This book sets a new agenda for mortuary archaeology. Applying explicit case studies based on a range of European sites (from Scandinavia to Britain, Southern France to the Black Sea), 'Mortuary Practices and Social Identities in the Middle Ages' fulfills the need for a volume that provides accessible material to students and engages with current debates in mortuary archaeology's methods and theories. The book builds upon Heinrich Harke's influential research on burial archaeology and early medieval migrations, focusing in particular on his ground-breaking work on the relationship between the theory and practice of burial archaeology. Using diverse archaeological and historical data, the essays explore how mortuary practices have served in the make-up and expression of medieval social identities. Themes explored include masculinity, kinship, ethnicity, migration, burial rites, genetics and the perception of landscape.

Trees mirror in many ways the life cycle of human beings: they are born from seed, they breathe and drink, they grow to maturity, reproduce and eventually die from age or disease. Their branches, roots and the veins of their leaves resemble human blood vessels, and certain species even ooze a reddish, blood-like sap when damaged.From ancient times, people appreciated the spiritual value of trees, singling out individual trees for special veneration. In Ireland the roots of tree worship reach deep into pagan Celtic religion and spirituality. Christine Zucchelli looks at these trees, from Fairy Thorns to Rag Trees, from Mass Bushes to Monument Trees. This fascinating exploration of their stories and legends reveals their spiritual, social and historical functions from pagan times to the present.

The Celtic Book of the Dead is a 42-card oracle based on the ancient Irish story of the Voyage of Maelduin, given here in a new translation by Caitlin Matthews. The locations of Maelduin's voyage form the route toward the Blessed Isles that lie west of Ireland; for him, and for the reader, each island reveals the wonders and challenges as he sails nearer to the heart of the Celtic Otherworld. As with the Egyptian Book of the Dead, this oracle gives the soul opportunities to purify, clarify, and refocus. Filled with wonders, terrors, and transformational experiences, each island represents a staging post on the reader's own voyage to self-discovery. As the islands reveal gifts that can be resources for the human condition, so too, solutions and strategies for unknotting life's tangles may be found. The cards have three uses: to divine the path ahead as a guide to the soul's direction, as a way of meditation for personal and environmental healing, and as a Book of the Dead for the dying. This oracle offers a grown-up method of divination and meditation, based on an ancient northwestern European tradition.

Including works from Welsh, Irish and Scottish Gaelic, Cornish, Breton and Manx, this Celtic Miscellany offers a rich blend of poetry and prose from the eighth to the nineteenth century, and provides a unique insight into the minds and literature of the Celtic people. It is a literature dominated by a deep sense of wonder, wild inventiveness and a profound sense of the uncanny, in which the natural world and the power of the individual spirit are celebrated with astonishing imaginative force. Skifully arranged by theme, from the hero-tales of Cu Chulainn, Bardic poetry and elegies, to the sensitive and intimate writings of early Celtic Christianity, this anthology provides a fascinating insight into a deeply creative literary tradition. Kenneth Hurlstone Jackson was born in 1909. He began his career as a lecturer in Celtic at Cambridge, before becoming the first chair of the Department of Celtic Language and Literature at Harvard. He undertook war service with the Uncommon Languages section of British censorship and subsequently held professorships at Harvard and Edinburgh. Professor Jackson died in 1991.

The activities of Jesus before the start of his ministry at the age of thirty have been the subject of much speculation. Did he travel beyond the bounds of Palestine in his search for wisdom knowledge? Where did he acquire the great learning which amazed those who heard him preaching and enabled him to cross swords in debate with Scribes and Pharisees? A number of legends suggest that Jesus travelled to the British Isles with Joseph of Arimathea, who worked in the tin trade. With these legends as his starting point, Gordon Strachan uncovers a fascinating network of connections between the Celtic world and Mediterranean culture and philosophy. Taking the biblical image of Wisdom as the 'master craftsman', Strachan explores the deep layers of Mystery knowledge shared between the Judaic-Hellenic world and the northern Druids -- from the secret geometry of masons and builders, which Jesus would have encountered in his work as a craftsman in Palestine, to the Gematria or number coding of the Old and New Testaments. This book is the basis of the film documentary 'And Did Those Feet' which screened at the BFI in London in 2010.

Prophecy, Fate and Memory in the Early and Medieval Celtic World brings together a collection of studies that closely explore aspects of culture and history of Celtic-speaking nations. Non-narrative sources and cross-disciplinary approaches shed new light on traditional questions concerning commemoration, sources of political authority, and the nature of religious identity. Leading scholars and early-career researchers bring to bear hermeneutics from studies of religion and literary criticism alongside more traditional philological and historical methodologies. All the studies in this book bring to their particular tasks an acknowledgement of the importance of religion in the worldview of antiquity and the Middle Ages. Their approaches reflect a critical turn in Celtic studies that has proved immensely productive across the last two decades.

