Celtic Life In Liechtenstein

What we know about the Celts come from other nations as the Celts had no written language. The Romans recorded most of what is known. They met the Celts in battle as they pushed over the Alps to conquer the northern lands.

The Celts were very tall (as compared to Romans and other people in Europe at that time), muscular, with thick shaggy light colored hair. Some wore flowing moustaches and sometimes beards. To those the Celts faced in battle, they looked like wild demons of the woods. Their habit of sometimes of fighting in the nude did nothing to change this impression. When they did dress, they wore brightly colored, embroidered shirts, trousers called and cloaks fastened at the shoulder with a brooch. They wore ferocious looking bronze helmets with figures on them and even horns. This strange headgear made them look like giants. Others wore breast-armor made out of chains. As they charged into battle, they shouted in deep, harsh voices, beat their swords rhythmically against huge shields while hours brayed with terrifying noise. They fought more as individuals then as a coordinated army. Thus they were unable to resist the well-trained Romans. Thought the Celtic warrior was brave and courageous, they were also reckless, impatient and easily discouraged. They frequently fought each other in combat to the death over the slightest reason or slight.

Both men and woman loved decoration and ornament, collecting gold and using it for decoration. They wear bracelets on the wrists and arms, solid gold necklaces, expensive rings and even gold corsets or body armor on the chest. One of the most important ornaments was the torc. It was a bronze or gold neck ring made by twisting the metal in a ring until the ends nearly met. This allowed them to easily put on and take off the torc.

Their daily fare consisted of milk, bread, and meat, boiled in a cauldron or roasted on a spit, and sometimes fish. Fish was sometimes baked with salt and vinegar. They had milk in abundance but did not make cheese. Though they ate voraciously, they did follow a certain etiquette and even often displayed good habits. They extend hospitality to strangers without questioning them until they had eaten their fill. Bards sang the praises of the Celtic chiefs and heroes at banquets and assemblies. The Celts were well known for their ability of to drink great quantities of liquor. Their favorite drink was beer made from wheat and prepared with honey.

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