The people Before the celts

When people talk about early ethnic groups from Europe – generally before the Roman Empire – the Celts are the first ones to come to mind. But indeed, some people lived long before the Celts. One of the most well-known clans was the Hallstatt Culture (bonus point for whoever knows how to pronounce it). They were metal-working people mainly dwelling in central Europe and were seen by many as the for-father of the "La Tene" culture, part of the greater Celt collective. Although they lived in the early Iron Age, from 800 BC to 450 BC, they mixed up with the Urnfield culture, which existed in the Late Bronze Age between 1300 BC and 800 BC. After all, we are talking about people who lived around 3000 years ago, so things are bound to be mixed up as we try to decipher history this far back.

Another significant ethnic group that inhabited Europe before the rise of the celts was the Unetice. They lived between 2300 and 1680 BC in Eastern Europe – mainly in the region that is now the modern Czech Republic, but traces of them were also found in Poland, Slovakia and Germany. They generally descend from two groups named the Corded Ware Culture and the Beaker culture. Yes, I know not as peculiar as La Tene or Urnfield. Both names came from the fact that both cultures were very good at making corded ornaments and beakers. However, cultures from those times tend to get the short end of the straw when it comes to naming, as we don't know much about them due to a lack of sources. Another example of our lack of imagination when naming these ancient civilizations is the northern neighbour culture to the Corded Ware. They were known as the Battle Axe Culture - and guess what!? They were good at making axes!