Celtic mythology, everything to know about it and much more

Celtic mythology is one that encompasses culture and religion through stories that identify some peoples that are located on the continent of Europe, especially the Pyrenees and the British Isles.

celtic mythology

celtic mythology

The Celts is the name used to refer to the people or peoples belonging to the Iron Age, who communicated in Celtic languages, which is considered one of the branches of the Indo-European languages. Due to this, Celtic mythology constitutes a set of stories of the religion of the Celts in the course of the Iron Age.

To understand Celtic mythology a little more, it is essential to be aware of the Iron Age. This is the time when the use of iron as an element to make weapons and tools was discovered and known.

In fact, in ancient civilizations the metallurgical technologies that were required to work iron were released simultaneously with other technological and cultural modifications where changes in agriculture, religious beliefs and artistic styles are often added.

This period is considered as the last of the three main epochs of the so-called system of the three ages, with which prehistoric civilizations are classified. It was even preceded by the Bronze Age and the date of appearance, duration and context are modified according to the area of ​​study.

celtic mythology

Other revisions of mythology

Therefore, this period is the one that provided the site for the creation of these stories of Celtic mythology, because the Celtic gods are the protagonists. In fact, one of the reasons why Celtic mythology was not continued was the loss of the original language.

As well as other Indo-European cultures (a group of languages ​​and the hypothetical language that originates this set and that are spoken from India to Europe), during the Iron Age the first Celts had a polytheistic mythology and a religious structure.

Regarding the Celtic population, there were tribes that were related to Rome, such as the Gauls (peoples who were in where France, Belgium, western Switzerland, the area of ​​the Netherlands and Germany are currently located) and the Celtiberians ( Celtic pre-Roman peoples).

However, Celtic mythology did not survive the Roman Empire (third period of Roman civilization in classical antiquity after the Roman Republic and with an autocratic government), which was due to the transformation of Christianity and the loss of its languages ​​of origin.

Even the Celtic community maintained its political or linguistic identities and spread what remained of the mythologies belonging to the Iron Age, recording many of them in written form in the course of the Middle Ages.

historical sources

As there are existing sources that describe the Gaulish language in writing, according to some studies it has been revealed that the pagan Celts were not very literate.

However, investigations have determined that there is a way of writing the Gallic language, in which the Greek, Latin and also Northern Italic alphabets are used, which was worked with the articles that have the inscriptions of that language and in the Coligny calendar.

Being the Gallic Coligny calendar the one located in France in the year 1897, next to the head of a statue made in bronze, with a youthful male figure. Also, it was a lunisolar calendar.

Another historical description is that made by the Roman politician Gaius Julius Caesar, where the literacy of the Gauls is described and the fact that their priests, known as Druids, prohibited the use of writing to record some religious verses.

In turn, the Helvetii, who were a Celtic tribe that inhabited the area between the upper Rhine, the Swiss Jura, Lake Geneva and the Alps, were described as having a written census.

In addition to that Rome added the habit of public inscriptions and decreased the power that the druids had in certain places. Likewise, a large part of the inscriptions about the deities were discovered in Gaul, Britannia (current island of Great Britain) and other sites that are considered to represent the Celtic areas, after the Roman conquest.

Early on, the Scots of Ireland and some of modern Wales (a nation of the United Kingdom, located on a peninsula to the west of the island of Great Britain), used the so-called Ogham script to record short inscriptions, most of them with names. personal.

So the literacy that was considered to be the most sophisticated was not added to the Celtic areas. In fact, the Ogamic script or Ogham, was a system of alphabetic signs that was used in order to graphically represent the Irish and Pictus languages, in stone monuments, between the years 400 and 600 AD.

In turn, they were not conquered by Rome until the advent of Christianity. Much of the Gaelic myths were first recorded by Christian monks, but many of them did not have their original religious meanings.

The Celtic religion and its meaning, according to research by Julius Caesar

Julius Caesar's work is considered one of the classic documents about the Celtic gods of Gaul. There he describes the 5 gods that were mainly worshiped in Gaul and the role that each of them played. He even, depending on the practice of the time, he named the gods with the Roman equivalent that he came close to. In fact, Mercury was the most praised god and therefore the one with various representations.

In fact, Mercury is considered to be the one who created all the arts, so he is related to Lugus, one of the prominent divinities in Celtic mythology. Because he was the one who protected adventurers and merchants, as well as being the most powerful when it came to trade and profit.

celtic mythology

In turn, the Gauls also gave much respect to the gods Apollo (Greek god), Mars (Roman god), Jupiter (Roman god) and Minerva (Roman goddess). This is due to the fact that the Celtic deities are described with similar aspects to those of other civilizations. Learn more about perseus.

