Celts' Religious Beliefs
The Celts originated in the 1st century from much of western, central, Eastern Europe, and Asia Minor. “ The Celts were a group of tribes speaking Indo-European dialects. Armed with iron weapons and mounted on horses, they spread rapidly over Europe, crossing into the British Isles, moving S over France, Italy, and Spain, fighting the Macedonians, and penetrating into Asia Minor, where they raided Hellenistic centers,”( Columbia encyclopedia Online). Many of the Celts lived in the Western Europe, which was also the Normandy region. The Normandy is a small region in the north of France. In 1500 BC they spread to France, Portugal, Spain, and the British Isles. The Celtic tribe that dominated central Europe during the Iron Age was bound together by common speech, customs, religion, and culture. When looking at the Celtic religion, one must consider their different aspects and ceremonies of their religion.
The Celts took part in many religious festivals that included Imbolc, Beltaine, Lugansa, and Samhain. The Imbolc festival celebrated fertility and growth. . This celebration was held in February. The Beltaine, held in May, was associated with the fertility of cattle and crops, which honored the Druids. During the Beltaine, the Celtic tribes drove herds between bonfires to purify and protect themselves against the evil spirits. The third festival that the Celts took part in is known as the Lugansa. Lugansa honored the gods and the harvest. The Lugansa also known as the harvest festival, celebrated from mid July to mid August. (Pierce Online) Lastly, the Samhain is the start of the New Year. The Samhain in the present day is known as Halloween. “During this celebration the division between this world and the other world dissolved and the spirits roamed the earth” (Pierce Online). According to Druidism, the spirits of the deceased roamed the earth on Samhain evening (Encarta Online). The four festivals were similar to the seasons and the important transitions.
Furthermore, the animals held an important part in the religious beliefs of the Celts. For example, the hare thought to bring good fortune. “Swans in particular, if portrayed wearing gold or silver chains were supernatural, often Gods in bird form.” (Pierce Online) The Raven which were “ special favorites as messengers of the gods and their calls were considered prophetic.” (Pierce Online). The boar was perfect example, which illustrated the strength and power of the Celts. The fish symbolized clairvoyance and the serpent signified the divine wisdom.
In those days the average village in Western Europe celebrated at least 17 festivals annually, not counting family occasions and saints' days. Some festivals, such as Carnival, lasted several days or sometimes even several weeks. In the Netherlands Carnival started every year at the 11th of November (St. Martin) and culminated in a big festival of 'Dranck, pleijsier ende vrouwen' (Drink, fun and women) at the end of the Carnival period, preceding the period of Lent.
Why the Boudica Fought the Romans The History of the Celtic People The Iceni were a Celtic tribe which resided in Norfolk and Suffolk in the east of Britain. Boadicea was part of this noble and warlike people, the Keltoi or in Latin, Celtae. The Celts of the first century appear to be farmers, traders and crafts people. Frank Delaney 1989 quotes from Strabo writing in the first century saying “They wear ornaments of gold, torcs on their necks and bracelets on their arms and wrists, while people of high rank wear dyed garments besprinkled with gold.” He also quotes from
Samhain is probably the most celebrated and most controversial of the witch’s holidays. Samhain is sometimes referred to as “THE Great Sabbat” and perhaps the most important of the four High Holidays (Nichols, 1988). This holiday is known to many in the Wiccan world as the time of year when the veil between the physical world and the spiritual world is the thinnest. Laurie Cabot (1989) writes that originally Samhain was the Celtic feast of the dead and celebrated to honor the Aryan Lord of Death known as Samana. Over time, this celebration developed into festivals to celebrate the spirit world, rather than any one deity. It was also to mark the “ongoing cooperation between that world and our own of denser matter.” Offerings to ancestors is also an important Samhain tradition; in modern times it is to reflect on those who have passed and honoring any important aspect of their teaching, life, relationship, etc. However in ancient times, offerings were made with the belief that unhappy or disgruntled ancestors would take advantage of a thin veil and come to our world to do harm t...
For the average Pagan and perhaps even some Christians, it would be a surprise to find out that in many places in the world the Celtic Cross is not seen as an ancient, powerful symbol, but instead as a negative, ‘evil’ symbol that represents the worst of the white supremacist. The Celtic Cross is an equal-armed cross with its intersection being surrounded by a circle. This symbol once spanned many cultures and religions, being used by Christians and Pagans alike. However, despite its ancient and long history, the Celtic Cross has become twisted and corrupted in the majority of the world, and is now actually banned in more than one country.
Modern American culture thrives on the ancient religions of the Greeks and Romans. The Hellenistic myths are kept alive today in the popular culture of the western world. Yet little is commonly known of the religions and myths of the ancient people just to the north of the Romans; the Celts (7). The Celtic region spanned the British Isles, and the north western portion of the European continent from prehistoric times until the Roman invasion in the first century where the region shrunk to Ireland and Scotland (7). Though many conquered cultures managed to survive through Roman rule, the Celts did not (5). This essay explores the limitations of our knowledge of the Celtic religion, and ancient Irish culture, it details how we know what we know about Celtic beliefs, discusses the evolution of Irish culture from the early third century, up until the sixteenth century, and looks at the specific myths that have managed to survive to present day.
Ancient Celtic society was a little bit different from those of today. They were governed by a council of nobles; the king was not the law maker, but rather law applier. Their religion and believes also differ from those of today. They had a polytheistic religion which included the existence of more than one divine-being just like Greek or Norse mythology. Women were prominent in the society, they had more rights than that time Roman and Greek women did. They lived on better conditions than most of the modern world women live today. They went to fight in the battle while other society’s women looked after their children, cleaned their houses and cooked for their husbands. Ancient Celtic women did all of those things, too, except for these ones; they could own their own property, get a divorce, choose their own husband, be a judge, doctor, teacher, poet, a druid; briefly they even have chance of getting a job . Little girls were trained to fight with weapons like swords. Even in Ireland of 1940’s, women were responsible for the care of vegetables, pigs and some farmer animals, just a few of women worked outside and they lost these jobs on marriage.
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