Abstract The paper discusses Druids in Celtic times and mentions the recent revival of Druidism in Britain. Information was gathered from ancient literature in which Druids have made frequent appearances.
Table of Contents
How Druids Legend have Survived
Who Were the Druids Why Druids Emerged
Worship Method: Stone Circles
Culture and Festivals of Druids Druids Today
From the Paper "Mysteries and legends may appear to many as fabricated stories that made their appearance from time to time for the purpose of sheer entertainment. Hence, they feel that these mysteries do not hold much attraction except for providing man with temporary entertainment and mostly are forgotten by both the storyteller and his audience the moment the gathering comes to an end. But why have some legends managed to withstand the test of time? "
Abstract This paper takes a look at the Druids who existed during the Anglo Saxon period when Britain was inhabited by a group of people called the Celts. The paper explains that the Celtic tribes were headed by a king and were divided by class into Druids, warrior nobles and commoners. The paper also tells us that the Druids were the priests and ministers of religion and that the Druids had an abundance of power and were highly respected by society. The paper discusses who the Druids were, what were their duties and functions and their beliefs. According to the paper, the Druids were contributors to the weakness of the Celtic society and their eventual downfall.
From the Paper "During a period of time known as the Anglo-Saxon period, Britain was inhabited by a group of people known as the Celts. Common speech, customs, and religion united the various Celtic tribes. Each tribe was headed by a king and was divided by class into Druids, warrior nobles, and commoners. The Druids were priests and ministers of religion. The Druids had an abundance of power and were held in high respect by the Celtic society, often-taking precedence even of the kings. The Druids even supervised all public and private disputes, issuing punishments and rewards. The influence of the Druids had a great cultural impact upon Celtic society."
Abstract This paper explains that, at the height of their domination in Europe, the Celtics, who were a warrior race in the 9th century B.C.E. that started on the island of Ireland, spread their religion across the British Isles to Turkey; however, they finally were conquered by the Romans and the Germanic tribes. The author points out that Druidism was passed down through an oral tradition typically kept by the bards and the ancient Druids; much of the Druids traditions are still kept because they were later recorded in medieval manuscripts and in oral tradition, folk lore and ritual. The paper concludes that, in the modern world, the Druids are still strong as a cultural fascination and several religious groups have been formed such as the British Druid Order and the Reformed Druids of North America.
Table of Contents
Celtic Paganism: A History
Celtic Traditions and Religions
Druidism and their Different Occupations
Influence of Christianity of the Druids The Religious Beliefs of the Druids Devices Used by the Druids Druid Celebrations and Seasonal Celebrations
The Modern Druidic Movement
From the Paper "The Druids are known for having many celebrations and ceremonies throughout the year. Some of these celebrations are religious others commemorate special events within their history. The Druids celebrate a series of fire-festivals on the first of each of four months. These festivals would start at sunset and last for three days. When these ceremonies start, great bonfires are built on the hilltops and cattle would be driven between the two great bonfires to assure them fertility. Couples hoping to be married would jump over the bonfire and run between them to encourage fertility as well. These festivities all have special significance within the culture of the Druids. The first is the Samhain, which means the end of the warm season. It takes place on November 1st which marks the combined feast of the dead and the new years day celebration on the Celtic calendar. This is the time when the veil between our reality and the reality of the otherworld can be easily penetrated. Thus, communication with those who have past beyond the veil is possible and many ceremonies attempt to communicate with the dead during this festival. Later the Christians would adopt the fire festival as the All Soul's Eve, and later it would become the secular holiday Halloween."
From the Paper "A visitor to the ancient site of Stonehenge in southern England at sunrise on June 21st, would find a number of people, both men and women, dressed in white robes performing ceremonies among the massive stones. The visitor might be told that these folk were Druids. A question would then emerge, "Who are these people, and are they in their rightful place"? The answer is not a simple one. It involves ancient manuscripts such as those written by Julius Caesar or the Roman General Tacitus, and literary sources in classical and Celtic languages, as well as the history of ideas and folklore, artistic fashions, and popular myth from the last few centuries. Druids have achieved a historical heritage for the average person as lofty as the Magna Carta has. The more knowledgeable may remember that the Greeks and Romans wrote about them; the less critical may accept the unbroken survival of the priesthood through today."
Abstract This paper examines how, from a Druidic stand-point, animal experimentation and testing on animals would be deemed unethical, immoral, and against the beliefs and teachings of Druidism. It looks at how many modern Druids would probably reiterate that it is indeed against their beliefs, due to their strong ties to nature and the animal world. It discusses how, although some may argue that sacrifices played a role in Druidism, Druid rituals actually only required the use of animal bones or skins; animals were never used to experiment upon or abused for trophies. It also explores how Druids used animal remains and plants for medicinal reasons, as well as religious purposes.
