ABSTRACT
It is very difficult to explain the process by which Britain became Celtic. Some scholars believe in the theory of successive waves of Celtic settlers from Europe. Others see British ‘celticization’ as a gradual process, involving European influences and the adoption of Celtic techniques and customs rather than invasion, other than in a few very specific and limited instances, exemplified by the ‘Arras culture’ of north-east Britain (Collis 1984). The presence of British Celts and their influences can be traced by their settlements, metalwork and changes in technology. The most significant of these changes was the discovery, probably in the Near East, of the technique of smelting iron from its own ore and its forging into tools and weapons (see Chapter 17) (Collis 1984: 15, 24, 28–32). By the fourth century Bc, these techniques were well established in south-east Britain with the discovery of suitable ores from the limestone belt across Northamptonshire into Lincolnshire. This can be seen from the distribution of currency-bars which were used in trade-exchange (Allen 1967: 307–35, figs 1, 2). It has been assumed that these are the taleis ferreis mentioned by Caesar (De Bello Gallico v.12.4) as used by the Britons as ‘money’ (pro nummo). The Celts were great warriors and seized the opportunity to produce iron swords which, with tempering, became as fine as modern steel, well surpassing the earlier bronze weapons. They became master-craftsmen and even supplied the Roman army with its gladii and longer cavalry swords (spathae).
