Cult Accessories CT054
Celtic Tomes
This chapter covers Temples, Altars, Images, Symbols, and the Cult of Weapons of the Ancient Celts.
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Festivals CT053
Celtic Tomes
The Celtic year was not at first regulated by the solstices and equinoxes, but by some method connected with agriculture or with the seasons.
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Tabu CT052
Celtic Tomes
The Irish geis, pl. geasa, which may be rendered by Tabu, had two senses. It meant something which must not be done for fear of disastrous consequences, and also an obligation to do something commanded by another.
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Sacrifice and Prayer CT051
Celtic Tomes
The Celts offered human victims on the principle of a life for a life, or to propitiate the gods, or in order to divine the future from the entrails of the victim. We shall examine the Celtic custom of human sacrifice from these points of view first.
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Cosmogony CT050
Celtic Tomes
The Celts may have possessed the Heaven and Earth myth, but all trace of it has perished. There are, however, remnants of myths showing how the sky is supported by trees, a mountain, or by pillars.
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Animal Worship CT049
Celtic Tomes
Animal worship pure and simple had declined among the Celts of historic times, and animals were now regarded mainly as symbols or attributes of divinities.
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Tree and Plant Worship CT048
Celtic Tomes
The Celts had their own cult of trees, but they adopted local cults. This chapter also details how the Celts made their sacred places in dark groves, the trees being hung with offerings or with the heads of victims.
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River and Well Worship CT047
Celtic Tomes
Among the Celts the testimony of contemporary witnesses, inscriptions, votive offerings, and survivals, shows the importance of the cult of waters and of water divinities. This chapter also details the many fairies and folklore creatures associated with water.
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Primitive Nature Worship CT046
Celtic Tomes
McCulloch talks about animism, where everything was a person and the greater objects of nature were worshiped for themselves alone.
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The Cult of the Dead CT045
Celtic Tomes
The custom of burying grave-goods with the dead and other grave customs is the subject of this chapter. McCulloch also talks about the role of fairies and the festival of Samhain.
info_outlineThe Religion of the Ancient Celts (1911)
Chapter 16: Sacrifice and Prayer
by
J. A. MacCulloch
The Celts offered human victims on the principle of a life for a life, or to propitiate the gods, or in order to divine the future from the entrails of the victim. We shall examine the Celtic custom of human sacrifice from these points of view first.
Names Used in this Section
The Semites
Marseilles
Taranis
Teutates
Esus
Diodorus
Strabo
Varro
Tacitus
druidarum religionem diræ immanitatis
Dio Cassius
Dindsenchas
Cromm Cruaich
Dr. Joyce
Nemedian
Fomorians
Fair of Taillte
Perseus and Andromeda
Becuma
S. Oran
S. Columba
Vortigern
Emain Macha
Pausanias
Ammianus and Livy
Cúchulainn
Conall Cernach
Emer
oppidum
Dayak
Poseidonius
Artemis
Mallius
Gairloch
S. Maelrubha
Eilean Maree (Maelrubha)
Eilean mo righ
Eilean a Mhor Righ
Sir Arthur Mitchell
Brianniul
Gruagach
Compiègne
Artemidorus
Deiotaurus
Dalan
Mider
Imbas Forosnai
Filé
Teinm Laegha
Cétnad
taghairm
baile
fidlanna
Religion of the Ancient Celts can be found on Sacred Texts.
You can find out more about J. A. McCulloch on Wikipedia.
Try the Celtic Myth Podshow for a dramatic re-telling of the Tales and Stories of the Ancient Celts at http://celticmythpodshow.com or in Apple Podcasts.
Our theme music is "Gander at the Pratie Hole" by Sláinte. You can find their music on the Free Music Archive.