VII. GOD DRUID
In The Siege of Druim Damgair, at a difficult moment, Kenmhar calls for help "the first druid of the world", and this druid, Mog Ruith, while the fire is being prepared at his order, makes a speech that begins like this: "God of the druids, my god before all gods" (de dhruadh, mu dhe tar gac nde). Since this "god of the druids" or Dagda ("good god" or "most divine") is the father of Brigid, the goddess of the filids, and thus the ancestor of the three original druid gods, it is obvious that the power of the druids is fully justified. In fact, all gods are druids, just as all druids are gods. Equality here is manifested in both senses, and in this way: "Katbad, beautiful-faced, taught me for the sake of my mother Dekhtira, so that I became skilled in druidic knowledge and versed in secret wisdom."
From this it is quite clear why the Druids, in particular, had access to metepsihoz, which was the privilege of superhuman and mythological beings. As if expressing the opinion of all skeptics, a certain Connle Cainbretach (“good judge”) wrongfully reproached the druids of his time for being unable to change anything in the world: “Let the sun and moon appear in the north from the people of the world, and then we will believe in that everything you say is true."
Obeying an unshakable principle, the heirs of the original druids, the creators of the world and living beings, saw no reason in creating a useless and causeless "miracle" on a mere order. Such is the cult, according to Celtic religious ideas, that created the world; in addition, the priest is the driving force of the cult, and in the absence of faith, the cosmic order turns into chaos.
From the book Druids author Leroux FrancoiseCHAPTER I THE DRUID History textbooks most often reproduce a picture depicting a Gallic druid cutting a mistletoe: “A priest dressed in white,” says Pliny, “climbing a tree, cuts off the mistletoe with a golden sickle, which is collected in a white cloak.” Few of
From the book Druids author Leroux FrancoiseII. THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WORD "DRUID" Classical authors unanimously attribute many functions to the druids. Religion, justice, education, medicine, etc. - all this is in their jurisdiction, and it is absolutely impossible for us a priori to limit our own in this respect.
From the book Druids author Leroux Francoise From the book Druids author Leroux FrancoiseIV. DRUID AND WAR A druid is not only a priest, he is a warrior in equal measure: this combination may seem strange, but it is easily explained.
From the book Druids author Leroux FrancoiseV. THE DRUID AND THE KING Ireland provides us with other evidence of the power of the druid. Ulads are ready to kill each other because of a quarrel at a feast: “The guarantors of each of them rose in a rage, and their battle was so fierce that nine people were injured and nine received bloody
From the book Druids author Leroux FrancoiseVII. GOD-DRUID In "The Siege of Druim Damgair", at a difficult moment Kenmhar calls for help "the first druid of the world", and this druid, Mog Ruith, while the fire is being prepared at his order, makes a speech that begins like this: "The god of the druids, my god before by all the gods" (de dhruadh, mu dhe tar gac nde).
From the book Druids [Poets, scientists, soothsayers] by Pigott StewartTHE NAME "DRUID" Let us now turn to the content of these sources and trace in more detail where the very name of their priesthood came from. In classical texts, it occurs only in the plural: "druidai" in Greek, "druidae" and "druides" in Latin. Forms of "drasidae"
Dagda
Mu dhe tar gac nde
druid god,
My god before all gods
From spells Mog Ruita
Dagda... Among the Danu tribe it is difficult to find a figure more strange and less understood... "The Battle of Mag Tuired" draws us the image of a fat, simple-hearted giant in completely wild robes, who owns the Cauldron of Plenty, "from which no one happened to go hungry" and a battle club, so heavy that "only eight men could lift it at once, and they had to carry it on wheels, and the trail from it was like a moat on the border of the kingdoms."
From the same source we learn of the construction of the fortress of Bres, and how the greed of the blind Creedenbal was punished, of the black heifer received as a reward, to which all the flocks of Ireland are obedient, and of the meeting with the Morrigan on the river Unius, in a place named after the "Matrimonial Lodge ”, about a feast in the camp of the Fomorians and about the theft of the Magic Harp ...
