KELTËT NË DARDANI
THE CELTS IN DARDANIA

COMPARISON OF HISTORICAL AND ARCHAEOLOGICAL SOURCES

Summary/Abstract: This article discusses historical sources more than archaeological sources, related to the cultural interactions between Dardanians and Celtic communities as newcomers in the north of Dardania. The Bërnica culture (Urnfield culture) and after that from VIth century B.C. the exchanges of amber objects of Baltic origin, is considered as evidence of the contacts of the Dardanians with the Celtic peoples. Celtic communities are considered the Scordisces, a new community in the Balkans, characterised in the ancient sources as newcomers, installed among the Illyrians and Thracians, which led to the construction of new collective identities. In the political history of Dardania, Celtic people are present as opponents in wars or as ally, from IVth century B.C. until the conquest of Dardania by Roman Empire. In one case they may have been invited in the region in order to fight Dardians, which will initiate attention of Roman Senate. Otherwise archaeological data are not yet ready to complete the puzzle of the Celtic peoples and their role in Dardania, as it seems they never penetrated the inland territory of Dardanians.

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