Miranda Jane Aldhouse-Green

Miranda J. Green

The ancient Celts were the greatest and most powerful of the early European peoples residing north of the Alps. Warlike, exuberant, and superstitious, they saw divinities in every facet of life and nature, venerating deities of the sun, thunder, water, war, healing, hunting, fertility, and death. They practiced human and animal sacrifice, and a powerful priesthood--the Druids--presided over much of their religious life. The Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend covers every aspect of Celtic myth, religion, and folklore in Britain and Europe between 500 BC and AD 400. In parallel with the fruits of archaeological research, the testimony of Classical writers and the earliest recorded versions of the pagan oral traditions of Wales and Ireland provide us with a complete overview of Celtic lore. This guide presents that knowledge in over 400 copiously illustrated articles, together with a comprehensive historical introduction.

Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend

Examines archaeological evidence, Classical commentaries, and early Welsh and Irish myths to uncover the role of Druids in Celtic society

The World of the Druids

The Rebellion of Boudica is one of the most dramatic events in the history of Britain. The Boudican revolt is the story of how one British woman, who lived in an obscure part of East Angliain the mid first century AD, challenged the might of the Roman Empire. This book provides the complete story of Boudica and uses an exciting blend of archaeological and historical evidence to recreate her life and achievements.

Rebel, War-leader and Queen

Boudica Britannia

This text offers a wide-ranging review of the significance of the female in Celtic myth and religion. Celtic goddesses presided over nature, animals, healing and fertility. Terrifying battle goddesses were invoked in times of war and a Mother Goddess was supplicated for the fertility of animals and crops. Goddesses were often linked with animals - birds, dogs, bears, pigs and snakes all had their divine protectresses. Divine and semi-divine females abound in Welsh and Irish myths, often associated with themes of virginity and sexuality, promiscuity and destruction. The concept of partnership is a prominent aspect of Celtic religion and myth, and it is possible to trace evidence of the divine marriage in both European iconography and Irish myth. The female is sometimes the dominant partner. In this account, the role of woman as religious leader, priestess (even druidess) and as seer, appeasing and controlling the supernatural powers, is examined. The final section of the book explores the transition from polytheistic paganism to monotheistic Christianity in the Celtic west. Here Celtic spirituality embraced women as of major importance as saints and mystics. One example is the Irish goddess Brigit, who became a Christian saint, but retained her pagan function as presider over the ale harvest.

Warriors, Virgins, and Mothers

Celtic Goddesses

Sandra Billington

This volume is an up-to-date, highly readable study of the female aspects of religion both in past and present mythologies. It explores the function and nature of goddesses and their cults in many cultures.

The Concept of the Goddess

Savage goddesses of war, sun-gods, human sacrifice and the mysteries of the Otherworld are some of the themes explored in this title. The ancient Celts inhabited much of Europe between about 600 BC and AD 400. They were not a literate society, but important sources of evidence for their mythology and beliefs do survive. The vernacular myths of Ireland and Wales - tales of deities, superhuman heroes and magical beasts - were written down in a later period by Christian scribes but preserve much of the earlier pagan mythology.

Celtic Myths

The Celtic World is a detailed and comprehensive study of the Celts from the first evidence of them in the archaeological and historical record to the early post-Roman period. The strength of this volume lies in its breadth - it looks at archaeology, language, literature, towns, warfare, rural life, art, religion and myth, trade and industry, political organisations, society and technology. The Celtic World draws together material from all over pagan Celtic Europe and includes contributions from British, European and American scholars. Much of the material is new research which is previously unpublished. The book addresses some important issues - Who were the ancient Celts? Can we speak of them as the first Europeans? In what form does the Celtic identity exist today and how does this relate to the ancient Celts? For anyone interested in the Celts, and for students and academics alike, The Celtic World will be a valuable resource and a fascinating read.

The Celtic World

Explains "the nature of sacrifice in antiquity" and "different aspects of the subject: the notion of flesh for the gods; rites of fire and blood; the significance of defleshing heads and of skulls; suffocation ... ; the selection of victims and the evidence for the sacrifice of children." Author "puts forward some reasons for ritual murder and shows how" certain practices "illustrate the importance of place in the sacrificial rite" and "highlights the essential role of the priesthood in sacrificial murder."--Jacket.

Human Sacrifice in Iron Age & Roman Europe

Dying for the Gods

This text offers a wide-ranging review of the significance of the female in Celtic myth and religion. Celtic goddesses presided over nature, animals, healing and fertility. Terrifying battle goddesses were invoked in times of war and a Mother Goddess was supplicated for the fertility of animals and crops. Goddesses were often linked with animals - birds, dogs, bears, pigs and snakes all had their divine protectresses.

Chris Williams

Ralph Alan Griffiths

Raymond Howell

Sian Rhiannon Williams

This volume deals with the explosion of industrial development from 1780 to the eve of the First World War. Its comprehensive treatment encompasses social and economic developments, cultural and language changes, political and religious movements, all in a period that saw the transformation of a rural county into a hub of the south Wales coalfield.

Industrial Monmouthshire, 1780-1914

The Gwent County History

The ancient Celts, in their heyday, inhabited much of Europe north of the Alps. This new and exhaustive study examines this fascinating people from the first evidence of Celts in the archaeological and historical record to the early post Roman period. The Celtic World is one of the most comprehensive studies of the Celts in recent years, with new research material from leading Celtic scholars from Europe, Britain and America. The book includes chapters on archaeology, language, literature, warfare, rural life, towns, art, religion and myth, trade and industry, political organization, society and technology. It also looks at the Celts in Italy, Spain, France, Eastern Europe, the Rhineland, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland and concludes with a survey of modern Celts and how they view their Celtic identity. The Celtic World will be invaluable for students and academics of Celtic studies, and of interest to anyone fascinated by the Celts.

Stephen Aldhouse-Green

An exploration of shamanism and ritual behavior in ancient Europe draws on recent archaeological research to identify the roles and techniques of shamans from multiple periods and civilizations, in a history that also features numerous photographs of elaborate ritual objects.

Shape-shifters, Sorcerers and Spirit-healers of Ancient Europe

The Quest for the Shaman

This fully illustrated sourcebook covers all aspects of the gods, ritual customs, cult objects and sacred places of the ancient Celts.

The Gods of the Celts

It is time for a new book about bog bodies: the number of known bodies is growing. Lindow Man, the famous 'Pete Marsh' discovered in Cheshire in the 1980s, has been joined by new finds from Ireland and elsewhere. Who were these unfortunate people, and why were they killed?

Miranda Jane Aldhouse-Green

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