From the Paper "By all accounts, Druids lived close to nature, where Nature and animals played a key role in their beliefs. They did not believe in fighting or war, but more in education and the sciences of philosophy, astronomy and poetry. There was a strong bond between man and animal, with many of the deities in Druidism had physical similarities to animals. Elements of nature "were inhabited by guardian spirits" (Pollack, pg226) and "the importance of animals in the religious life can also be seen in the fact that of the eight Druid festivals of the year, four of them, known as the Fire Festivals, are particularly related to the pastoral life of animal rearing and agriculture" (Carr-Gomm, pg8)."
Abstract This paper examines in brief the history of this monumental stone circle, its construction and the myths that have grown up around it especially during the 20th century. The paper concludes that the monument remains so compelling in large measure because we know so little about it.
From the Paper "Stonehenge, a monumental circular setting of large standing stones surrounded by a circular earthwork, was constructed in several phases about eight miles north of Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. It was begun as long as 5000 years ago with the outer bank, the ditch, and the Aubrey holes encircling the main construction dating from probably the late Stone Age or early Bronze Age (circa 2000BC). The main structure dates from between the early Bronze Age and the end of the Iron Age. The sarsen - or sandstone - stones date from the about 1500BC (Chippindale 18)."
This paper discusses humor in early anonymous medieval English poetry: "The Dream of the Holy Rood", "Beowulf" and "The Wanderer" and later pieces "The Canterbury Tales", "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and "Everyman".
Abstract This paper explains that, on first reading, early medieval English poetry seems so deadly serious but, by look at some of the exaggeration in this poetry, even "Beowulf" and the "Wanderer" could be considered funny. The author points out that the bards of the Celts and Druids had a tradition of humor in which musicians and storytellers poked fun at people and situations. The paper relates in detail examples of humor in each poem such as "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight", which the paper states is "a positively outrageous story".
From the Paper "When the reader gets into the poem ["Beowulf"] itself, it seems the ideas are ponderous and so is the language. How men who spent all night drinking could continuously be, or at least be portrayed, in such pompous, overblown terms, doesn't make sense. Mead is a powerfully alcoholic drink and ale is what it is. How could these men drink themselves to sleep every night and still function at all? Is it just the modern mindset that is so foreign to this kind of writing or is the sense of someone poking fun at this "warrior class" that apparently thought very highly of itself and its values, an accurate perception? The rigid, almost comically so, codes of honor the peoples of this poem lived by almost defy logic. The aggrandizement of people whose best skills are killing other people leaves something to be desired."
Tags: exaggeration, codes, poking, celts, christian
Abstract This paper looks at how the early cultures that populated the nascent Western World were all unique. It looks at how proximity, difficulty and a mastery of seafaring technology allowed for a transfusion of cultures over the years, most predominantly through Christianization. It attempts to show how long before the age of Westernization, traditional western cultures blossomed, spreading as far away as Africa and the middle west and providing the basis for culture that would one day spread far and wide with traditions like Halloween and the "middle earth" that captivated Tolkien, Hollywood and eventually the world.
From the Paper "Unlike their northern neighbors, the Scandinavians were not aquatic warriors; they were village-oriented farmers, fishermen, and hunters. They operated on a very local level, but were forced to establish lines of communication with other villages to establish lines of defense against the attacking Vikings. Together, the "northmen" established a large defense fleet called the ledung to protect themselves from the invaders, preserving not only their little villages, but also their families, fish, lands, and game. The Norse mythology pervaded the Scandinavian culture, an orally purported religion that claimed no divine text, but instead was a collection of tales that asserted the earth was a flat disc in which the gods lived in the center, separated from the humans by a rainbow, the Bifrost bridge."
Abstract The paper examines opposing viewpoints on who possibly built Stonehenge, why they did and what the site was used for. The paper relates that Stonehenge is one of the most famous ancient archaeological sites in the world. The paper explains that many believe it holds religious significance, especially for the Druids, while others believe it was a sort of "sky map" that showed the positions of the sun and moon. The paper concludes that whatever its purpose was, Stonehenge is still magnificent and awesome today.
From the Paper "Stonehenge was built on the Salisbury Plain in Southern England. It lies about eight miles north of the town of Salisbury. Just about everyone is familiar with the look of Stonehenge - giant boulders moved to the site and arranged in a circle, with long boulders placed on top of the upright stones to form a type of lintel. However, there is more to Stonehenge than this famous image of upright stones. Stonehenge actually encompasses several different sections of building and development, from the ditch (now almost entirely filled in with silt) that surrounds the area to the bank rising up from the remains of the ditch and the Aubrey Holes and cemetery at the site."