Such a description and stories would rather suit the Thor of Scandinavian mythology, but at the same time, the druid Mog Ruit in "The Siege of Druim Damgair" calls Dagda as the God of the Druids and the "Battle of Mag Tuired" calls him the Druid of the Gods, which introduces consciousness into a kind of dissonance. So who is he - Dagda?
The origin of his name is described in the same “Battle of Mag Tuired”, and is usually translated as “Good God”, where “good” means “Fit for everything”, “omnipotent”. Therefore, they say about him that "every power of any power belongs to him."
They also call him Eochaid Ollatir - "Fighting Yew, the Great Father." The yew in Celtic symbolism is the tree of death, and, remembering the club of Dagda, which, as they say, killed at one end and returned to life with the other, we may well consider him the lord of death and birth.
His other nickname - Ruad Rofessa - "Red, Lord of Perfect Knowledge", indicates, it seems, his solar or fiery nature, which is combined with another, less well-known, name - Aed - "Flame".
The name Aed Ruad is also found in the legends about the origin of the name of the Ess Ruad waterfall - one of the habitats of the wise salmon, and Goll Essa Ruaid - One-eyed from the Ruad waterfall - perhaps one of the forms of the Dagda itself. This is all the more likely that his wife is Boan - the incarnate River Boyne.
The Dagda is the father of many of the tribe of gods. This is Angus Mac Og - the god of love and youth, and Banba, Fodla and Erin - the three goddesses in whose honor the Green Island got its names, and, of course, the Fire Arrow, the patroness of Arts, Crafts and the Hearth - Brigid.
The symbols of Dagda, in addition to the Mace and Cauldron of Abundance already mentioned earlier, are the Wheel and the Magic Harp, like the Dagda itself, which has several names ...
It is called Uaitne - "Charming", and two other names - Kor Ketarhar (Four-sided Music) and Daur Da Blao (Oak of two blossoms) - indicate its function - control and ordering of space and time, and they say that it is Dagda, playing on his harp, regulates the turns of the wheel of the year and he has "power over the elements and the harvest of people."
Let us refresh our memory of the picture of the world common to the entire Indo-European culture. Cosmos is represented as a World Tree growing on an island surrounded on all sides by the Waters of Chaos. The universe is divided into three levels and the spirits living in the branches, around the trunk and near the roots of the tree are considered relatives - a clan generated by the Tree itself. Spirits of Chaos live in the Waters - Outsiders, seeking to destroy the Tree, to return the universe to its original state.
Interaction with Chaos, however, is necessary for the Cosmos, since the Waters of the Great Abyss are not only a source of dangerous destruction of integrity, but, along with the Sun, the source of Life itself, bringing abundance and renewal.
This picture of the world is also reflected in the structure of the Celtic society, with its division of power between the king and the druids, and, probably, in the old days, both the power of Heaven and the power of the Sea belonged to the Druids, while the king represented the tree itself and only later became associated with the Sun.
Thus, we are faced with a relatively holistic image of the God-Priest common to the entire Indo-European culture - the guardian of the universe, protecting the Tree from the Spirits of Outer Darkness and looking after the source of the waters of life.
Such is Enki - the Lord of the Waters of the Lower World, and Shiva - the Creator and Destroyer of the Universe, and Svarog - who later divided his power between Perun and Veles, as Thor and Odin share it in Asatru.
Interestingly, in the tradition of Wales, Dagda corresponds to Bran - Raven, whose tree is Alder, along with Willow and Hazel, which was the object of cult worship of the "pre-oak" period ...
The alder is of the nature of Fire, but grows near bodies of water. Water strengthens its wood, not destroys it. Let us also remember the red paint extracted from the bark of this tree ...
In our time, the Druids call on Dagda on the day of the autumn equinox, as the Wise Salmon, the Master of the Cauldron of Abundance, bringing him a gift of oat cakes, beer and oil.
But, if you take a closer look, then the invisible presence of Dagda seems to permeate the entire ceremony.
