form of Celtic language. The Celtsemerged from this lineage at some point between 1200 to 700 BC. The traditional Celts were a result of a mixtureof many bloodlines from cultures during that period, ultimately arising from the interbreeding and mingling of of avariety of existing cultures and spiritual practices, eventually developing into the Celtic culture as it is knowntoday. The era from the seventh century BC onwards is known as the Halstatt period, named after a village inAustria where Celtic salt and iron mines were found during the early part of the twentieth century. It is theHalstatt era which is credited with the formation of a separate and distinct Celtic culture (Lavin, 1999).It was the Beaker People who initially developed and carried with them their distinct tool traditions thatwould come to characterize the Celtic Culture. They were very skilled in working bronze, a malleable yet strongmetal made by the combination of copper and tin. This led to the development of a variety of tools, such as theox-drawn plough, which allowed for more sophisticated and efficient methods of cultivation, which in turn led tothe dramatic increase of populations throughout Europe. Within Europe, there was an elaborate trading system in metals, and bronze was traded to countries, suchas Scandinavia, or even as far away as the Orient, in exchange for gold, amber, and beads. The bronze tooltradition continued until about the last century before Christ, especially in northern Europe, people had begun todiscover the wonders of a new, stronger and more durable metal; iron. Iron is thought to have been implementedin Celtic cultures through a series of invasions by a people whose identity still remains ambiguous, but are to havethought to have originated as far away as Austria and Switzerland (Blundell, 1999). Celtic technicians were extremely innovative in their developments, and greatly increased the quality oflife for the Celtic peoples....