Above all by the god Apollo, who disappears the disease, the goddess Minerva which motivates the skills, the god Jupiter ruler of the skies and the god Mars related to war. According to the author, it is also described that the origin of the lineage of the Gauls is due to the deity of the underworld in Roman mythology, known as Dis Pater.

Equivalent with the Roman deities of Caesar

The description of these gods was not made by Cesar using their Celtic names, since he attributed the Roman deities to them. So there was a confusion between identifying the Gallic gods with their original names, in the insular mythologies.

At the same time, it describes each god and its function in an organized structure, in a way that is not known or associated with the literature of that time. However, although he had certain limitations, the final list he produced is quite accurate. This is because he balanced what he described with the oral tradition and the Gallic iconography, regarding the roles of the deities.

celtic mythology

His descriptions and iconography refer to very different periods in the history of Gallic religion. Above all because the iconography in Roman times conforms adaptations of events that occurred in the social and political spheres, while the religion it represents could have been shown in a less obvious way than the one described by the Druids at the time of the Gallic autonomy of Rome. .

According to research, the Celtic gods and the cults associated with Celtic mythology were local and tribal, so they were not pan-Celtic.

Some of these studies describe the god Teutates, considered as tribal Spirit, where the end theuta is associated with the tribe in Proto Celtic.

In turn, there are also those who consider that divine names are justified in different ways, since some are related to prominent gods who were praised in pan-Celtic cults.

Celtic mythology group

Celtic mythology has different subgroups that are associated with derivations of the Celtic language. Therefore, they cover the following:

ancient celtic religion

This is characterized by being better known due to archaeological sources than mythological sources in writing.

Mythology in Goidelic language

Its greatest representative is Irish mythology, which did not fully survive the transformation of Christianity, but most of it was preserved through the medieval literature of Ireland. However, although a large number of the manuscripts did not survive, it is believed that perhaps some of them were not written, but there are also vestiges that allowed the identification of the following cycles:

mythological cycle

Which covers the stories of the ancient deities and the origins of the Irish, considered the worst preserved cycle, compared to the other three. Among his most outstanding documents are the Science of Places and the Book of Invasions.

Also The Dream of Aengus, The Courtship of Étain and Cath Maige Tuireadh, as well as The Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh. Even of the best known Irish stories is The Tragedy of the Children of Lir, which belongs to this cycle.

It should be noted that Lebor Gabála Érenn is a story of Ireland that goes from the ancestors of the Irish to the well-known character of Noah. In the manuscript, invasions of Ireland by people known as the Tuatha Dé Danann or people of the gods are described.

Being the fifth group of inhabitants and of those who were believed to have inhabited the island prior to the arrival of the Gaels or the Milesians. So they faced the Fomorians (gods of death, darkness, the occult and the night, in Irish mythology), whose leader was Balos of the Evil Eye (King of Demons).

However, Balor was killed by Lug Lámfada (master of all the arts and skills of Celtic mythology), when the second battle of Magh Tuireadh occurred. When the Gaels arrived, the Tuatha Dé Danann went underground to transform into the fairy people of other myths.

ulster cycle

Also originally called the cycle of the red branch. It covers a wide group of documents written in prose and verse, having as its central theme the traditional heroes of the Ulaid, a people of ancient Ireland. It tells the story of the kingdom of Conchobar mac Nessa, belonging to the Celtic royalty, who is known for his work in the redistribution of wealth, prosperity and the balance of its population. Furthermore, it was said that he was contemporary with Jesus Christ.

Where his mandate ranged from Emain Mancha (Northern Ireland, being a potential rival of Queen Medb and her husband Ailill mac Máta of Connacht. As well as his ally Fegus mac Róich, who was previously the ruler of Ulster. In this cycle, he considered the main hero Conchobar's nephew, who received the name of Cú Chulainn and who was considered the Irish Achilles. Apollo and Daphne myth.

Fenian cycle

It covers prose and verse that describes the exploits performed by the mythical hero Fionn mac Cumhaill (a mythical hunter and warrior from Celtic mythology) together with his Fianna Éireann warriors (who lived far from society, in the woods, as bandits, mercenaries and hunters). , considered kings in times of war).