Worshiping Mother Earth or invoking the Patroness of Bards - Brigid, we work with the daughters of Dagda. Expelling the Spirits of Outer Darkness and concluding a temporary peace agreement with them, we remember that it was the Dagda that held back the Fomorians by the force of the treaty. He is the Druid of the Gods, the Master of the Feast of the Ancestors and the Oldest Creature on Earth - Salmon, the Same Age as Time. He is the guardian of the Source of the Waters of Life and the turns of the annual wheel are obedient to the Music of His Harp...
Now, remembering this, try to work with Dagda more consciously... Summon him by kindling your ritual fire, as Mog Ruit called him - Him, the God of the Druids, the Druid among the Gods... Fill the time of the change of seasons with the Songs of his Harp -
Let Whitne sound these days,
Come Daur Da Blao
Come Kor Ketarhar,
Come Summer, come Winter
Through the lips of harps and bagpipes...
In conclusion, we present a part of Ian Corrigan's article.
The visualization of Dagda begins with a landscape - green hills with a large plain in front of them. A tall, powerful man approaches from the hills. He wears a tunic of nine colors and a plaid leather skirt. There are bracelets of gold on his strong arms and legs, and a scarlet cloak descends from his shoulders, fastened with a large brooch. On his thick neck is a large torc adorned with stones. His unkempt hair and beard are red, and a smile plays in his eyes and lips on his broad face. With his right hand, he drags a battle club behind him, leaving a deep furrow in the peat. Behind him is a harp, and under his left hand he carries a cauldron in which the brew is boiling, always in motion ...
Anthem Dagde
Ian Corrigan
Sincerely, Dagda
We sacrifice to you
The oats of the generous land are given by the free people
Eochaid the Allfather
You, the Fire Under the Cauldron
Hear us, Ancient Giant
God Abundant
Ruad Rofessa,
Lord of Secret Knowledge
Sacrificial Fire, in You we honor the Excellent God
Leader of Danu, Giving abundantly
Flame in the belly that sustains life
Flame in the lower back, continuing Life
Flame in the eyes, comprehending Life
Be in us as we are in You
Burn in us, accept offerings
Stallion's oats we give
Boiling Cauldron
On the sacred fire
O Harper of the Seasons
Victim Acceptor
Druid of Oak and Hazel
Dagda More!
Great Good God!
Accept our sacrifice!
The Celts believed in a variety of gods and goddesses, although not every Celtic nation revered the same group. Ireland had different gods from the gods of Wales, whose gods were different from those of Gaul. Another point worth noting is that there were not only gods known by various names that have come down to us, but many others whose names were considered too holy to be spoken aloud (thus the usual oath was: "I swear by the gods my people swear by."
It is important to remember that in the pre-Christian period, people believed in complex and imperfect gods who, like humans, had personalities, interests, and feelings. a professional was essential to study their nature and find ways to appease them while looking after the welfare of the tribe. Since the Gods are similar to people in behavior and temperament, they are more accessible and comprehensible to the consciousness of people. The idea that the gods could be the source of morality and the judges of mankind is an idea alien to the most ancient European peoples.
Tribe Goddess Danu(Tuatha de Danaan) is the name of the Irish pantheon, since the Gods came from this goddess. Oddly enough, Danu never directly appears in, perhaps she already exists everywhere, like the earth. With the advent of Christianity, the old Gods lost their status and power and turned into Shi or faeries, and many of the concepts of druidism transformed into the Faith of the Fae.
This is a short list containing only a brief description of the Gods:
Meadow lampada(Meadow Long Arm), Son of the Sun, father of Cuhullin. He is known by many names, such as Lleu in Wales and Lugos in Gaul, and seems to be one of the few pan-Celtic deities. He bears the epithet "Samildanah", or "Master of Crafts", which is why the Dagda relents and allows him to command the armies of the Gods at the Battle of Tuired. He is more commonly known as "Lamphada", or "Long Armed God", and has numerous copies in other Indo-European cultures, including that of India.
Dagda Kind(kind is not an indicator of moral quality, but of the diversity of his skills). He was the king of the Tuatha de Danaan for a long time and is the father of many of the Gods. He possesses a magical club that can heal the dead or kill the living, and a cauldron that can feed an unlimited number of people.
