In the beginning [Widescreen]

Episode number 1 of Series “The Celts”.
The first in a six part series that discusses the history and legends of the Celtic people of Early Europe through to the year 2000. This episode asks the questions as to what defines the Celts, both in myth and in genetics. The program opens with discussion of the origins of the Celts in central Europe, far from where they later settled, and examines their distinctive culture and rituals as evidenced in cave drawings, writings of other cultures and archaelogical findings. The tradition of sunworshipping, the movement westward as the weather changed and the gradual move to the iron age is discussed along with the changes in power structures, produce and cultural influences in the Celtic world as trade and thus riches increased. These elements are discussed with reference to archaelogical study while acknowledging the indefinate nature of the history of the Celtic people. The questions that arise as to how they got to Ireland, the area where the contemporary true Celts remain, are investigated with reference to conflicting theories about coastal migration patterns of the time or the ambiguous archaeological evidence which is featured in the area in order to illustrate some possibilities given the difficulty of tracing Celtic history. A study is also recorded in this program of the population in present day Celtic areas and their heritage through a genetic heritage testing project with local school children and a discussion of their family heritage. While the study is seen to shed an interesting light on tracing Celtic history through genetic means it also confirms and engages with the discussion in the rest of the program of the enigma that the Celts remain.