Romance of the Perilous Land is a roleplaying game of magic and adventure set in the world of British folklore, from the stories of King Arthur to the wonderful regional tales told throughout this green and pleasant land. It is a world of romantic chivalry, but also of great danger, with ambitious kings, evil knights, and thieving brigands terrorising the land, while greedy giants, malevolent sorcerers, and water-dwelling knuckers lurk in the shadows. As valiant knights, mighty barbarians, subtle cunning folk, and more, the players are heroes, roaming the land to fight evil, right wrongs, and create their own legends.

James Lynn Page has written a creative and practical guide to an ancient and mysterious tradition that is enjoying an astonishing revival worldwide. He separates fact from fiction, myth from magic, and brings the reader closer to the truth in this fascinating study of the Celts: their traditional ceremonies, rituals and lore linked to the seasons; Hallowe'en and modern Witchcraft (or Wicca); and, the Celtic gods, goddesses and heroes. And then he tells us how to make the magic happen for ourselves, to harness its power and improve our lives.

Druidism was the religion of the Celts and the Druids themselves were all-powerful, taking precedence over the Celtic kings. Over and above the evidence of classical texts and of archaeology, the richest source of information about the Druids is the vernacular material from Ireland and Wales. It is the author's unparalleled familiarity with the Gaelic texts, and her ability to see Druidism through Celtic eyes, that marks out this study from earlier books and strips away modern myths about the Druids.

The mythologies of the world are collective cultural dreams, and as such should be analyzed first from cultural perspectives. How do myths of the ancient Egyptians or Greeks, for instance, reflect the realities of the Egyptian and Greek cultures? When compared, however, mythologies reveal certain universal themes or motifs that point to larger trans-cultural issues such as the place of the human species in creation or the nature of deity as a concept. World Mythology: A Very Short Introduction is organized around the universal motifs. Creation, the Flood, the Hero Quest, the Trickster/Culture Hero, the Pantheons, the High God, the Great Goddess. Veteran mythology scholar David Leeming examines examples of each motif from a variety of cultures-Greek, Egyptian, Norse, American Indian, African, Polynesian, Jewish, Christian, Hindu-treating them as reflections of the cultures that "dreamed" them. He compares and analyzes them, exposing their universal significance and creating a "world mythology."

Celtic Wales is about the beginnings of Wales and how the period from the Iron Age to medieval times helped shape and define the modern nation of Wales. Early Wales has a spectacular archaeological, literary and mythical heritage. This book uses archaeology and early historical documents to discuss all aspects of early Welsh society, from war to farming and from drinking habits to Druids.

The early medieval manuscripts of Ireland and Britain have preserved tantalizing clues pertaining to the cosmology, religion and mythology of native Celtic cultures. In this unique collection of new studies and translations, ancient source materials and research from the fields of archaeology, linguistics and comparative religion illuminate the depths of these indigenous beliefs and practices. The book focuses on three themes-Cosmology, Sovereignty and Liminality-and explores sacred origins, three cosmic realms, four directions and the World Tree, seasonal cycles, religious practitioners, goddess figures, and the acquisition of poetic inspiration and Otherworld wisdom. An excellent resource for students of Celtic mythology and religion, Irish, Scottish and Welsh folklore, comparative religion, world mythology, Goddess studies, and those interested in their Celtic heritage.

The mystery, magic and myth of Manannan. The sea is a powerful, driving force for many people, a source of sustenance as well as danger. It is no surprise that Manannan, the Celtic God of the sea, should be an important figure but one who is also as ambiguous as the element he is associated with: a trickster, a magic worker, an advisor and a warrior. In this book you will get to know the many faces of Manannan, called the son of the ocean, and learn of his important place in mythology and the pivotal role he plays in many events. 'This highly intelligent but accessible book belongs on the shelves and nightstands of lovers of Celtic myth.' Courtney Weber, author of Brigid: History, Mystery, and Magic of the Celtic Goddess

Writing well over a thousand years ago, the Celtic saints and their followers who penned them reflected not just the cares and concerns of their own times, but also gave voice to the universal human experience - the hopes, fears, joys and anxieties that are as much part of modern existence as they were in the Dark Ages. Meditations on birth, death and everything else that comes in between, as well as comments on the rhythms of everyday life, are mixed with musings on the natural world, the divine and, of course, the eternal questions that everyone asks.

A comprehensive and practical guide to the ancient oracle based on the alphabet of the Druids.

- Describes the symbolism and mythology of the 20 "tree letters" and their magical correspondences.

- Includes instructions on how to make your own Ogam divination sticks, cast the oracle, and perceive omens.

- Provides historical background and bibliographic references to the Druidic mythology ruling this 1,500-year-old oracle.

The ancient Ogam alphabet is a magical and mysterious script, the Celtic equivalent of the runes that can teach us about our fate and future. Named after woodland trees, Ogam's 20 "tree letters" all have unique wisdom to impart that is linked to figures and themes from Celtic mythology.

