(AGI) London, Oct 12 - The Celts and ancient Romans are thefocus of an exhibition at the British Museum, which runs untilJan. 31. It celebrates the history, art and identity of theCeltic populations of central and northern Europe. These peopledid not share the same genetic heritage, but they were similarin the way they perceived and experienced the world. Theexhibition curators described this as "absolutely notMediterranean". The exhibition "Celts: art and identity", whichwas organised by the British Museum and the National Museum ofScotland, reconstructs hundreds of centuries of conquests,culture and, above all, a spirit that still thrives today inliterary and artistic works. It also celebrates the Romancivilisation and the slow, and often painful, marriage ofinterests between ancient Romans and the Celts. During thefirst centuries after Christ, to be a Roman in Londinium wasvery different from being a Roman in Rome in terms of identity,lifestyle, clothing and customs. The exhibition draws acomparison between a bracelet found in Scotland and one foundin Pompeii: they are both shaped as a coiled-up snake but thetaste and crafting of the bracelet found at the foothills ofVesuvius was completely different from those found at anarchaeological site in the Scottish Highlands. Many of thearchaeological objects found in Great Britain show that theCelts mingled with the Roman invaders during the firstcenturies after Christ, giving rise to a symbolism that wouldcontinue for several centuries. It was then forgotten andrediscovered only after the Renaissance. This marked thecomeback of the Celtic world at the end of the 18th Century,giving the "Keltoi", as the ancient Greeks called them, arenewed historic and cultural relevance. The exhibitionalso explores the current Celtic nature of Wales, Scotland,Ireland, the Isle of Man and the French region of Brittany. Italso looks at the identity of emigrants to the United States,where Boston and other cities have a large number of people whoare very similar to the ancient populations of northern Europe.Maps show Celtic populations also lived between Italy's PoValley, in the north, and the northern coastline of the Marcheregion. The exhibition, the first on Celts at the BritishMuseum for more than 40 years, will move to the National Museumof Scotland in Edinburgh from March to September 2016. (AGI) . .