Ritual Art Celtic Society :: History Religion Religious Essays

Ritual Art Celtic Society Pre-Christian Celtic Society About the pre-Romantic period of Celtic civilization (from the end of the 6th century BCE to some time in the first century CE) there is little written as record of their culture or ritual. We know of there existence through reference by Greek writers to their relation to the source of the Danube and to their being near the Greek colony that became Marseilles. Later writings refer to their rituals and superstitions, which had, as with other uncivilized cultures, played a huge part in the lives of the people. But much interest lies in this culture for those who have heritage in their people and those who are interested in the "pagan" religions that existed before the dominance of Chirtianity. As with most pre-world religion cultures, a belief in magic was a powerful stigma for much of the art and architecture found in the area occupied by the Celts. Artisans of the time recorded the rituals of sacrifice in relief imagery. These practices were performed sometimes by drowning the victims in pots, other times dropping the offered bodies into pits or burning them alive, animals and humans alike, in massive wooden structures in the shape of a figure. Descriptions of these events come mostly from Roman writings, many by Caesar. These writings present a fearful view of these pagan rituals; a fear that is attributed in part to their gruesome nature and in part to the heavily forested landscape in which they took place. This landscape was unlike any land in Roman areas which had been heavily farmed for long periods. Thus the image of the fearful and cruel Celts was created iin the eyes of the Chirstian west. Celtic Mythology and Ritual The mythology of the pagan Celtic tribes lacked the distinct pantheon that cultures similar to the Greeks possessed. Their deities were varied, with only general connections from one area to another. Though some terminology and imagery was evidently borrowed from other cultures, specifically the Aryan and Italic, the Celtic cults remained separate from any other culture in their exact beliefs and ceremonies. Most of the cults' mythologies contained some reference to a union between a God, often referred to as Dagda, meaning the good or all-competent God, and a goddess, referred to as Morrigan, the Demon Queen. This union was the most important focus of ceremony and myth. The recitation of this myth and others was another portion of the ritual practices that Druids performed with the same intent; a show of respect to the gods with the hope of beneficial retribution.