It is also called Ossianic cycle, because the descendant of Fionn, Oisín is considered as the one who wrote most of the poems. During that time, there are stories of Fianna, Caítle (Fionn's nephew), Diarmuid Ua Duibhne (Donn's son), Oscar (Oisín's son) and Goll mac Morna (Fionn's enemy).

historical cycle

Covers the institution and foundation of the great and minor kings of Ireland. This cycle was written by the bards belonging to the king's courts, where a combination of mythology with elements of history is made.

Among the most outstanding characters, it is found from the mythological Labraid Loingsech to the historical Brian Boru. The time to which this cycle belongs, is after the arrival of Christianity and Saint Patrick, so it had a greater influence of Christian teachings, compared to the other cycles.

Among the most important characters, there is Cormac Mac Airt (who founded Fianna), King Conn of the Hundred Battles (founder of Connacht and known for his skill in fighting and making the crowning stone roar from Tara's roar) and Niall of the Nine Hostages (ancestor of the powerful O'Neill clan).

Mythology in the Brittonic language

It is represented primarily through Welsh mythology. Which covers the rest of the mythology of the pre-Christian Britons. Among his manuscripts are the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin, and the Book of Taliesin.

celtic gods

Although the Celtic domain in its development extended over a considerable area of ​​western and central Europe, it was not politically unified, nor did it have a major source of cultural influence. In this way, there were modifications in the local activities of the Celtic religion, but in much of the Celtic world the worship of the god Lugh (master of all arts and skills) was known.

However, inscriptions of approximately three hundred gods, usually compared to Roman deities, have remained, the most prominent being those of the genius locorum, local or tribal gods, some of them fully worshipped.

Currently, Celtic mythology is known, with a structured pantheon. Where the nature and roles of these ancient deities are deduced by their denomination, location of their inscriptions, iconography and their comparison with the Roman gods.

gods of ireland

The oldest Celtic mythology is described in documents dating from the early Middle Ages of Ireland, written by the Christians, so the divine origin of the gods was changed.

The original myth is considered a combat between two races that were apparently divine, that of the Tuatha Dé Danann, known as the Tribes of the goddess Dana, who are part of the great gods of the Irish pantheon, and the Fomoré, a mysterious people. that is frequently mentioned in the Irish tradition and that threatens to invade it without ever realizing it.

The combat between the two races is considered to form the basis of the text of the Battle of Mag Tuireadh, as well as the fragments of the vast pseudo-historical construction of the Book of the Invasion of Ireland.

It should be noted that the Tuatha Dé Dannan represent the roles of human society, such as royalty, arts and war. While the Fomore are the representation of wild nature and the dark forces that at all times want to generate chaos in human and divine society. Therefore, the main gods of Celtic mythology are the following:

day by day

Considered the supreme god of the Irish pantheon. He is credited with the figure of the Druid God and god of the Druids, as well as the lord of the elements and knowledge. He is also a jurist and a warrior that everyone fears. In the course of the second battle of Mag Tured, he was the one who led the Tuatha Dé Danann to victory over the Fomoré. He is called Dagda, because he is the good god, but not good in morals, but good in everything.

He is also called Eochid (father of all), Lathir (mighty father), and Ruadh Rofhessa (red of great science). He is considered as a father figure, who protects the tribe and is the basic Celtic god that other male gods were variants of.

It should be noted that the Celtic deities were entities, for the most part, not specialized, so their areas of domain extended through various areas. This god had a very particular character, which is why he was considered a figure of ridiculous mockery in Irish mythology. However, there were authors who described that he was also originated to be merciful and tolerate a joke of himself.

In Irish stories, this god is described as a figure of authority and simply distinguished by his great voracity and excessive sexuality.

It has a cauldron with a content that does not run out, being a mold of the Holy Grail (cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper). Also a magic harp that plays by itself, airs of lament, sleep, death or laughter. In turn, he has a mace, even if he hits someone with one of the edges of it he can kill him but if he does it with the other side, he resurrects him.

Thus, the weapon could kill nine men in one blow, causing their bones to crack and the other side to bring them back to life. While the oak harp was called the Uaithne and was used to manipulate the order of the seasons and play magical chords. He is considered as the god of life and death, who has fearsome forces, which can be good or bad.

In the county of Dorset in England there is a well-known figure with a large ithyphallic, which is called the Giant of Cerne Abbas, where a mace is evidenced. Although it was made in Roman times, it is believed to represent the Dagda.

However, in recent research it has been described that it may be a representation of what appears to be a large cloth that hangs from the figure's horizontal arm, which is why it is considered that it may be Hercules (hero of Greek mythology). In turn, he has the skin of the Nemean Lion on his arm and carries the mace he used to kill.

