What comes to mind when you hear the word “Celtic”? Knotwork designs, harp melodies, perhaps a certain NBA team? What about ancient civilizations who bumped elbows with the Greeks and Romans? While popular views of Celtic art and culture tend to privilege the medieval period in what is now Ireland and Scotland, the history of the populations who have traditionally been called Celts is far more expansive, reaching back to antiquity and covering a large swath of central and western Europe. Celtic Art Across the Ages tells the sweeping story of the creativity and artistic legacies of these peoples. 

This comprehensive volume begins in the first millennium BCE, when elaborate personal ornaments, arms and armor, horse gear, chariots, and feasting wares were buried at sites since brought to light by archaeological excavations spanning the European continent. As the essays take us through the medieval period and beyond, readers will be treated to a material record as diverse as the populations encompassed by the elusive label “Celtic”: carefully crafted objects made of metals, glass, terracotta, and wood; rare examples of ancient textiles; manuscripts; and coins. The volume also addresses significant instances of reception, reinterpretation, and revival in the modern era. It will be an invaluable resource not only for students seeking a broad introduction to Celtic art, but also for general readers seeking an accessible volume exploring this seemingly familiar yet complex area of art history. 

The related exhibition, Celtic Art Across the Ages, is on view at the Harvard Art Museums from March 6 through August 2, 2026. 

Susanne Ebbinghaus is the George M.A. Hanfmann Curator of Ancient Art and Head of the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at the Harvard Art Museums.

With contributions by Franck Abert, Sophia Adams, Bettina Arnold, Kathryn Brush, Kimberly Cassibry, Michael Dietler, Christian Dupont, Susanne Ebbinghaus, Astrid Fendt, Ana Franjić, Martin Goldberg, Gloria Polizzotti Greis, Karina Grömer, Vanessa Haussener, Veronika Holzer, Thomas Hoppe, Fraser Hunter, Marina Kliger, Rachel Love, Laure Marest, Catherine McKenna, Nancy Netzer, Laurent Olivier, Sean Rainbird, Matthew Rogan, Maeve Sikora, Adrian Stähli, Georg Tiefengraber, and Katharina Ulmschneider.