The Celts

[Favonius Cornelius]

I thought I would start a general discussion thread on those facinating people, particularly because I have not read a lot into their history.

 

One question I have is:

 

I have read in many places that the Celts and their Druidic spiritual leaders practiced human sacrifice. There has been many preserved bodies found in bogs throughout Europe and some have suggested ritual sacrifice of humans. I was wondering what the opinions were on this practice, the methods and the reasons for doing so.

[Demson]

Good to see we share a fascination

 

Most of our knowledge on the ancient Celts is assumptive.

 

We have two main sources; Roman literature and archeological finds. Roman literature was not intended as purely objective accounts of history. Therefor we have to be careful with interpreting them. Archeological finds indicate certain events took place, but they will tell nothing on why it happened.

 

Secondary sources are medieval Ireland as well as Scotland. They're not very reliable as sources on ancient Celts, but they can be useful to consider and give some insights into the motivations of the Celtic ethnicity.

 

Bogbodies

 

A bog body is a corpse preserved in peat ('bog'). Peat is formed when plantlife decays and masses in water. This occurs in wetlands. (basically a flooded forest).

 

Facts:

• Bogbodies appear in both Celtic and Germanic territory.
  
• They were found in a period spawning from the neolithic age to the Medieval era.
  
• Most bogbodies were found in a violented state.
  
• Many of the bogbodies died pre-maturely.
  

Thus it is fair to assume burial in wetlands was custom for violant and pre-mature deaths.

 

Death in Celtic spirituality

 

Looking at the medieval Irish, you can assume Celts were a highly religious and superstitious people. They believed in an an otherworld and a cicle of reincarnation. On certain occasions, the border between the otherworld and reality blurs. This happens on periodic events (the night of the Celtic summer festival, for example), as well as at certain locations.

These assumptions are mostly based on Irish society. Roman litature might have some references to it too. I can't think of the exact sources on-top of my head. I owe you that one.

 

Sacrifise

 

We are fairly sure Celts practised material sacrifise. Ornaments of precious metal, such as small idols, have been found in waterbodies throughout Europe. Weaponry has also been found. Sometimes these swords show use, sometimes they were too ornament to be used as practical weapon (though you never know with Celts).

 

Roman accounts describe how druids practised human sacrifises. I'm not sure who described this - but persons would be but in giant straw idols, which would be set alight as sacrifise to the gods. I remember reading archeological evidence was found to support this. Again - I owe you sources.

 

Drusilla told me how large amounts of violated remains are currently being escavated from Maiden Fort. She was confident these were sacrificial, though with the fighting that went on there during the Roman invasion, I raise some question marks. Perhaps somebody else can tell you more about this.

 

Conclusions and assumptions.

 

Considering the believe of Celts in 'twilight zones', the burial of people who died violant deaths (mostly in peacetime, in wartime they would just let the ravens eat away corpses) in woodland is quite logical. However, no evidence indicates these are purely sacrifisial events. The deaths could have been executions, duels, victims of 'crimes', even barbrawls gotten out of hand.

 

It's fair the assume sacrifse took place in Celtic society. To what extend, we can not tell. It might have been a very regular religious practise. It might have been incidental or regional. One thing is sure though; the conditions for human sacrifises in ancient Celtic society were certainly present.

 

Personal thoughts

 

Ancient Celts had a very different concept of death then us. While I disagree with the idea of an otherworld and a circle of reincarnation (there is little evidence to support such a thing) and shiver at the thought of human sacrifise, I find it one of the most fascinating aspects of the Celtic ethnicity. And in a way - I appriciate them for being that way. In my opinion - such a belief takes an enormous dose of discipline.

 

I have some trouble with remembering sources. Perhaps somebody can jump in please?

 

[edit] For grammar and spelling.

Edited June 19, 2005 by Demson

[Ursus]

Many indo-european cultures had some version of it, thought it became increasingly rare by classical times. The Proto-Indo-European creation myth, according to some theories anyway, begins when the first man sacrifices his twin and from the remains creates the rest of mankind.