In Gaul, the Dagda is considered to be related to Sucellos, who is the god of agriculture, forests and alcoholic beverages, who holds a hammer and a cup. In fact, in the epic stories of recent years and in the Arthurian novels, the Dagda is described as a Man of the Woods, a rude man holding a club and also as the lord of wild animals.

The Dagda is also related to abundance, which is due to the fact that it has a magical cauldron that has no bottom and with whose food it can satisfy all the inhabitants of the Earth.

In addition to being the chief of the Tuatha Dé Dannan, he was the lover of the Morrigan, goddess of war, during Samhain. He having as a change a battle plan for the Tuatha Dé in the second battle of Magh Tuireadh, in the confrontation with the Fomoreos (gods of death, darkness, the occult and the night).

In the course of that second battle, his enemies stole his harp, so he, along with Ogma and Lugh, searched for it in his camp, obtaining it the moment he played three magical melodies that made it possible for them to get out of the cave unharmed. Over time, the descendants of Milesius, ancestors of the Irish, defeated the Tuatha Dé Danann and went to the underworld, where they lived in palaces made by the Dagda.

In addition to that, the Dagda had Bodb Dearg, Cermait, Midir, Áine, Angus and Brigit as children. He was also Ogma's brother. meet some world myths and legends.

honey

This character is also part of Celtic mythology. He was part of the race of the Fomorian giants. He was characterized by having one eye on the forehead and the other in the back of the skull, which was malignant and often remained closed. Once he opened them, the look was deadly to anyone watching.

He is known for assassinating the King of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Nuada, in the Second Battle of Magh Tuiredh. Therefore, Lug (master of all arts and skills), wanted to avenge Nuada and by approaching Balar, when the evil eye closed after killing Nuada. Balar tried to open his eye again but Lug more quickly threw a stone at him with his sling which hit the evil eye and pierced his skull. So he died immediately. Balar was even Lug's maternal grandfather.

He is also known as the King of Demons. There is a version of Celtic mythology, which describes another way of Balar's death. Which relates that a druid had made a prediction to him that his grandson would kill him.

As Balar only had one daughter, named Ethniu, he locked her in an invincible tower, since it was made on top of a rock, so it was difficult to access it on Tory Island. There he placed twelve women as companions, who had to prevent Ethné from being aware that men existed in the world.

celtic mythology

So she grew up a prisoner and her twelve companions never spoke to her about men. However, from the tower she observed the ships and realized that individuals different from the women who accompanied her were driving them. She told them to explain that mystery to her, but they didn't.

Opposite the island, on the Irish coast, lived three brothers. These were Gavida, Mac Samhtainn and Cian, also known as Mac Kineely. The first of them was a blacksmith and the third owned a cow, which gave milk so abundantly that it was envied by all.

In fact, Bala tried to steal it and went to the blacksmith shop when the cow was being guarded by one of the brothers. The guardian brother did not notice and left the halter in the hands of Balar, who very quickly took her to his island.

So Mac Kineely wanted revenge and with the help of a druid and a fairy he went disguised as a woman, to the tower where Ethné was. When he got there he asked for shelter and it was granted. The fairy made the twelve companions of Ethne fall asleep and when they woke up they realized that the woman and the fairy had disappeared.

celtic mythology

In turn, Ethné became pregnant and had three children, who were wrapped by Balar in a sheet, which he hooked with a pin and gave the order that they be thrown into a sea abyss. On the way to the abyss, the pin came loose from the savannah, and one of the children fell into the water, where the fairy was, and picked it up. However, the other two brothers passed away, but the one who lived was given to a blacksmith to be educated.

Balar in revenge for Mac Kineely, cut off Mac Kineely's head and his brother, the blacksmith Gavida and the blacksmith apprentice boy began to work for Balar.

On one occasion, when Balar went to the forge, he boasted of his exploits, so the young blacksmith grabbed a bar that was red in the fire and hit Balar in the area where his evil eye was located, so he died immediately. . Being that young blacksmith Lug, the son of Mac Kineely.

As you can see, Celtic mythology also has different versions of the stories, and many of its characters have interaction in certain myths.

Morrigan

Her name means The Queen of Ghosts. She was a tripartite war goddess of the ancient Irish Celts who incited warriors to fight. She was also known as Morrigu, although her personalities were referred to as Nemhain, which meant panic, because she turned into a terrible aspect only when she appeared before those who were to die.

Also one of his personalities was called Macha, that is battle, which when shown was a figure of a female crow. While Badb, a name derived from the proto-Celtic bodbh, which meant crow, had an aspect that incited warriors to battle.

