield pressed up anb blocking the beast.

It has exquisite detail and workmanship :

For more detail and background on the brooch, see The History of the Braganza Gold Brooch.

Overall, well worth a visit for many very interesting things in addition to cauldrons and brooches. There's a full size reproduction of a Celtic chariot, the Battersea Shield and even some Phoebe Anna Traquair, someone with some impressive artifacts in Edinburgh that I've written about before.