IRON AGE CELTIC ART AS THE RELIGIOUS METANARRATIVE VISUALIZATION

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to reveal to which extent the Iron Age Celtic art visualized the metanarrative of the Celtic religion. The methodology is based on the applying of structural and semiotic approaches to the symbols and representations of the Celtic art, which are viewed as components of much more complicated system: the religious and mythological beliefs of the Iron Age Celts. Scientific novelty. The author puts forward an idea that the Early La Tène, Waldalgesheim and Plastic art styles were closely connected to the Celtic beliefs in the afterlife and supranatural powers. Conclusions. The La Tène decorated weapons, drinking vessels and personal ornaments were produced by the artisans who were closely connected to the priesthood. Such artifacts were used as apothropei in the highly ritualized spheres of social life such as war, banquet and burial rite. The author notes that the decline of the Plastic art style was simultaneous with the transformations of the Celtic burial rite which caused the disappearance of the burials during the late La Tène period.

Keywords

• iron age celts
• la tène culture
• plastic style
• religious beliefs
• shamanism
• burial rite