The author addresses three major areas in this book: Ogamlore, the history of this 1500-year-old oracle of the Celtic Druids; Ogamfews, the meaning of the individual tree letters, their magic, characteristics, folklore, and related stories; and Ogamcasting, the practical art of Ogam divination, which includes spreads, castings, and how to create your own Ogam set. With these tools of ancient Celtic wisdom, readers will receive insights and guidance on how to maneuver through life's questions and challenges.

This interdisciplinary volume of essays examines the real and imagined role of Classical and Celtic influence in the history of British identity formation, from late antiquity to the present day. In so doing, it makes the case for increased collaboration between the fields of Classical reception and Celtic studies, and opens up new avenues of investigation into the categories Celtic and Classical, which are presented as fundamentally interlinked and frequently interdependent. In a series of chronologically arranged chapters, beginning with the post-Roman Britons and ending with the 2016 Brexit referendum, it draws attention to the constructed and historically contingent nature of the Classical and the Celtic, and explores how notions related to both categories have been continuously combined and contrasted with one another in relation to British identities. Britishness is revealed as a site of significant Celtic-Classical cross-pollination, and a context in which received ideas about Celts, Romans, and Britons can be fruitfully reconsidered, subverted, and reformulated. Responding to important scholarly questions that are best addressed by this interdisciplinary approach, and extending the existing literature on Classical reception and national identity by treating the Celtic as an equally relevant tradition, the volume creates a new and exciting dialogue between subjects that all too often are treated in isolation, and sets the foundations for future cross-disciplinary conversations.

This dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology is a comprehensive and accessible survey of one of the world's richest mythological traditions. It covers the people, themes, concepts, places, and creatures of Celtic mythology, saga, legend, and folklore from both ancient pagan origins, and modern traditions.

They may be coated in layers of myth and pious anecdote but dig deep enough and the pioneering leaders of Celtic Christianity are revealed as reassuringly human individuals, responding to their faith by deliberately living on the edges of society. From the goddess-nun Brigid and absent-minded Cainnech to severe ascetics such as Columbanus and Baldred, together they demonstrate a close connection with the natural world, an astonishing self-discipline and, above all, a rigorous commitment to what it meant to be 'pilgrims for Christ'. Establishing a network of influential monastic communities, they travelled from the territories of the Atlantic seaboard - Ireland, Wales and Cornwall - across Scotland, the north of England and deep into continental Europe, transforming the religious experience of all they encountered.

In this beautifully-written guide, Chief Druid Philip Carr-Gomm shows how the way of Druids can be followed today. He explains-- The ancient history and inspiring beliefs of the ancient Druids-- Druidic wild wisdom and their tree-, animal- and herb-lore-- The mysteries of the Druids' seasonal celebrations-- The Druids' use of magic and how their spirituality relates to paths such as Wicca. This guide will show how the wild wisdom of the Druids can help us to connect with our spirituality, our innate creativity, the natural world and our sense of ancestry. The life-enhancing beliefs and practices of this spiritual path have much to offer our 21st-century world.

This is an inspiring, magical and beautifully packaged collection of Celtic poetry compiled by a leading authority on Celtic tradition. Arranged into five thematic chapters, this anthology reflects the uniquely Celtic love of nature, history, love, myth, magic and spirituality. From the earliest times, the language-loving Celts revered their bards: they established a poetic tradition beginning in the 6th century with the intricate magical verse of Taliesin. It continued in the rich medieval works of Dafydd ap Gwilym and Rhys Goch and stayed strong in the 19th and 20th centuries with Gerald Manley Hopkins, and writers such as R.J. Stewart, Robin Williamson and Catherine Fisher. Matthews has chosen the finest works by the most diverse range of poets and translated many of the oldest for this volume. His selection will offer readers a window on to the world of the ancient Celtic peoples, celebrating their culture and the great masterpieces of lyricism and brilliance that have survived the ages.

In the ancient realm of the Celts, the seer was a person who opened a window to reveal a complete view of the cosmos, in which the otherworld and the everyday world interconnect. This was the essence of true perception and wisdom, known as glefiosa, or 'bright knowledge'. For the seer, the babbling of the stream, the swaying of treetops in the wind, the hunting and foraging of animals are all brimful of deeper meaning. The Art of Celtic Seership shows how to connect with this visionary wisdom, nurture it in ourselves and harness it to live in harmony with each other and with the earth, and to bring profound insight and understanding to our day-to-day existence. It describes the tools and techniques of the druids, bards and seers of old, and explains how we too can draw inspiration from the natural world and open ourselves to developing our prophetic and visionary powers. Practical exercises include calling upon your ancestors, working with your dreams, cultivating a connection with the faery folk, experimenting with trance states, entering into the consciousness of the stones, trees and other natural features around you, asking a question of the universe and listening to the reply and reading omens and signs in the symbols you encounter through the day.