Nuada Argetlam(Silver Hand) was twice king of the Tribe. Nuada lost his arm at the Battle of Tuired and was replaced with a mechanical arm by the blacksmith god Diunknecht. His counterpart is the Norse God Tyr, who also loses an arm, albeit for a completely different reason.
Morrigan, Badb, and Nemine(a triune goddess of war, also associated with sovereignty) the mighty Goddess Morrigan is responsible for choosing who will die in battle. In the beliefs of the Iron Age Celts, she chose those who would go to the Other World along the sacred road. One of her most terrible omens is the Laundress by the River, where she appears as a maid washing the blood from the clothes of a hero who is destined to die that day. Her sisters were named Badb, "Madness," and Nemain, "Eater of the Dead."
brigid(triune Goddess of Fire, Poetry, and Blacksmithing). She was Christianized like Saint Brigid. Inextinguishable fires in her honor were maintained by the attendants, shining in her honor, and were never extinguished. Brigid's cross (a cross with three or four rays, woven from straw) was hung over the hearth, and Her blessings were asked when working in the forge, cooking and in all matters requiring the participation of fire. She is also a fertility deity as she assists in the birth of animals and humans; in the Christian tradition, she took birth from the Virgin Mary. The holiday of Imbolc is dedicated to her, and on this night people often left pieces of cloth at the door for her to touch and bless, as she wandered the world on that night.
Diunknecht, god of healing. His name can be translated (rather roughly) as Dia - "God", and Cecht - "plougher". He possessed a magical well that brought back to life anyone thrown into it, although the Fomorians once filled this well with stones. His children were great healers; Miah, his son, was the best of surgeons (it was out of jealousy for this skill that Diunknecht killed him) and his daughter Airmid was a master of herbalism.
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Druid Gods
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The Celts believed in a variety of gods and goddesses, although not every Celtic nation revered the same group. Ireland had different gods from the gods of Wales, whose gods were different from those of Gaul. Another point worth paying attention to is that there were not only gods known by various names that have come down to us, but also many others, ...
The Celts believed in a variety of gods and goddesses, although not every Celtic nation revered the same group. Ireland had different gods from the gods of Wales, whose gods were different from those of Gaul. Another point worth noting is that there were not only gods known by various names that have come down to us, but many others whose names were considered too holy to be spoken aloud (thus the usual oath was: "I swear by the gods my people swear by."
It is important to remember that in the pre-Christian period, people believed in complex and imperfect gods who, like humans, had personalities, interests, and feelings. A religious professional was essential to study their nature and find ways to appease them while looking out for the welfare of the tribe. Since the Gods are similar to people in behavior and temperament, they are more accessible and comprehensible to the consciousness of people. The idea that the gods could be the source of morality and the judges of mankind is an idea alien to the most ancient European peoples.
The Tuatha de Danaan (Tribe of the Goddess Danu) is the name of the Irish pantheon, since the Gods were descended from this goddess. Oddly enough, Danu never directly appears in the myths, perhaps she already exists everywhere, like the earth. Of course, some European rivers are named after her, such as the Don, Danube and Dnieper, or the Don River in Toronto, Canada. The stories of the Gods are to be found primarily in the history of the two Battles of Mag Tuired (or Moitura) in which they fought for the independence of Ireland from the Fomorian race. With the advent of Christianity, the old Gods lost their status and power and turned into Shi or faeries, and many of the concepts of druidism transformed into the Faith of the Fae.
This is a short list containing only a brief description of the Gods. The bibliography for this page has many book titles that can describe more deities much better.
Lug Lamphada (Meadow Long Arm), Son of the Sun, father of Cuchullin. He is known by many names, such as Lleu in Wales and Lugos in Gaul, and seems to be one of the few pan-Celtic deities. He bears the epithet "Samildanah", or "Master of Crafts", which is why the Dagda relents and allows him to command the armies of the Gods at the Battle of Mag Tuired. He is more commonly known as "Lamphada", or "Long Armed God", and has numerous copies in other Indo-European cultures, including that of India.
