A Spotlight on Celtic Art in Antiquity

Intricate ornament and shifting shapes are well-known from late works of Celtic art, such as the early medieval Lindisfarne Gospels and the Book of Kells. Yet elements of this style first emerged in antiquity beginning in the fifth century BCE. In the many regions of Europe where Celtic languages were once spoken, ancient craftspeople created an evolving aesthetic that played out on exquisite jewelry, ceremonial weaponry, and ornate vessels. This early phase of what is conventionally called Celtic art is often marginalized, especially in the United States, where it remains firmly in the shadow of Greek and Roman art and largely absent from scholarship, curricula, museums, and popular imagination.

Focusing on the period between 500 BCE and 500 CE, we seek papers that explore new approaches to the aesthetics of early Celtic art, its portable objects, transregional ties, and responses to encroaching Roman imperialism. We also invite presentations on new findings from recent excavations. Especially welcome are talks that offer solutions to incorporating ancient Celtic art into public debates about antiquities and their afterlives. The panel complements a Harvard Art Museums exhibit scheduled to open in early March 2026. “Celtic Art Across the Ages” will be the first major exhibition on this topic to take place in the United States, and our panel aims to seize this moment to forge new connections with colleagues and to develop new frameworks for interpreting art rarely seen outside of Europe.