In the tide of nationalism and revisionism which has marked the last century, our common European Celtic heritage has been systematically deconstructed, manipulated and denied. To balance this phenomenon, the BALKANCELTS organization presents the archaeological, numismatic, linguistic and historical facts pertaining to the Celts in Eastern Europe and Asia-Minor, within the context of the pan-European Celtic culture – a heritage which belongs to no nation, yet is common to all.
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ACADEMIA.EDU:
http://ucd-ie.academia.edu/BrendanMacGonagle
Balkan Celts 
Hello, I speak for the people of New Thrace, a revivalist community of Thracian culture and reenacment groups, could you help me with the celtic part of Thracian history?
We would be delighted to provide any information we can. If you have any specific questions you can contact Balkancelts at the following e-mail addresses:
Bc279@rocketmail.com
Bolgios@gmail.com
Other Roman historians tell us more of the Celts. Diodorus notes that: way they dress is astonishing: they wear brightly coloured and embroidered shirts, with trousers called
” bracae” .
Trousers = Bracae .
In roumanians language Trousers =Braci-nari
and ” to clothe” =IN-BRACA.
Great blog. Thank you for providing information about the Celtic culture in the Balkans which is scarce and largely forgotten. Blogs like these should remind people about their possible ancestry. Keep it up and greetings from Serbia!
Hi,
It is nice to (finally) see some real truth about this time in our history. Keep it up!
The Institute of Thracology should be defended from this foreign attacks. Alexander Fol was a great political and spiritual leader!
Thank you for your opinion, Mitko.
Really interesting info. I particularly liked the Scordisci Wars articles.
Really interesting stuff. Thanks.
This site is significantly improving people’s knowledge of Celtic Europe. Thanks.
Excellent site with some fascinating articles about a forgotten culture. We can learn many lessons from them. Thank you.
Hi! I am so delighted I found your blog. Really loved the ‘Birds of Prey’ article. Looking forward to more …
Thanks, very nice blog!
Some fascinating articles. Keep it up!
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First of all the Thracians are a lot more ancient than the Celts or Germanics
The Thracians are recorded by the Greeks being the allies of the Trojans
The Celts were mingled with the Thracians that’s why they probably spoke a similar language
influenced by Thracians
Strabo
Again, the appended phrase63 is testimony to this very view, because the poet connected with the Mysi the “Hippemolgi” and “Galactophagi” and “Abii,” who are indeed the wagon-dwelling Scythians and Sarmatians. For at the present time these tribes, as well as the Bastarnian tribes, are mingled with the Thracians (more indeed with those outside the Ister, but also with those inside). And mingled with them are also the Celtic tribes — the Boii, the Scordisci, and the Taurisci. However, the Scordisci are by some called “Scordistae”; and the Taurisci are called also “Ligurisci”64 and “Tauristae.”65
As for the Getae, then, their early history must be left untold, but that which pertains to our own times is about as follows: Boerebistas148 a Getan, on setting himself in authority over the tribe, restored the people, who had been reduced to an evil plight by numerous wars, and raised them to such a height through training, sobriety, and obedience to his commands 304that within only a few years he had established a great empire and subordinated to the Getae most of the neighbouring peoples. And he began to be formidable even to the Romans, because he would cross the Ister with impunity and plunder Thrace as far as Macedonia and the Illyrian country; and he not only laid waste the country of the Celti who were intermingled149 with the Thracians and the Illyrians, but actually caused the complete disappearance of the Boii150 who were under the rule of Critasirus,151 and also of the Taurisci.152
And your point is ?
G’day, i have just discovered your blog and i must say i love it! I am a macedonian from australia so celtic history in the balkans is very interesting to me. I would like to ask you a question, In ancient texts( cant rememeber which ones on the top of my head) the writer’s usually call thracians red head’s, ruddy hair etc. But we know that bulgarians and macedonians are predominatly brunnettes. Could bulgrarians and macedonians be of primarily celtic stock? with mixtures of slavic and very small mixtures of bulgar?
Hi Robert,
The whole genetic thing is not yet clear, but the latest info we have shows that Bulgarians have circa 28% Celtic genes, 40% Slavic, the rest being a mixture of Thracian and Greek. There is virtually no trace of the so-called Bulgars.
Bren, Just wanted to say I appreciate the work that is put into this blog, and I’m a constant reader.
Do you have any info on percentage of Celtic genes in Serbians ? If there is any.
Also what is your opinion on Celtic suffixes (endings) in modern day Serbian/Balkan towns and villages? Is that possible or just exaggeration ?
Thanks for your dedicated work!