This goddess is also known to be associated with the Táin Bó Cúailnge (legend of the Ulster Cycle), where in turn she was a helper and a hindrance to the hero Cúchulainn. She is frequently depicted as a raven or crow, but there are times when she takes the forms of a cow, eel, or wolf.

She is also known as the goddess of death and destruction. The figure of her is frequently represented with armor and weapons, having among her main abilities the use of black magic. In addition to her, her role in the war is to encourage the soldiers the strength and anger to fight. In fact, her name refers to Great Queen or Spectral Queen and is sometimes written as Carrie or Carrigan.

celtic mythology

Although she is considered the goddess of war and death, she represents renewal, as well as the death that gives rise to new life, love and sexual desire. Even in the Celtic world life and death are closely linked.

She is considered a maiden, mother and lover. So she integrated a triad of goddesses with her sisters, who were Badb and Macha, in some cases also together with Nemain (goddess of war). But in various investigations regarding this topic, it is described as if her sisters are other manifestations of her.

His first representations were reported individually, in the stories of the Ulster Cycle, where an uncertain relationship with the hero Cú Chulainn is established. So in the story The Attack on Regamain's Cattle, Cú Chulainn catches up with the Morrigan though he doesn't recognize her when she was guiding a cow from her territory.

Disregarding her as sovereign, a response is generated in which she considers it an insulting challenge and at the price of his attacking her, she transforms into a black bird and flies to the nearest branch. When Cú Chulainn meets her, he tells her that if he had known before her there would have been no problem with her, since what he had done to her caused her bad luck. So he warned her that in the next battle he was going to be killed.

This goddess also appears in the Mythological Cycle, through a historical compilation from the XNUMXth century, which was called Lebor Gabála Érenn, where she was among the Tuatha Dé Danann, being one of the descendants of Ernmas, who was the Nuada's granddaughter.

Even the first three descendants of Ernmas were Ériu, Banba and Fodla, in addition to their denominations being synonymous with Ireland. Being considered as the representation of the triple goddess of sovereignty, related to the land and royalty.

In fact, they were the wives of Mac Cuill, Mac Cecht and Mac Gréine, who were the last three kings of Ireland, descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann. There are descriptions that mention that Morrigan's appellation is Anann, who had three sons, Glon, Gaim and Coscar.

During the Mythological Cycle, she also makes an appearance in The Battle of Cath Maige Tuires, as well as in the festival of Samhain, where the Dagda joins her, through a sign of her relationship with the fertility of the lands. This goddess is also evidenced in the Fenian Cycle, where she, together with Midir and Badb, expels the Fomore by trying to disappear the grain, fruits and milk of the Tuatha Dé Danann.

She, defending herself against them, invokes the powers of nature, proclaiming victory over the royal mountains of Ireland, its main waters and the mouths of the rivers. It was even customary to take an oath through the elements. she knows the mythological characters.

July

It is one of the figures that appears most in the stories belonging to Celtic mythology. Even the root Lug is evidenced in the entire Cantabrian, one of these examples is that of the Astures tribe called Lugones. There is also Lugás, a village located in western Asturias.

There is also the denomination of lugas, which in the area of ​​the interior lands of Cantabria, refers to the sunbeams found between the clouds.

This character is described in Celtic mythology as a figure close to the list of gods and his description is of a young man. However, even though he is considered the most important god in Irish mythology, he is not the highest god. In fact, he is the god without function, since he fulfills them in their entirety.

In turn, he is part of the Tuatha Dé Danann because of his father, but he is also a Fomoré because of his mother. In addition, in the second battle of Mag Tured, he prevailed as leader of the Tuatha de Danann and guided them to victory, even killing his grandfather Balar, the evil eye.

Likewise, its name is derived from an Indo-European term meaning white, luminous and also raven. So this animal is somehow related to him. Although his appearance is solar, he is not considered a god of the sun, since it was a function among the Celts of a feminine nature.

The weapons he had were the javelin and the sling. Even in Ireland, the Lughnasad celebration is held in tribute to him. Being this festival held on August 1 and encompassing food and Celtic marriages celebrated in the forest by modern versions of the ancient Druids.

It has the equivalent in Wales under the name of Llew Llawgyffes, known as the one with the right hand. Coming to appear in the stories of the Mabinogion (collection of prose stories derived from medieval Welsh manuscripts.

celtic mythology

Irish research has described that divine society is structured in the same way as human society. Being the organization of the Tuatha Dé Danann, hierarchized into three functional classes:

  • priestly function: directed to the sacred and represented by the Dagda, the Druid god.
  • The warrior role: which is primarily responsible for sovereignty and is represented by Ogma, the warrior god and Nuada, the king god.
  • craft function: produced in the community as a whole, represented by Goibniu, Credne and Luchta.

