The bronze age and the Celtic world - Universal History Library

THE
PREFACE
substance of the following pages was delivered in February last in a
series of six lectures at The University College of Wales, Aberystwyth. In
volume form the matter has been somewhat re-arranged and the latter part
expanded.
So many attempts have been made during the last century and a quarter to
locate the Aryan cradle and to trace the wanderings of the Wiros, that it may be
considered presumptuous for the author to venture on a further suggestion. He
can only plead that most of the previous attempts have been made by philologists,
usually with Uttle or no archaeological experience, while the discoveries of the last
quarter of a century have placed the inquirer to-day in a position which is vastly
superior to that of most of his predecessors. The evolution and distribution of the
leaf-shaped swords seem to provide a crucial test by which to gauge the value of previous
suggestions.
The author has felt that it would be for the convenience of the reader if he reduced
the footnotes at the bottom of the page to the smallest possible dimensions, while
describing each work quoted very fully in the bibliography at the end of the volume.
In many cases, where the subject matter does not form the basis of his argument and
the fact is not in dispute, he has thought that it would be more useful to quote a recent
and readily accessible volume, preferably in Enghsh, in which authorities are fully
cited, than to include all the original authorities in the notes and bibUography. This
appHes specially to Chapter II, and to some extent to those immediately following.
The author would like to take this opportunity of thanking his many friends,
who have so kindly placed their knowledge and experience at his disposal, especially
the Principal and other authorities of The University College of Wales, Aberystwyth,