The Celts in Iberia: An Overview

Alberto J. Lorrio, Universidad de Alicante
Gonzalo Ruiz Zapatero, Universidad Complutense de Madrid

Abstract

A general overview of the study of the Celts in the Iberian Peninsula is offered from a critical perspective. First, we present a brief history of research and the state of research on ancient written sources, linguistics, epigraphy and archaeological data. Second, we present a different hypothesis for the "Celtic" genesis in Iberia by applying a multidisciplinary approach to the topic. Finally, on the one hand an analysis of the main archaeological groups (Celtiberian, Vetton, Vaccean, the Castro Culture of the northwest, Asturian-Cantabrian and Celtic of the southwest) is presented, while on the other hand we propose a new vision of the Celts in Iberia, rethinking the meaning of "Celtic" from a European perspective.

Keywords

Celts, Iberian Peninsula, Iron Age, Celtiberians, Indo-European

1.	Introduction
2.	The history of research
3.	Iberian Celts: literary sources, linguistics and archaeology
3.1.	Written Graeco-Roman sources
3.1.1.	The Celtiberians
3.1.2.	The Celtici in the southwest
3.1.3.	The Celtici in the northwest
3.1.4.	The Gauls of the northeast
3.2.	Linguistic and epigraphic evidence
3.3.	Archaeological evidence
4.	The genesis of "Celtic"
4.1.	Ethnogenesis and archaeology: the case of the Celtiberians
4.2.	Looking back: The origin of the Celtiberians and the 'proto-Celtic' culture
5.	The Iberian Celts: a multidisciplinary interpretation
6.	"Celtic" archaeological groups
6.1.	The Celtiberian group
6.2.	The Vetton group
6.3.	The Vaccean group
6.4.	The Castro Culture in northwestern Iberia
6.5.	The Astures and the Cantabri
6.6.	Celts in the southwest
7.	The Iberian Celts from a European perspective
Endnotes
Bibliography