Thank you for your support!
There have been no serious DNA studies from Serbia yet, but I expect it would be similar to Bulgaria, i.e. Celto-Slavic, except with a lower Thracian statistic and a significant Illyrian admixture in Serbia.
On the Balkans, Celtic topographic traces are mostly found in the root of the name, with the suffix generally being replaced by later Slavic ones (although there are some exceptions – see ‘Celtic Settlements in Northern Bulgaria’ article).
Thanks for the quick reply Bren, can you lead me to the source of the genetic study you mentioned? All the genetic studies that i have looked at say that the bulgarians and macedonians have less than 20% slavic genes and the rest mostly made up of indegenous balkan genes.
The info. I have is from sources in the BAN. Having said that, at the moment we should be very sceptical about genetic research. In order to link modern populations to ancient cultures we must first be 100% sure of the archaeological accuracy of the core samples. At the moment, especially on the Balkans, this is not the case.
Bren,
Reading this blog is always a thrill. All the work you put in it is greatly appreciated.
I write in regard that, in my opinion, the articles are largely focused on Bulgaria, and the presence of Celts on that territory. Why is the region of Serbia (fertile Pannonian plains / Syrmia) where the Celtic heritage is strong and the heart of the Scordisci nation supposedly was, so “neglected” in your blog ? I hope to read more about Celtic heritage and finds from Vojvodina (Syrmia). Again, keep it up and all the support from me!
Hi,
Appreciate your support. As you say, there has been an emphasis on the Bulgarian Celts up till now, although there have been a few articles on Serbia also. In the next few weeks there will be another article on the Scordisci in Serbia, specifically on eastern Syrmia.
Bren
Thanks for the reply, I’m looking forward to those articles!
Regards.
Hi Bren, do you know if the celtic peoples of south eastern europe had a different physical appearance eg. hair colour skin tone etc compared to their compatriots up north? Thanks
Hi Robert,
One of the features of Celtic settlement in the east is the symbiotic relationship and intermarriage with the ‘local’ populations – Scythians, Illyrians, Thracians etc., which would have gradually led to ethnic mixing and even the creation of new cultures – Thraco-Celtic, Daco-Celtic etc. The Celto-Scythian Bastarnae are a good example. In Galatia the Romans refer to them as Gallo-Greeks.
Just as i was beginning to admire the celts you go and shatter my illusion with the article “Samhain and the Plain of Blood”. Such babarity and stupidity!! Great info as always. Thanks.
Hi Robert,
We should remember that our sources on this are all written by christian monks, who had a tendency to ‘exaggerate’ when it came to pagan traditions.
In a way I understand Robert’s dislike of that article. I too have a strong repulsion when it comes to Celtic culture from Ireland or British isles. Somehow it feels it is crooked,differently evolved from original Celtic culture. I consider it a great injustice that the majority of the common people created the picture of the Celtic cultures from the Goidelic speaking “celtic peoples” from the British isles. Celtic crosses, leprechauns, Táin Bó Cúailnge, etc…
This blog was a great light in the dark, giving an easier access to the real, un-exaggerated history of the Europe’s Celtic tribes and cultures. I’d love if you’d keep British / Goidelic posts on minimum, and write more about Celts from Germany,France,Spain,Czech Republic, Serbia, and all others…
Keep it up,
A.
Thank you, gentlemen.
We have no intention of going down the ‘leprechaun road’. The site will continue to concentrate on the continental Celtic culture, and e. Europe in particular.
Hi A. Yes i agree with what you say. To me it seems that the celtic culture of the british isles is very different from mainland europe. They do seem very primitive and dare i say sinister, almost evil compared to the mainland celts. The beauty of the drees, srt, workmanship and music etc that the celts were renowned for certainly have been preserved in the balkans as anyone can attest to. Were as in the british isles they certainly have a very drab appearance.
Yeah,
I’m one of those scary bastards from Scotland.
Please don’t throw us into the “British Isles” category.
We are Celts and Picts and proud as..
As for the Anglo plonkers in England shire..
We’ll, they’ve never had culture.. Not even a drop of Cel-ture, and by all means.. Be as offensive as you like to that “lot”
Love your site. Really interesting articles on a fascinating culture.
Bradley
Great site!
Thanks, Arnie
Thank you, I’ve been looking for information on the subject of the Celts for ages, and yours is the best site I have came upon so far.
A wonderfully informative site! Well done to all involved.
Brilliant site!
I never there were Celts in the east before I found this site. Great info!
Just wanted to congratulate you on an excellent site. Amazing body of information on a fascinating culture. Great work.