For those wishing to explore the history, culture, and spirituality of the Gauls more deeply, our recommended reading list provides a curated selection of books and resources. Each work offers insights into different aspects of Gaulish life—from tribal structures and daily practices to religion, mythology, and interactions with Rome.
This list is designed for all levels of interest: whether you are a newcomer curious about Gaulish traditions, a practitioner seeking inspiration for your spiritual path, or a scholar looking for academic sources. Many entries include links so you can access or acquire the books directly, making your journey into Gaulish studies both easy and rewarding.
By exploring these resources, readers can gain a richer understanding of the Gaulish world, connect with ancient traditions, and deepen your appreciation for the enduring legacy of Gaulish culture.
Miranda Aldhouse-Green
Miranda Aldhouse-Green is a leading scholar of Celtic archaeology and religion, with a particular focus on the Gauls and their spiritual practices. Her research explores funerary customs, rituals, and material culture, providing deep insight into how the Gauls understood life, death, and the sacred. She has authored numerous influential books, including studies on Gaulish deities, the role of the Druids, and Celtic society, making her work an essential reference for anyone studying Gaulish history or spirituality.
- Celtic Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends
- Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend
- The Gods of the Celts
- The Celtic World
- Celtic Goddesses: Warriors, Virgins, and Mothers
- Sacred Britannia: Gods and Rituals in Roman Britain from Caesar to Constantine
- Exploring the World of the Druids
- Animals in Celtic Life and Myth
- Celtic Art: Symbols and Imagery
- Caesar’s Druids: An Ancient Priesthood
- Symbol and Image in Celtic Religious Art
Jean-Louis Brunaux
Jean-Louis Brunaux is a prominent French historian and archaeologist specializing in ancient Gaul. His research focuses on Gallic society, warfare, and interactions with Rome, providing detailed insights into the lives of the Gauls from material culture to historical accounts. Brunaux is particularly known for his studies on Gallic battles, military organization, and the influence of Roman conquest, making his work an essential resource for understanding both the history and the culture of Gaul.
- The Celtic Gauls: Gods, Rites and Sanctuaries
- The Gauls, truths and legends
- Vercingetorix (Biographies)
- Les Gaulois
- Les Religions gauloises
- Les Druides : Des philosophes chez les barbares
Michael J. Enright
Michael J. Enright is a scholar specializing in Celtic mythology and ancient European literature, with a particular focus on early Irish and Gaulish traditions. His research explores myth, legend, and literary sources to illuminate the beliefs, narratives, and cultural practices of the Celtic peoples. Enright’s work is widely cited for its analysis of Celtic cosmology, heroic tales, and connections between myth and historical context, making it a valuable resource for anyone studying Gaulish or broader Celtic spirituality and culture.
H.R. Ellis Davidson
Hilda R. Ellis Davidson (1914–2006) was a British historian and scholar specializing in Norse mythology, Germanic and Celtic religion, and early medieval culture. Her work explores the beliefs, rituals, and material culture of early European societies, with a particular focus on mythology, magic, and death practices. Davidson’s research is highly respected for its clarity, depth, and ability to connect archaeological evidence with literary sources, making her books accessible to both scholars and general readers interested in ancient European spirituality.
Barry Cunliffe
Sir Barry Cunliffe is a British archaeologist and scholar specializing in European Iron Age archaeology, Celtic studies, and early European societies. He has conducted extensive excavations across Europe, including major sites in Britain, France, and Spain. Cunliffe’s work explores the social, economic, and cultural life of Iron Age and Celtic communities, emphasizing trade, migration, and interaction with the Roman world. His research combines archaeological evidence with historical and ethnographic interpretation, making him one of the foremost authorities on ancient Celtic Europe.
- The Ancient Celts
- Europe Between the Oceans: 9000 BC-AD 1000
- The Celts: A Very Short Introduction
- The Oxford Illustrated History of Prehistoric Europe
Bettina Arnold
Bettina Arnold is an American archaeologist specializing in Iron Age Europe, particularly Celtic and La Tène cultures, with a focus on settlement archaeology, social structure, and cultural practices. She has conducted extensive fieldwork in Central and Eastern Europe, examining fortified settlements, urbanization, and the development of early Celtic societies. Arnold’s research integrates archaeological evidence with broader historical and cultural analysis, shedding light on the daily lives, social hierarchies, and rituals of Iron Age communities.
- Celtic Chiefdom, Celtic State: The Evolution of Complex Social Systems in Prehistoric Europe
- Intersectionality and Iron Age mortuary practices
- Landscapes of Ancestors: Early Iron Age Hillforts and Their Mound Cemeteries
- Drinking the Feast: Alcohol and the Legitimation of Power in Celtic Europe
Jean Markale
Jean Markale was a French writer, poet, and scholar best known for his extensive works on Celtic mythology, Arthurian legend, and pre-Christian spirituality. Although not an archaeologist or historian in the strict academic sense, Markale’s writings blend mythological study, folklore, and esoteric interpretation, making him one of the most influential popularizers of Celtic mysticism in the 20th century.
- The Celts: Uncovering the Mythic and Historic Origins of Western Culture
- Women of the Celts
- The Druids: Celtic Priests of Nature
Anne Ross
Anne Ross was a Scottish archaeologist and Celtic scholar, widely regarded as one of the foremost experts on Celtic religion and iconography. Her approach combined archaeological evidence with ancient literary sources (such as Caesar, Lucan, and Strabo), helping reconstruct the worldview of the ancient Celts with both academic rigor and spiritual sensitivity.