 

Human sacrifice usually involves

1) propitiating the gods in extreme circumstances when animals, crops or material objects won't suffice (The Romans buried two couples alive as a sacrifice during the war with Hannibal)

2) reading the entrails for divination, a common practice for sacrificed animals and birds

3) slaughtering criminals and war prisoners as an act of vengeance (the Germans famously did this with captured Roman legionaries from Varus' failed expedition)

 

I'm sure the Celts performed human sacrifice for one or all of those reasons. But the evidence for it by the first century becomes much rarer.

[Lacertus]

Ancient sources disagree concerning human sacrifices. Such data can be found about any people. They cannot serve as the proof. I read about Celt's sacrifices at many authors whom lived a few centuries after. Thus they inform about it without real proofs of this fact. In general it is possible to find such mentions as about Greeks as about Etruscans too. I don't understand the reason to speak about Celts here.

By the way Caesar in "De Bello Gallico" didn't to mention any human sacrifices.

Plutarch mentioned about that but said: "There is one myth. Probably it is not true".

 

I have read in many places that the Celts and their Druidic spiritual leaders practiced human sacrifice. There has been many preserved bodies found in bogs throughout Europe and some have suggested ritual sacrifice of humans. I was wondering what the opinions were on this practice, the methods and the reasons for doing so.

 

 

I can say about archeological dig. There were cases when found bones of animals in Celts ritual places.

[boudicca]

The head was sacred to the Celts. Perhaps they thought their gods would like nothing better than a freshly severed head?

Anyhow, though they probably did practice human sacrifice, I am sure they didn't go nuts with it like the Aztecs did.

[longbow]

 

The head was sacred to the Celts

Is that why some were buried with these skull caps?

 

[Ursus]

They seemed to think the soul of a person lived in the head, and possibly that by severing and keeping these heads they could control the spirit within.

[Augustus]

Also by keeping the head they thought they kept part of the person with them, like if a great warrior was felled they would keep the head because it was thought to contain their power, that is why some would set them up at a town's entrance.

[longbow]

Did the Celts really have warriors who hurled Heads at the enemy?i mean,instead of a Javalin

Anyone have any info on these fellas?

thx L

[Augustus]

I kind of doubt that, the Celts if anything were practical, and a served head doesn't have good balistics, plus served heads were precious to them.

[Lacertus]

Yes, the Heads of enemies were precious trophies for Celts and they didn't hurled Heads at the enemy.

[longbow]

Yes, the Heads of enemies were precious trophies for Celts and they didn't hurled Heads at the enemy.

 

Thanks,i thought as much.

[Favonius Cornelius]

The jury seems to be still out about the bog bodies, at least from this author. Some believe they were sacrifices due to the great amount of artifacts found with them "including coins, jewelry, ceremonial musical instruments and weaponry."

 

http://www.canada.com/entertainment/story....b4b7e935&page=1

[Favonius Cornelius]

More evidence on Celtic human sacrifice. Of particular note is the genocide by the Galatians:

 

'Ritual shafts' where a person is buried alive, also "Evidence that leads researchers to conclude that he was a sacrifice is learned in the manner of his death. Apparently, he suffered the death of what was known to Celtic historians as the 'threefold death', which was done for ritual purposes. Naked, the man's head was flattened by three blows of an ax, his throat cut open from a thrice knotted sinew cord, and his blood quickly emptied through the precise cut to the jugular vein, and then placed into the bog. One might notice that the number 3 held magical powers in the eyes of the Celts, as well as bogs:"

http://gallery.sjsu.edu/sacrifice/celt.html

 

"Different gods reportedly required different kind of sacrifices. Victims meant for Esus were hanged, those meant for Taranis immolated and those for Teutates drowned. Some, like the Lindow Man, may have gone to their deaths willingly."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_sacrifice

 

Galatian migrant Celts butcher native inhabitants to make a new home:

http://www.archaeology.org/0201/abstracts/celtic.html

 

Literature evidence of Celtic sacrifice:

http://www.digitalmedievalist.com/faqs/sacrific.html

 

A perhaps more Wiccan look at human sacrifice (at least some Celts are proud of their past enough not to be in denial about it):

http://www.summerlands.com/crossroads/libr...n_sacrifice.htm

[Ursus]

A perhaps more Wiccan look at human sacrifice (at least some Celts are proud of their past enough not to be in denial about it):

http://www.summerlands.com/crossroads/libr...n_sacrifice.htm

 

 

I'd use a grain of salt for a Wiccan site and its views on anything Celt. Just saying.