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This investigation into Silurian identity over time and the wider academic debates surrounding the multiple estate and Celticity consists of an introduction, four chapters and study conclusion supported by appendices. The study places emphasis on patterns of long-term cultural continuity and their relationship with Gwent. These are drawn from a variety of sources derived from material culture, other evidence of land management strategies, the comments of Classical authors, later medieval documents and secondary interpretations over time to the present. Whether certain ancient British communities could be termed Celtic or not has been an ongoing debate since data appeared which challenged older interpretations from at least the 1950s onwards. The literature demonstrates that British Iron Age and early medieval studies continually redefines itself as new evidence emerges. This study is related to this debate as it attempts to determine if Gwent could be considered Celtic or not, and one consequence of ongoing discussion means that subsequent studies of this period must engage with this question. The data provided by earlier research suggests that defining Gwent as Celtic is possible, and that its landscape was managed through multiple estates provides a starting point. However, when combined with newer evidence and analysis, a picture of Siluria and the Silures from the earliest Iron Age until the coming of the Normans emerges which suggests, with caveats that both should probably be considered so.

Evidence relating to the use and veneration of the human head in a religious context is found repeatedly in the archaeological record and folklore of the British Isles. This has been documented from the earliest period, and manifests itself throughout prehistory and recent history in a variety of forms, from human skulls used as talismans to carved stone heads produced as part of a folk tradition of long standing. Until recently, much of the literature relating to the head as a sacred symbol has been produced from the perspective of Celtic studies, the material being interpreted as evidence for the existence of a "Celtic cult of the head" with roots in the pagan Iron Age. It has been claimed that this cult left an indelible mark both upon the archaeological record and the popular consciousness of later peoples, which has survived in superstition and folklore. This study aims to examine the evidence from archaeology, documentary sources and the folk tradition from outside the confines of the Celtic viewpoint, and to discuss the relationships between the different forms of material through a series of case studies. A cross-disciplinary approach is adopted as a method of interpreting this material using approaches from the viewpoints of both folklore and archaeology. Existing sources are complemented by original fieldwork, incorporating material collected from a wide range of continuing traditions surrounding the use of carved human heads and skulls. These were used for a variety of protective and luck-bringing purposes within living memory, many of them having been overlooked by previous studies. This study demonstrates the importance of integrating evidence from both archaeological and folkloric contexts as a method of understanding and interpreting ritual and religion from the past.

The Romans were known for taking technology and advancements from other peoples they encountered and making them their own. This pattern holds true in military affairs; indeed, little of the Roman military was indigenously developed. This dissertation looks at the origins of the Roman's mainline weapons systems from the beginning of Roman Republic expansion in the fourth century BC to the abandonment of Western-style armaments in favor of Eastern style ones beginning in the late-third century AD. This dissertation determines that the Romans during that time relied predominately on the Celtic peoples of Europe for the majority of their military equipment. One arrives at this conclusion by examining at the origins of the major weapons groups: armor, shields, spears, swords, and missile weapons. This determination is based on the use of ancient written sources, artistic sources, and archaeological sources. It also uses the large body of modern scholarship on the individual weapons. The goal is to produce a unified work that addresses the origins of all weapons in order to see if there is an overarching impact on the Roman military from outside cultures. When one studies whence the weapons that ended up in Romans hands originated, a decided Celtic influence is easily found. That does not mean the Romans did not advance those weapons. The Romans proved very adroit at improving upon the basic designs of others and modifying them into new forms that met new needs. The Romans just did not develop their own technology very often. As a result, the Celts will exert a strong impact on the Roman military culture as it develops from 400 BC until it is overtaken by Eastern influences in the late 200s AD.

The current trend of multi-religious observance can be traced to various root sources. In particular, the advocacy of Christianity and another religious tradition is particularly strong within Neo-Pagan circles. Through historical investigation, as well as response to the writings of Dr. Gus DiZerega, a prominent Neo-Pagan proponent, these connection will be made. It will be posited that the core of modern neo-pagan belief and perhaps that of modern Celtic Christianity are found in similar traditions. This study, while not exhaustive is a beginning to a fruitful conversation between Christians and Neo-Pagans. It also provides a bridge to see that there is difference between the two.