The book by N. S. Shirokova, professor of the Faculty of History of St. Petersburg State University, is devoted to the study of the origins of the Celtic culture. Based on the analysis of ancient texts, the author proves that the so-called Nordic hypothesis of the origin of the Celts finds a number of serious confirmations, both in ancient sources and in materials obtained by archaeology. The book also provides a comparative analysis of Scandinavian and Celtic mythologies, which makes it possible, according to the author, to reconstruct a number of mythological ideas of the ancient Celts. Rich illustrative material and accessibility of presentation make the book attractive not only for specialists, but also for a wide range of readers interested in ancient history Europe. CONTENTS: IntroductionChapter I. Formation of the Nordic tradition. The Journey of Pytheas and the Discovery of Ultima Thule (Realistic Tradition of Thule). The idealizing tradition of antiquity about Ultima Thule. Ultima Thule and the Nordic tradition in European cultureChapter II. Northern version of the Celtic ancestral homeChapter III. Religion and mythology of the ancient Celts. 1. Druids and writing. 2. Theoretical approaches. 3. Sources. Mythical period (cosmogony and eschatology). 5. Space and time of Celtic mythology. 6. The Other World of the CeltsChapter IV. Religion and mythology of the ancient Celts (continued). The trinity of religious and mythological images among the ancient Celts. Animalistic motifs in Celtic religion and mythology. 3. The cult of the Mother Goddesses among the ancient Celts. 4. Male deities of the Celtic pantheonConclusionAppendices