HIST 330A The Celtic World: People and Mythology
This course will examine the history, literature, art, and archeology of the people known as the Celts. We will look at the evidence for and against the concept of a "Celtic" civilization in classical times, and we will trace the distinctive history of the so-called "Celtic Fringe" in the British Isles: Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. We will also study the rediscovery (or invention) of the Celts in modern times, focusing on the Gaelic Revival in Ireland and recent nationalist movements in Scotland, Wales, Brittany, and Galicia. Throughout, we will analyze the fascinating relationship between the "facts" of the historical record and the cultural and political impact of the concept of the "Celtic"