There was no singular overarch Gaelic religion . As ancient Celt made their homes in widespread regions across Western Europe , they developed differentCeltic godsand goddesses to fulfill their spiritual needs .
Many Gaelic myths sprang from the Iron Age ( begin as early as 1200 B.C.E. ) , but Celtic finish spread from as far eastward as the New - day Czech Republic to the westerly shoring of the British Isles .
Stories of ancient Celtic gods and goddess in these farthest western compass provided poetical inspiration for Arthurian fable and folklore that has persevere through millennia . Many modern traditions and holidays actually trace their origins back to Celtic myth .
Who Were the Celtic People?
Celts were one of the most enigmatic cultural and linguistic groups in ancient chronicle . Believed to have originated in the Balkan region , the first recorded encounters date back toAlexander the Great ’s campaign in 335 B.C.E. However , within the next C , these people would scatter to every corner of Europe .
irrespective of where these seminomadic hunting and farming community of interests settle , their religion was closely tied to nature and the changing seasons . They selected station aligning with seasonal solstice and other rude phenomena to worship patron Celtic idol and goddess .
Not much is roll in the hay about specific Gaelic religious ceremonies . However , many anthropologists believe that Celtic citizenry betroth in mystic ritual involve hallucinogenic drug and votive offer of both animal and human sacrifice .
Human sacrifice may seem extreme by today ’s standard , but the Celts were known to be a relatively unafraid beau monde . This made them formidable foes who often halted Roman conquest in the quaternary one C B.C.E. Celtic warriors would often charge armored Romanist cavalry , wear nothing but blue warpaint .
8 Important Celtic Deities
Since Gaelic mythology was in the beginning an oral tradition before Christian Thelonious Sphere Monk arrive to transcribe them , the exact detail of Gaelic gods and goddesses are continuously debated by innovative historiographer and anthropologist .
alike to Greek and Roman deities , the main Celtic deity and goddesses were fellow member of a divine family . Father and female parent goddess in this Celtic pantheon oversaw aspects of nature and battled vicious forces essay to ruin humanity , while less Gaelic god play minor roles in legend .
1. Brigid
The Celtic goddess Brigid is the daughter of Dagda and a powerful healer in Irish mythology . Many historians trust that when Christianity swept through Western Europe , the goddess Brigid develop into St. Brigid , the patron nonsuch ofIreland .
2. Cernunnos
Cernunnos , depict as the ram - headed serpent god or horned god , is arguably one of the most universal figure in the ancient Celtic earth . Although this Gaelic god ’s iconography with horned ophidian and antlers was potential the inspiration for Christian depiction ofSatan , he was thoroughly - natured .
Cernunnos is a cardinal deity who mold plants , fauna and fertility in most Gaelic mythology belief organization .
3. Danu
The Irish goddess Danu is believe to have been a simple H2O goddess or an alternative incarnation of the primary mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann . Some historians even nominate that the goddess Danu is the oldest of all the Celtic gods and goddess , represent earth ’s primal look .
4. Dian Cecht
Like other Irish gods , Dian Cecht ’s role in ancient Irish mythology is still shroud in closed book . However , based off translation of his name and his appearance in oral history , he is believed to be a powerful healing god who brought wound warrior to the Wells of Sláinte .
These healing bounce were believed to bring forth miraculous recovery and the terminal figure " Sláinte " still means health today . innovative exercise is typically reserved for the famous Irishdrinking goner .
5. Epona
This Gaelic horse goddess appears in several legends among German tribes and little residential district along the Danube river . The base " epo " is actually the Gaelic word for gymnastic horse . Although other Celtic goddesses partake in connections to horses , Epona is the most clearly define equestrian deity .
6. Eriu
Eriu is the Irish goddess that would finally become the namesake of the body politic we have it away today . In Irish mythology , she plays the purpose of divine feminine , along with her sisters Bamba and Fodla . These Celtic goddess are sometimes described as a triple goddess , or three separate entity .
7. Lugh
The Gaelic god Lugh , or Lugh Lámfada ( farsighted - arm ) , was a skilled warrior poet who mastered several arts and crafts of ancient society . The god Lugh was also associated with the sun and it ’s divulge visible light , pee-pee him a skilful god for uphold law and justice among other gods and mortals likewise .
8. Rhiannon
Rhiannon is the Celtic god of horses for the ancient Welsh . She is think to have been another iteration of the Celtic goddess Epona from Irish mythology , or she was a distinct entity developed asunder from Irish Supreme Being and goddess .
A Brief Summary of Celtic Mythology
Celtic mythology varied by neighborhood , but it was always polytheistic ( worship of more than one god ) . These many Gaelic gods and goddesses speciate in specific aspects of nature and casual life sentence instead of one god hold in everything .
Like Norse mythology , Gaelic gods and goddesses played a more hand - on role than the " almighty don figure watching from above " trope that is so commonly discover inmonotheisticreligions . For example , the Tuatha Dé Danann from Irish narration were only part god and walked among mortals .
part traits of the supernatural race known as the Tuatha Dé Danann would also acquire with time . For instance , a mischievous horn god may be a malevolent healing god centuries afterward . For this reason , Irish mythology is typically smash into the following four cycle :
Who Were the Tuatha Dé Danann?
The Tuatha Dé Danann — also know by their quondam name or Tuath Dé — were immortal supernatural beings in Irish mythology who controlled the weather , natural elements , and ground rankness . Tuatha Dé Danann lived in the Otherworld , but would travel to the deathly world to determine the affairs of mortal men .
Who Is the Most Powerful Celtic God?
The Dagda was the leader of the most important Celtic gods and goddesses in the Tuatha Dé Danann kindred . Although this giant father figure bears the byname " unspoilt god , " he was a figure of dichotomy . This whimsey is illustrated by his vast nightclub that gave life with one end and take it with the other .
Who Is the Most Powerful Celtic Goddess?
The Morrigan , also known as the " divine queen " or " phantom tabby , " was the mother goddess of the Tuatha Dé Danann . This phantom queen was associate with warfare and lot , especially when guiding fabled deadly fibre toward pursuit of glory .
The Gaelic goddess Morrigan is sometimes key as a treble goddess who was comprised of three sister who share common traits of other mother goddess . However , some of these conflicting views could also stem from this Celtic mother goddess ' shapeshifting ability .