However, Lug is not part of any specific class, since he belongs to all of them, which is due to the fact that he is able to carry out all the functions. In fact, there are those who call it Samildanach, which means the polytechnic, referring to his mastery in all the arts and sciences.

His spear is called the Spear of Assal and was brought to Ireland by the Tuatha Dé Danann, as described in the ancient stories in the Gaelic language. It is flaming and the only way it loses its fire is by being wetted by human blood.

celtic mythology

Versions of stories about him describe that he is the son of Cian and Eithne and is related to the Fomoré, by his maternal grandfather Balor, whom he kills with his sling, according to a prophecy.

It is also described in some stories, that he went to where King Nuada lived, on the occasion of a celebration, the doorman denied him entry. Despite this, Lug assures him that he can be very useful but is still rejected. So he makes the proposal to serve them and that's how they accepted it.

From there he was a carpenter, blacksmith and warrior. He too was accepted as a player of hnefatafl (an old Germanic board game, played on a grid board) and holds a game with the king, whom he beats. Being that totally symbolic game, because it is an intellectual fair by means of which Lug establishes the control of the world.

There are also stories from Celtic mythology, where he is described as fighting alongside his descendant Cúchulainn, in Queen Medb's invasion of Ulster. He knows all about Orpheus.

celtic mythology

Other gods of Ireland

In addition to the gods of Celtic mythology mentioned above, the following are also found:

Bridget

Regarded as the great Irish goddess of fire and poetry. She descended from Dagda and she is part of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The origin of her name is due to height, eminence, referring to your preeminence.

It is described in the stories of Celtic mythology, through the Irish tradition, attributing different names to it, which are symbols of the social functions that are granted to it. Schematically it is considered as triple, since it is part of the three classes of Indo-European society.

In addition to being considered a goddess of inspiration and poetry through the priestly class. She also as protector of kings and warriors in the warrior class and the goddess of techniques in the class of artisans, shepherds and farmers.

Goddesses of nature

Among these is Epona, considered the Celtic goddess of horses, fertility and nature. She related to water, healing and death, associated with the Greek goddess Cibeles. The figure of her is that of an ancient mare goddess. Its name derives from the Gaulish epo, equivalent to horse, belonging to Greek hiccups y latin equus. It is also known as tailtiu y Macha.

male gods

Among these gods of Celtic mythology is Goibniu, considered the blacksmith god of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He is credited as the lord of craftsmen, who makes the weapons of warriors and leads an unknown feast of immortality, where the gods are regenerated by eating the magical pigs of the aquatic god Manannán mac Lir. The name of Goibniu, comes from the name blacksmith in Celtic.

dian cecht

Considered as the god of medicine in Celtic mythology. Some accounts describe him taking part in the Mag Tured battle and opening a fountain of health in which he binds various herbs that give him the ability to bring wounded or dead warriors back to life.

Angus

He is attributed as the irlnades god of love. Also his pseudonym is Mac Oc, young son. He is a descendant of the Dagda and also an adopted son of Manannan. He has a cloak of invisibility with which he covers those he wants to provide protection.

Gods of Wales

In this area of ​​Celtic mythology, reference is made to the gods of Prehistoric Britain, which were obscured by centuries of Christianity, but described in accounts from Wales. In them there are two classifications of lineages of the deities: the children of Don and the children of Llyr.

As for Don, she is also called Anna, Anu, Ana or Dana, mother goddess of the ancient Celts. She is considered in Ireland as the mother of the gods, the well-known Tuatha Dé Danann. She, in turn, is considered an archaic Indo-European divinity, known in India by the name of Anna Purna, meaning Ana the one who provides, while in Rome it is called Anna Parena.

In fact, there are those who consider this divine character as a Christianized representation under the figure of Saint Anne, mother of the Virgin Mary. As far as Llyr is concerned, he is considered the father of the lineage of gods, including Manannan. He is also a divinity associated with the sea, although he is not a god of the sea.

