“Symbolic power” – “Symbol power”: Celtic “early style” and its ritual, cultic, and identity-forming significance

At the beginning of the La Tène period, a variety of social and administrative changes can be detected within the Celtic society, as well as profound novelties in the ritual and cult of the dead. Numerous archaeological finds from this period can be taken as evidence. For instance, deviating from the previous Hallstatt period, ceramic loses its value as a symbol and ornament carrier. Metal objects such as weapons, jewellery, and vessels start being endowed with new symbolic values and therefore being shaped in different ornamental ways. Celtic artisans from the 5th Century BC crafted complex plant ornaments and with the aid of compasses they were able to shape even the most elaborate patterns. Furthermore, they created bizarre masks and grotesque grimaces. This occurred as a defining element of the figurative decoration. This art style was first described in 1944 by Paul Jacobsthal as the “early style” and lasted into the early decades of the 4th Century BC.
The temporal focus is on the transition from the Late Hallstatt period to the early La Tène. Using stylistic, spatial, and temporal comparisons, I wish to achieve a better understanding of the religious and cultic imagery of the Celts. The overall aim is to closely examine the self-presentation of Celtic identity with special regard to their elites.