Purpose

In 1991, at the Palazzo Grazzi in Venice, the most important, complex and original exhibition of the Celts took place.

Organized by the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, the Instuit de France, and the Palazzo Grassi, “The Celts: The Origins of Europe”, included over 2200 works from 200 museums* in 24 nations in conjunction with the contributions from 100 plus scholars.

After discovering the ancient Mediterranean worlds through the Phoenicians, it was hoped to discover the ancient European world through the Celts.

The EuroCeltic Institute will commemorate the 20th anniversary of “The Celts: The Origins of Europe”, through its own exhibition and conclave of “The Celts”, to be held in Cincinnati, USA on June 20, 2011.

The Institute’s mission is to honor and platform the scholars of all disciplines of the European Celtic History and to perpetuate the extraordinary work begun in Venice. Our goal is to create a virtual interactive “cyberplace”, open to all centers of learning and interested laypersons,under the guidance of recognized Celtic scholars.

The special edition book for the Venice meeting, I Celti (in Italian), under the patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, and the English version, “The Celts”, includes 1100 illustrations, of which 800 are in color. Although no longer in print, we hope to update and produce additional copies of both publications.

Scholarship and art have always needed patronage from entities and persons of goodwill to enlighten and pave the road for the pursuit of happiness and a better world. We seek the partnership of those in the broad communications arts who can bring the story of who the Celts are and from whence they came

Please take a moment to join the EuroCeltic Institute .

Who were the Celts?

The Celts were the dominate people and culture north of the Alps between the 6th and 1st Centuries BC. At their peak influence, the Celtic world stretched from Ireland to the Carpathians and Asia Minor, the ultimate personification of barbarism to their Greek and Roman neighbors.

The Celts possessed their own vital and highly original civilization, revealed in a rich profusion of ornamental decorative motifs on weapons and artifacts. They contributed greatly to the formation of Europe as their traditions continue in customs, names and crafts.

Their aggressive sallies to Delhi and the gates of Rome, their settlements from the Iberian Peninsula to the great Northern Planes, form just a few strands in a history stretching far and wide in both time and space. Evidence of the Celts’ sophistication (the Gallic calendar, the craftsmanship and metalwork admired by classical authorities) demonstrates with equal clarity the scale and importance of their contribution to European civilization.





*Lists of museums, nations, scholars, committees, academies, scientific patronage, commissions, editors, designers, translators, researchers, organizers, etc. at the Palazzo Grazzi Exhibition are available upon request.