Celtic polytheism (also called Druidic polytheism) is the term for the religious beliefs and practices of the ancient Celts. Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism. As the religion of the ancient Celts, the shifts in the fortunes of Celtic Polytheism coincided with those of its people. The Celts, like other ancient Indo-European peoples, practised a form of polytheism, which reached the apogee of its influence and territorial expansion during the 4th century BC, extending across the length o ...

Including:

• Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism
• Celtic polytheism - Research
• Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism
• Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology
• Celtic polytheism - Worship
• Celtic polytheism - Religious castes
• Celtic polytheism - Druids
• Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid
• Celtic polytheism - Festivals
• Celtic polytheism - Beltane
• Celtic polytheism - Samhain
• Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess
• Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality
• Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship
• Celtic polytheism - Deities
• Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity
• Celtic polytheism - Literature

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This table shows some gods and goddesses believed to have comprised the Proto-Celtic pantheon along with the semantics of their names and their derivational forms. From this chart it will be seen that many, though not all, Celtic theonyms incorporate the element *-on- and this element seems to be used to denote divinity. It appears sometimes in *a grade form as *-an- and sometimes in zero grade form as *-n-. It is plausibly a Proto-Celtic form of the Proto-Indo-European lemna *H2en- *H2on- *See also:

Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Research, Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology, Celtic polytheism - Worship, Celtic polytheism - Religious castes, Celtic polytheism - Druids, Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid, Celtic polytheism - Festivals, Celtic polytheism - Beltane, Celtic polytheism - Samhain, Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius, Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force, Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing, Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity, Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos, Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces, Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship, Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods, Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain, Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity, Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty, Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess, Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship, Celtic polytheism - Deities, Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity, Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Deities

The notion of the Celtic pantheon as merely a proliferation of local gods is contradicted by the several well-attested deities whose cults were observed virtually throughout the areas of Celtic settlement. Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius. According to Caesar the god most honoured by the Gauls was "Mercury (Greek: Hermes). ," and this is confirmed by numerous images and inscriptions. His Celtic name is not explicitly stated, but it is clearly implied in the place-name Lugudunon ("the fort or dwe ...

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Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Research, Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology, Celtic polytheism - Worship, Celtic polytheism - Religious castes, Celtic polytheism - Druids, Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid, Celtic polytheism - Festivals, Celtic polytheism - Beltane, Celtic polytheism - Samhain, Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius, Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force, Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing, Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity, Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos, Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces, Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship, Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods, Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain, Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity, Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty, Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess, Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship, Celtic polytheism - Deities, Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity, Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism

As the religion of the ancient Celts, the shifts in the fortunes of Celtic Polytheism coincided with those of its people. The Celts, like other ancient Indo-European peoples, practised a form of polytheism, which reached the apogee of its influence and territorial expansion during the 4th century BC, extending across the length of Europe from Great Britain to Asia Minor. From the 3rd century BC onward their history is one of decline and disintegration, and with Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul (58 –51 BC) Celtic independence came to ...

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Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Research, Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology, Celtic polytheism - Worship, Celtic polytheism - Religious castes, Celtic polytheism - Druids, Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid, Celtic polytheism - Festivals, Celtic polytheism - Beltane, Celtic polytheism - Samhain, Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius, Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force, Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing, Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity, Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos, Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces, Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship, Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods, Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain, Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity, Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty, Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess, Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship, Celtic polytheism - Deities, Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity, Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism

Little is known about the religious beliefs of the Celts of Gaul. They believed in a life after death, for they buried food, weapons, and ornaments with the dead. The druids, the early Celtic priesthood, taught the doctrine of transmigration of souls and discussed the nature and power of the gods. The Irish believed in an otherworld, imagined sometimes as underground and sometimes as islands in the sea. The otherworld was variously called "the Land of the Living," "Delightful Plain," and Tir na nOg "Land of the Young" and was believed ...

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Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Research, Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology, Celtic polytheism - Worship, Celtic polytheism - Religious castes, Celtic polytheism - Druids, Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid, Celtic polytheism - Festivals, Celtic polytheism - Beltane, Celtic polytheism - Samhain, Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius, Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force, Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing, Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity, Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos, Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces, Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship, Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods, Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain, Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity, Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty, Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess, Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship, Celtic polytheism - Deities, Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity, Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology

Three main types of sources provide information on Celtic polytheism: the minted coins of Gaul, the sculptural monuments associated with the Celts of continental Europe and of Roman Britain, and the insular literatures of Celtic mythology that have survived in writing from medieval times. All pose problems of interpretation. The pre-Roman coins of the 1st century BC and early 1st century AD bear no inscriptions, and their iconography derives partly from standardized Hellenistic numismatic prototypes and partly presents highly local emblems. ...

