Archaeological interest in the Celtic art tradition of the British Isles and Continental Europe has, over the past 150 years, produced a formidable assemblage of richly ornate artefacts. Many of these objects reflect the wealth and aesthetic nature of the Iron Age and the hierarchical clan societies that emerged from the Late Bronze Age. Clearly, metal working, in particular, was considered a high-status craft occupation; moreover, such a craft specialisation may have influenced the social, economic and political infrastructure of this period. However, despite the wealth of artefacts, there is still much discussion and debate on the narratives that underpin much of this artistic endeavour. There is also debate concerning origin and influence.
It is becoming increasingly clear that archaeology alone cannot provide answers to fundamental issues concerning design intentionality and meaning. It is therefore fitting that this volume extends beyond the sometimes speculative nature of, say, using analogy in order to deconstruct art; a trait that is all too often used to explain a critical pathway between sites and geographic-spaced traditions. Saying this, however, neither I nor anyone else can dismiss the widespread contact and exchange networks that were present in Europe at this time. It is also fitting that this book is dedicated to Professor Vincent Megaw, one of our leading specialists in prehistoric art (readers of a certain age will remember Megaw and Simpson’s Introduction to British Prehistory (Megaw and Simpson Reference Megaw and Simpson1979), an essential tool for all archaeology undergraduates at that time).
This large, handsome volume collates thirty-seven papers from seasoned academics dealing with Celtic art in a European context, focusing entirely on portable art. In many respects the book’s appeal will extend beyond the European Iron Age, with much of the critique focusing on more general themes such as technology, distribution and design concepts. According to the publisher’s publicity statement, this volume is a benchmark, rivalled only by Paul Jacobsthal’s Early Celtic Art (Jacobsthal Reference Jacobsthal1944). True, but I should point out that since the 1940s many volumes have been published that specifically focus on artistic endeavour from particular sites. I will argue that much of the debate covered in Celtic Art in Europe relies on the dedicated scholarship of these past volumes that explore the meaning behind this sometimes enigmatic art tradition (eg Megaw and Megaw Reference Megaw and Megaw2001).
The contents of the book are varied in topic, covering a multitude of themes and geographic locations. The all-important introduction, written by the editors, informs the reader of a dynamic European-wide art tradition which has its origins in the Alpine regions of central–western Europe. Although the book is aimed towards an English-speaking audience, the editors have thoughtfully included several chapters written in German and French, making this a truly European-wide volume.
Of particular interest to the reviewer is Chapter Six by Jennifer Foster, who tackles the complexity of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic images that are discretely hidden on horse furnishings; Chapters Seven and Eight, by Mitja Guštin and Mariana Egri respectively, discuss the role of human masks and anthropomorphic ornamentation on masks from the Danubian kantharoi (drinking cups); Chapter Nine, by Fernando Quesada Sanz, provides discussion on head-decapitation images on swords from the Iberian peninsula; Chapter Nineteen, by Aurel Rustoiu, focuses on stamped La Tène pottery from the cemetery at Fântânele-Dealul Popii in Transylvania, Romania; Chapter Thirty-one, by Andrew Fitzpatrick and Martin Schönfelder, deconstructs an Iron Age leaf crown helmet from Lincolnshire, and in Chapter Thirty-six, Stephen Briggs discusses the Torrs Chamfrein. In addition, several chapters provide the reader with theoretical perspectives on Celtic art, in particular Chapter Twelve, by Flemming Kaul, and Chapter Thirty-five, a discussion on the metalworking tradition of north-east Scotland by Fraser Hunter.
The thirty-seven chapters collectively represent a large volume of work and will, for many years to come, be an essential tool for those researching art history and, in particular, the mechanisms and intricacies of Celtic art forms and their associated technologies and theoretical attachments. The only issue is the disjointed nature of the ordering of the chapters, a difficult problem in a volume of this size. Nevertheless, the standard of research from all papers is extremely high and, as stated previously, they cover a wide remit: from horse furnishings (eg Chapter Six), stamped ceramics (eg Chapters Nineteen and Twenty) and ornamental weaponry (eg Chapter Twenty-five) to Late Hallstatt and Early La Tène gold and silver beadwork (Chapter Eighteen).
When reading though the volume, the reader will notice the significant contributions that have been made by Ruth and Vincent Megaw (in particular, see the dedicatory Chapters Twenty-nine and Thirty-seven by Boris Kavur and Martina Blečić Kavur, and Mansel Spratling respectively). This book, then, is a fitting tribute to the Megaws, who have spent a lifetime exploring the very essence of what the Iron Age and its material cultural was all about.