It should be noted that the Celts of Gaul worshiped different deities. Some of them have been described in different stories. One of them was a writing prepared by the Roman writer Lucano, where he refers to the Taranis deities (the thunderous god of thunder, light and the sky, the cosmic wheel and which is a symbol of the passing of nights and days) , Teutates (considered as the god of the male tribal unit of the Gallic pantheon) and Esus (main Gallic god).

celtic mythology

All of them gods of the night, although there are not many manuscripts that state that they were prominent deities in Celtic mythology. Many of these deities are also considered to be variants of others, such as Epona, who may have been transformed into the heroine Rhiannon in Wales, as well as Macha, who was usually worshiped in Ulster. Some gods of this classification of Celtic mythology are:

Cernunnos

It is one of the oldest in Celtic mythology, even there is very little information about it. It is believed that he is the one depicted on the well-known silver cauldron located at Gundestrup in Denmark, which dates to the 1st or 2nd century BC. He is also believed to be the god of abundance and lord of wild animals. His nature is totally earthly. He is depicted with the ears and horns of a deer and has a torc, which is in fact a Gallic collar, characterized by being rigid and round.

He is mainly represented with a ram-headed serpent, as well as being credited with being the master of wild, terrestrial and aquatic animals. Therefore, he is the manifestation of strength, power and eternity, which is symbolized through the branches. He is also regarded as the giver of an altar with a basket of victuals, cakes, and coins. He knows more than Gorgona.

Bethlehem

He is considered a regional god who was worshiped especially in northern Italy and on the coast of Mediterranean Gaul. He is also the god of agriculture. In fact, there is a festival called Beltaine that is related to him.

celtic mythology

Its denomination has as meaning, luminous and brilliant. In addition, there are those who consider that it represents the extensive bonfires of the Beltaine festival. In accordance with this idea, the Asturian name Beleñu derives from the Celtic Belenus, to which San Xuan was added, since it is the day of the celebration of the summer solstice, in which similar bonfires are made with the day of Beltaine. .

Teutates

This god of Celtic mythology is credited with being a warrior and who protects the tribes. He is associated with the Roman god Mars and the Dagda god of the Irish. He belonged to the gods of the night, just like Esus and Taranis. He also received a lot of sacrifices from the Druids. He was primarily worshiped in Gaul and Roman Britain.

Taranis

He is considered the god of thunder, storm and sky. They feared him and his cult spread throughout Gaul and part of Brittany. The adoration towards him was similar to that of Teutates, which is due to the fact that to calm his anger, sacrifices were made in honor of him and he was from the triad formed by them two plus Esus.

He is assimilated with Thor (god of thunder and strength in Norse and Germanic mythology), especially because of the similarity in terms of the powers of lightning and thunder. The Romans also compared him to Jupiter (the main god of Roman mythology and therefore the father of gods and men).

esus

He is considered a bloodthirsty god and lord of the forests. He was ranked by the Roman poet Lucan alongside Theutates and Taranis, the three main deities of the Gauls. He also received sacrifices caused by fear, since he was a wild god and avid for blood. He knows the Summary of Helen of Troy.

Heroes

Among the main heroes of Celtic mythology, are:

Manannan

He was part of the Tuatha Dé Dannann. Considered a powerful magician, who had a flaming helmet that dazzled his enemies, also an invulnerable breastplate, a cloak of invisibility, a ship that sails the sea without having to use oars or sails and a sword called Fragarach.

In fact with that sword, you could cut through any armor and exert wind control. This figure from Celtic mythology is native to the Isle of Man, where his name comes from.

celtic mythology

ogmios

It is considered the representation of fluency and eloquence. His figure is that of a wrinkled old man, who has a lion skin as clothing, holds a mace, a bow and a quiver (a tube-shaped bag where the arrows were carried and hung on the left shoulder through a strap , to take the fringes with the right hand).

In addition, he pulls many men tied by the ears, using a gold chain where its end crosses the pierced tongue of the god. He is considered as the sure eloquence of his power, the deity who through his magic attracts his faithful. In turn, he is attributed as a symbol of the power of the ritual word that makes a union between the world of men with that of the gods. In his name blessings are exclaimed in favor of friends and curses against enemies.

In Ireland it is called Ogma. He is even credited with the invention of the oghman, a group of magical signs that have a force so extensive that it is capable of stopping the enemy. One of the stories from Celtic mythology where he appears is in the Mag Tured battle.

Nuada Airgetlam

Its name means silver arm. It is part of the Tuatha Dé Danann. When the first battle of Mag Tured took place, he lost an arm and could not reign. So the god Diancecht crafts a silver hand for him and that causes him to again assume his role as king and lead the Tuatha Dé Danann in the second battle of Mag Tured.

Rhiannon

Considered a Welsh heroine, whose name derives from Rigantonethe great queen She is described as an Amazon (people from an ancient people, composed of and ruled by warrior women) and selects Pwyll as her husband. Ella Pryderi's descendant, was taken from her when she was born and blamed for the child's disappearance. She being condemned to carry on her sword all the visitors who go to the fortress of her husband.

