Ritual Art Celtic Society :: History Religion Religious Essays

Ritual Art Celtic SocietyPre-Christian Celtic SocietyAbout the pre- roman letterstic period of Celtic civilization (from the end of the sixth century BCE to some time in the first century CE) thither is little written as record of their purification or ritual. We hold out of there existence through name and address by Greek writers to their similarity to the source of the Danube and to their being near the Greek colony that became Marseilles. Later literature refer to their rituals and superstitions, which had, as with other uncivilized cultures, played a immense instigate in the lives of the people. But more than 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 intimately 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 recor ded the rituals of sacrifice in relief resourcefulness. 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 military personnel alike, in massive wooden structures in the shape of a figure. Descriptions of these events receive mostly from Roman writings, m both 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 beautify 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 look of the Chirstian west.Celtic Mythology and RitualThe mythology of the pagan Celtic tribes lacked the distinct pantheon that cultures similar to the Greeks possessed. Their deities were varied, with sole(prenominal) 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, heart 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 peck of the ritual practices that Druids performed with the same intent a show of respect to the gods with the anticipate of beneficial retribution.