The Imaginative, technologically brilliant, but reputedly disorganized Celts were one of the great founding people of Europe. However, their lack of written records [ED: Were against their religion] has meant that their prevailing image comes from Ancient Greek or Roman obsrvers who were not kindly inclined toward them...
The one-sided picture of the barbaric, uncivilised and compulsively warlike Celts left by the Ancient Greeks and Romans failed to note what archeology later discovered; artifacts which showed that the Celts were intelligent, complex and wealthy people, whose art and technical skills were unsurpassed in prehistoric Europe.
The Celts were energetic traders, bartering salt, furs and gold for wine, oil, mirrors and luxury pottery with the Mediterranean peoples of southern Europe. They were establishing contact with the Greek colonies of the western Mediterranean as early as 600 BC, and their customers soon found that Celtic goods were worth acquiring. [ED: maybe they learned something about "international" business from the Assyrians.]
Trade made the Celts rich. ... wealth of gold and bronze objects ... many luxury items ... Their long, double-edged iron swords were decorated in Etruscan style or were taken from their links with southern Russia.
Celtic society was based on clans and blood ties [Ed: aka separate Tribes] with powerful princes and prosperous, outward-looking settlements which were frequently established on well-defended hilltops where strong forts were constructed.
The aristocracy was a warrior aristocracy. ... life was based on a patriarch in which households consisted of a man, his wives and their children and grandchildren.
Basically, the Celts were a farming society so that ownership of land, [ED: Ukraine, France, Holland, Denmark, England, Etc.] vested in their kin, was important to them. Mixed farming was the foundation of the economy. ... horses acquired great importance in Celtic life ... Caesar wrote of the great passion Celts felt towards them.
Druidism was established in Gaul ... around 100 BC. Druids taught that the human soul was immortal and subject to reincarnation. It was not a monotheistic religion, for the Celts had many Gods... Celtic gods and goddesses feature in many myths. One of the most powerful tells of the invasion of Ireland by Tuatha Da' Dannann, the People of the Goddess Danu [ED: named after the tribe of Dan?]
...the celts were warlike ... they were physically built for it .. generally tall and muscular.
...spread of Celts across Europe was probably achieved through a serious of aggressions...
...a great migration of Celtic tribes took place around 400 BC.. [ED: they were still in tribes. Had apparently not assimilated even among themselves.]
...Celtic warfare became virtually synonymous with fighting from chariots...
... some evidence the Celts fought naked and ... beheaded their enemies. No wonder even the Roman army feared them... [ED: Even though it usually kicked their heinies.]...
Potential beheading is a powerful motivator not to lose, even if your opponent is disorganized.