Gwyddyon

He is considered one of the most famous heroes in Welsh tradition. He descended from Dana and father of Lleu Llaw Gyffes. The name is believed to mean wise. It is also the representation of the magical power that he inherited from the ancient druids.

Finn MacCumail

He is credited with having been a warrior and magician, a descendant of Cumail and the father of Ossian. He is feared and took it upon himself to avenge his father who died in combat, as well as reconstituted the Fiana troop. The meaning of his name is White, beautiful, blond and of good race. He also was a poet and magician, who knew the twelve books of poetry and had the gift of illumination by biting his thumb.

cuchulain

Considered the best known character in regards to the epic of Ireland. According to versions of the legend of him, he is described as being a descendant of the god Lug. He is given the real name Setanta and the pseudonym Cu Chulainn, which means Culann's dog, after having killed the ulate's dog, Culann, where he makes a promise that he would replace him as his protector.

celtic mythology

He had so much warrior fury that he could carry out incredible contortions, capable of deforming his entire body, which highlighted his superhuman appearance and turned him into a cyclopean being.

In addition to his head derives the Light of Hero, symbol of the demigods and of the characters inspired by the divinity. Therefore, he is a hero of light, a civilizer and personifies the society in which he is a part, but to which he gives a divine character. In turn, he is the representation of a kind of masculine solar cult.

Arthur

Considered the most important character in Celtic mythology. In the beginning he was historically described as a modest warlord, leader of horsemen, who hired their services to the Briton island kings, in the fight they had against the invading Saxons.

He was so successful that this legend was attributed to him, where his role and power were greatly exaggerated, giving him a mythological scope.

His name, which was a nickname, has the meaning having the appearance of a bear o descendant of the warrior bear. Where it is also similar to the Roman denomination of Arthur, who obtained the totality of the aspects of a divinity from the Celtic tradition.

Other stories

Other stories from Celtic mythology were added to the primitive scheme and Arthur became the symbol of the ideal Celtic world, which functions according to an axis established by the king. Although this ruler only possesses power when he is present, he does not even act.

Also, Arthur and Merlin, constitute the well-known king-druid couple, with which no Celtic society can exist. His father was King Uther Pendragon, who obtained with Merlin's magic his son Arthur, with the wife of the Duke of Cornwall.

There was also a woman named Igraine, who had borne two daughters to Duke Morgause, who was the wife of King Lot of Lothian and mother of Sir Gawain and Morgana, who learned the magical arts from Merlin and was called like Le Fay or The Fairy.

He even follows his father by ripping the Excalibur sword out of the rock it was stuck in. In fact, in all the novels of the round table (mystical table of Camelot where the king and his knights discussed matters crucial to the security of the kingdom) Arthur is described by his passivity.

Especially since it was his knights who carried out the acts on his behalf and on behalf of Queen Guinevere, who exercised sovereignty. In fact, Guinevere loved Lancelot of the Lake, Arthur's best knight and the adopted son of the Lady of the Lake. The kingdom was split in two when Fairy Morgan revealed the adultery that was taking place. Where Mordred (King Arthur's and Morgana's incestuous son) killed King Arthur in a battle, Morgana moves him to Avalon (British island) takes care of him and buries him.

Marline

Also one of the most famous characters in the Arthurian legend. In fact, it is believed that he existed 70 years after the historical Arthur. He was characterized as a wren of the North Bretons, located in Lower Scotland. Where losing his mind due to a battle caused him to take refuge in a forest and begin to prophesy. Which generated that the legend seized the character and with him different mythological aspects.

One of the most outstanding stories is that of the myth of the madman inspired by the divinity, the wild man, lord of the animals and balancer of nature. He is also the child who has just been born and who makes the revelation of the future. In fact, he is frequently known as the magician.

In legend, Merlin is described as being the descendant of an incubus demon named Belial the Bestial, hence his powers. He is known for opposing the usurping king Vortigern, serving and advising Aurelius Ambrose (Roman Celt leader) and becoming a permanent adviser and titular wizard to Uther Pendragon.

In addition, he makes him father Arthur and forces him to recognize Arthur as the king of the Bretons, advising him and helping him in his company, also establishing the Round Table. His day culminates in the Broceliande forest at the side of his beloved Nimue, the Lady of the Lake.

If you were interested in the information in this article, you may also be interested in knowing about the myth of Echo and Narcissus.


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