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Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Research, Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology, Celtic polytheism - Worship, Celtic polytheism - Religious castes, Celtic polytheism - Druids, Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid, Celtic polytheism - Festivals, Celtic polytheism - Beltane, Celtic polytheism - Samhain, Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius, Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force, Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing, Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity, Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos, Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces, Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship, Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods, Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain, Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity, Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty, Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess, Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship, Celtic polytheism - Deities, Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity, Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Research

The locus classicus for the Celtic gods of Gaul is the passage in Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico (52–51 BC; The Gallic War) in which he names five of them together with their functions. Mercury was the most honoured of all the gods and many images of him were to be found. Mercury was regarded as the inventor of all the arts, the patron of travellers and of merchants, and the most powerful god in matters of commerce and gain. After him the Gauls honoured Apollo, Mars, Jupiter, and Minerva. Of these gods they held almost the same opinions as other peoples did: Apollo drives away diseases, M ...

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Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Research, Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology, Celtic polytheism - Worship, Celtic polytheism - Religious castes, Celtic polytheism - Druids, Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid, Celtic polytheism - Festivals, Celtic polytheism - Beltane, Celtic polytheism - Samhain, Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius, Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force, Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing, Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity, Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos, Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces, Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship, Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods, Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain, Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity, Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty, Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess, Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship, Celtic polytheism - Deities, Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity, Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism

According to Poseidonius and later classical authors Gaulish religion and culture were the concern of three professional classes—the druid, the bards, and between them an order closely associated with the druids that seems to have been best known by the Gaulish term vates, cognate with the Latin vates ("seers"). This threefold hierarchy had its reflex among the two main branches of Celts in Ireland and Wales but is best represented in early Irish tradition with its druids, filidh (singular fili), and bards; the fili ...

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Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Research, Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology, Celtic polytheism - Worship, Celtic polytheism - Religious castes, Celtic polytheism - Druids, Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid, Celtic polytheism - Festivals, Celtic polytheism - Beltane, Celtic polytheism - Samhain, Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius, Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force, Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing, Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity, Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos, Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces, Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship, Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods, Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain, Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity, Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty, Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess, Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship, Celtic polytheism - Deities, Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity, Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Worship

Celtic polytheism - Druids. A Druid (often cited as being from the Celtic: "Knowing [or Finding] the Oak Tree") was a member of the learned class among the ancient Celts. They seem to have frequented oak forests and acted as priests, teachers, and judges. The earliest known records of the Druids come from the 3rd century BC. According to Julius Caesar, who is the principal source of information about the Druids, there were two groups of men in Gaul that were held in honour, the Druids and the noblem ...

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Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Research, Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology, Celtic polytheism - Worship, Celtic polytheism - Religious castes, Celtic polytheism - Druids, Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid, Celtic polytheism - Festivals, Celtic polytheism - Beltane, Celtic polytheism - Samhain, Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius, Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force, Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing, Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity, Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos, Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces, Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship, Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods, Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain, Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity, Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty, Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess, Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship, Celtic polytheism - Deities, Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity, Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Religious castes

Insular sources provide important information about Celtic religious festivals. In Ireland the year was divided into two periods of six months by the feasts of Beltane (May 1) and Samhain (Samain; November 1), and each of these periods was equally divided by the feasts of Imbolc (February 1), and Lughnasadh (August 1). Samhain seems originally to have meant "summer," but by the early Irish period it had come to mark summer's end. Beltine is also called Cetsamain ("First Samhain"). Imbolc has been compared by the French scholar Joseph Vendrye ...

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Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Extent of Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Research, Celtic polytheism - Syncretism with other forms of polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cosmology and eschatology, Celtic polytheism - Worship, Celtic polytheism - Religious castes, Celtic polytheism - Druids, Celtic polytheism - Bards and filid, Celtic polytheism - Festivals, Celtic polytheism - Beltane, Celtic polytheism - Samhain, Celtic polytheism - Cults within Celtic polytheism, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Lugus-Mercurius, Celtic polytheism - Cults of tribalism lordly power and thunderous force, Celtic polytheism - Cult of radiance or healing, Celtic polytheism - Cult of youthful masculinity, Celtic polytheism - Cult of thermal spring-water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of impressiveness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of exaltedness, Celtic polytheism - Cult of Sucellos, Celtic polytheism - Cults of maritime forces, Celtic polytheism - Cults of craftsmanship, Celtic polytheism - Cults of agricultural gods, Celtic polytheism - Cult of terrestrial bounty, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the power of boggy terrain, Celtic polytheism - Cult of maternity, Celtic polytheism - Cults of femininity & majesty, Celtic polytheism - Cults of cyclicality in nature, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the trinitarian war-goddess, Celtic polytheism - Cults of fluvial water, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the stag’s vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of the bullish vitality, Celtic polytheism - Cult of horse power and horsemanship, Celtic polytheism - Deities, Celtic polytheism - The effect of Christianity, Celtic polytheism - Literature

Read more here: » Celtic polytheism: Encyclopedia II - Celtic polytheism - Festivals