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Definition
Druid
Druids were a class of individuals in ancient Celtic cultures known for their great wisdom and knowledge of traditions. Not only priests who managed all religious rituals such as sacrifices (including humans), druids were able to give practical...
Definition
Ancient Celtic Religion
The polytheistic religion of the ancient Celts in Iron Age Europe remains obscure for lack of written records, but archaeology and accounts by classical authors help us to piece together a number of the key gods, sacred sites, and cult practices...
Definition
Gundestrup Cauldron
The Gundestrup Cauldron is a gilded silver bowl found in Gundestrup in Denmark in 1891 CE. It was likely made in the Balkans, perhaps in the 1st century BCE, and shows a clear influence from Celtic art and mythology, even if other motifs...
Article
Ancient Celtic Society
The society of the Celts in Iron Age Europe was made up of several distinct hierarchical groups. At the top were rulers and elite warriors, then there were the religious leaders, the druids, and then specialised craftworkers, traders, farmers...
Definition
Lindow Man
The Lindow Man (officially Lindow III) is the top half of a male body, found preserved in a peat bog in Cheshire, England. The peat bogs at Lindow Moss date back to the last ice age and were formed by holes of melting ice; they are now...
Article
The Ancient Celtic Pantheon
The ancient Celtic pantheon consisted of over 400 gods and goddesses who represented everything from rivers to warfare. With perhaps the exception of Lugh, the Celtic gods were not universally worshipped across Iron Age Europe but were very...
Article
Death, Burial & the Afterlife in the Ancient Celtic Religion
The ancient Celts who occupied large parts of Europe from 700 BCE to 400 CE displayed a clear belief in an afterlife as evidenced in their treatment of the dead. In the absence of extensive written records by the Celts themselves, we are...
Article
Sacred Sites & Rituals in the Ancient Celtic Religion
In the religion of the ancient Celts who lived in Iron Age Europe from 700 BCE to 400 CE, certain natural sites like springs, river sources, and groves were held as sacred. These places, as well as some urban sites, often had purpose-built...
Image
British Druid by William Stukeley
A whimsical illustration of a Celtic druid from ancient Britain by William Stukeley from his 1740 CE book 'Stonehenge'. The axe in the druid's belt is actually of a bronze age type.
Video
A Day in the Life of an Ancient Celtic Druid - Philip Freeman
Join the Celtic druid Camma in her village as she conducts religious rites, serves as a healer, and mediates conflict between tribes. — As the sun rises in 55 BCE, Camma lays two pigeons on the altar at the center of her village...