- Pagan Celtic Britain
- Druids: Preachers of Immortality
- The Life and Death of a Druid Prince
- Everyday Life of the Pagan Celts
Philip Freeman
Philip Freeman is an American classicist and Celtic scholar known for making the ancient world—especially Celtic and Greco-Roman history—accessible to modern readers. His work bridges rigorous academic research with clear, engaging storytelling, making him a frequent recommendation for those beginning to explore Gaulish, Celtic, and Druidic traditions in their historical context.
- War, Women, and Druids: Eyewitness Reports and Early Accounts of the Ancient Celts
- The Philosopher and the Druids: A Journey Among the Ancient Celts
- The Galatian Language: A Comprehensive Survey of the Language of the Ancient Celts in Greco-Roman Asia Minor
- Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes
Alexei Kondratiev
Alexei Kondratiev was a linguist, Celtic scholar, and modern Pagan author whose work deeply influenced contemporary understandings of Celtic spirituality. Fluent in numerous languages—including several Celtic tongues—he combined linguistic precision with spiritual insight, making him one of the most respected voices in modern Celtic reconstruction and scholarship. Kondratiev taught Celtic languages and mythology in New York City and was an active participant in the Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan and Druidic communities. His approach emphasized authenticity, respect for sources, and the living continuity of tradition, bridging the gap between academia and spirituality.
Teresa Cross
Was a Celtic scholar with decades of engagement in Celtic cultural and spiritual traditions. She has been active since at least the early 1980s and has participated in numerous Celtic cultural organisations. Her work focuses on the history, reconstruction, and spiritual practice of the Druids and the broader Celtic faith, including the Gaulish legacy. While her approach is more spiritual and reconstructive than strictly academic, her contributions offer a valuable bridge between scholarship and living Celtic/Gaulish practice. She presents practical guides for ritual, community structure (such as the touta or tribal group), and sacred space (a nemeton) grounded in comparative mythology and what remains of Gaulish and Celtic sources.
Frantz Funck-Brentano
Frantz Funck-Brentano was a French historian and scholar who focused on the history of France, the monarchy, and ancient institutions. While not exclusively centered on Gaulish studies, his research into early French history provides context for understanding the transition from Gaulish tribes to Romanized Gaul and later medieval structures.
James MacKillop
James MacKillop is a respected scholar in Celtic studies, particularly known for his work on Celtic myth, legend, and literature. He has contributed significantly to the study of Celtic gods, heroes, and mythic narratives—making his work a valuable resource for anyone studying Gaulish or broader Celtic spirituality and cultural history.
Patricia Monaghan
She was an American poet, writer, and scholar who became a major figure in women’s spirituality, Celtic myth, and earth‑centered religion. Her work encompassed over 20 books covering mythology, goddess traditions, Celtic landscapes (especially Ireland), and meditation or spiritual practices. Her approach bridges mythic, poetic, and spiritual dimensions—making her work accessible and inspirational for readers interested in Celtic, Gaulish, or Earth‑centered traditions.
Garrett Olmsted
Garrett S. Olmsted is an American scholar whose work spans linguistics, archaeology, and Celtic/Gaulish studies. He has specializes in Iron‑Age archaeology of France and the British Isles, Celtic languages and epic literature, and in particular has written extensively on the Coligny Calendar and other Gaulish inscriptions.
- The Gods Of The Celts And The Indo Europeans
- A Definitive Reconstructed Text of the Coligny Calendar (Journal of Indo-European Studies Monograph, #39)
- The Gaulish calendar
Ceisiwr Serith
Ceisiwr Serith also known as David Fickett‑Wilbar is an American Pagan scholar, liturgist, and author deeply engaged with Indo‑European and Celtic/Gaulish ritual and spiritual practice. He has been active in the Pagan community since the 1970s and is a member of the druidic organization Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF). His work spans both the theoretical and the practical: he writes about the roots of ritual, Proto‑Indo‑European culture, and the translation of ancient forms into modern ceremony.
- Deep Ancestors: Practicing the Religion of the Proto-Indo-Europeans
- The Big Book of Pagan Prayer and Ritual
- Cernunnos: Looking a Different Way
Calvert Watkins
Calvert Watkins was a renowned American historical linguist and Celticist, best known for his work on Indo-European languages and the reconstruction of Proto-Indo-European (PIE). His research focused on the roots of the Celtic languages, including Gaulish, and the way ancient myths, poetry, and vocabulary illuminate linguistic and cultural development.
Bruce Lincoln
Bruce Lincoln is a distinguished scholar in the field of the history of religions, holding the position of Caroline E. Haskell Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago Divinity School. His work focuses broadly on Indo‑European religion, myth, ritual, and the sociopolitical dimensions of religious belief. Although Lincoln’s main focus is not exclusively Gaulish religion, his emphasis on ritual, myth, comparative Indo‑European themes, and the social embedding of religion makes his work highly relevant for anyone studying ancient Celtic or Gaulish spirituality. His critiques of broad “Indo‑European religion” models are especially helpful for practitioners and researchers who wish to approach Gaulish traditions with both rigor and nuance.
M.L. West
M. L. West was a British classical scholar and philologist renowned for his work on Greek literature, Indo‑European languages, and myth. Though his focus was primarily on Greek and broader Indo‑European traditions, his research is valuable for understanding Gaulish and Celtic cultures. His analyses of mythic themes, poetic forms, and linguistic structures provide tools for interpreting Gaulish inscriptions, deity names, and ritual practices.
Marija Gimbutas
She was a Lithuanian-American archaeologist and anthropologist best known for her groundbreaking research on prehistoric Europe. Her work focused on Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures, where she developed the theory of Old Europe—a peaceful, goddess-centered civilization that predated the Indo-European migrations. While not specifically focused on the Gauls, Gimbutas’ studies on Indo-European origins, symbolism, and ritual art provide valuable context for understanding early European spirituality and how Indo-European traditions may have influenced Celtic and Gaulish religion.
Gaulish Paganism 