by Jean-Pierre Chaumeil

Since 1971, Jean-Pierre CHAUMEIL, a French ethnologist, has spent several periods in the Peruvian Amazon, especially among the Yagua of the northeastern region, with whom he lived for more than three years together with his wife. His primary interest is the comparative study of shamanism and, more generally, everything surrounding the new forms of religiosity in the Amazon. He is the author of several books, among them “Voir, savoir, pouvoir” (Ed. de l’EHESS, Paris, 1983) and “Ñihamwo” (CAAAP, Lima, 1987). A research officer at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), he belongs to its Amerindian Anthropology Research Team (France).

The Celtic people originated in the Eurasian steppes some 3,000 years ago and spoke an Indo-European language. During the 6th century BCE, the Celts reached Galicia and Portugal, later penetrating Navarre and Aragon. The Celtic people never formed an empire, but established themselves in confederations of tribes. Their civilization flourished between the 4th and 3rd centuries BCE.