Dagda Kind (kind is not an indicator of moral quality, but of the diversity of his skills). He was the king of the Tuatha de Danaan for a long time and is the father of many of the Gods. He possesses a magical club that can heal the dead or kill the living, and a cauldron that can feed an unlimited number of people.
Nuada Argetlam (Silver Hand) was twice king of the Tribe. Nuada lost his arm at the Battle of Mag Tuired and was replaced with a mechanical arm by the blacksmith god Diunknecht. His counterpart is the Norse God Tyr, who also loses an arm, albeit for a completely different reason.
Morrigan, Badb, and Nemain (the triune goddess of war, also associated with sovereignty) the mighty Goddess Morrigan is responsible for choosing who will die in battle. In the beliefs of the Iron Age Celts, she chose those who would go to the Other World along the sacred road. One of her most terrible omens is the Laundress by the River, where she appears as a maid washing the blood from the clothes of a hero who is destined to die that day. Her sisters were named Badb, "Madness," and Nemain, "Eater of the Dead."
Brigid (triune Goddess of Fire, Poetry, and Blacksmithing). She was Christianized like Saint Brigid. Inextinguishable fires in her honor were maintained by the attendants, shining in her honor, and were never extinguished. Brigid's cross (a cross with three or four rays, woven from straw) was hung over the hearth, and Her blessings were asked when working in the forge, cooking and in all matters requiring the participation of fire. She is also a fertility deity as she assists in the birth of animals and humans; in the Christian tradition, she took birth from the Virgin Mary. The holiday of Imbolc is dedicated to her, and on this night people often left pieces of cloth at the back door for her to touch and bless, as she wandered the world on that night.
Diunknecht, god of healing. His name can be translated (rather roughly) as Dia - "God", and Cecht - "plougher". He possessed a magical well that brought back to life anyone thrown into it, although the Fomorians once filled this well with stones. His children were great healers; Miah, his son, was the best of surgeons (it was out of jealousy for this skill that Diunknecht killed him) and his daughter Airmid was a master of herbalism.
Manannan mac Lir, god of the sea and master of magic. His name still lives on in the name of the Isle of Man. Manannan is also a pan-Celtic deity, at least in the British Isles. In His realm of the Sea, there are many magical islands that make up the Celtic Otherworld. The sea is Heaven for him. Thus his realm is not merely the sea, but also the passages to the Other World, of which he is the guardian. His many nicknames include the names "God of the Mists", "God of the Earth of Women", "God of the Underwater Earth". During the Christian period, the cult of Manannan was probably modified into the worship of Saint Michael.
Welsh mythology tends to focus on the actions of heroes and their interactions with the gods. The primary and main source is the Mabinogion, a collection of legends from the mythical time of Wales. Some scholars believe that the Mabinogion describes medieval Wales rather than Iron Age Wales; nevertheless, it is a valuable source of Welsh mysticism. Your author would like to admit that, since he specializes in Irish and Scottish folklore, his knowledge of the Welsh pantheon of deities is rather weak.
Arawn, lord of Annun (Other World).
Math ap Mathonwy, the most powerful wizard. Matu needs a virgin on which he must place his feet, apparently preventing himself from contact with the Earth and thus from the possibility of losing his power.
Puyll, lord of the kingdom of Dyvad, and husband of Rhiannon.
Arianrhod - She is the Goddess of Caer (Castle) Arianrhod, who is sometimes associated with the constellation Coronea Borealis ("Northern Crown"), which is the place where the souls of slain heroes go. Her name means "Silver Wheel", which may also link her to the constellation or Wheel of the Year which is the symbol of each of the Fire Festivals.
Rhiannon, (Puill's wife) - Goddess associated with horses and the Underworld. She is the great Goddess with whom Puill is bound by sacred marriage.
Cerridwen, mother of the poet Taliesin (and perhaps therefore the patroness of poets). She possesses a cauldron in which a magic potion is brewed that gives great wisdom.
Lear, god of the sea Manaviddan, Welsh copy of the Irish Manannan.
Gallic deities found their way into Caesar's records. He drew analogies between the six Roman gods and those he "discovered" in Gaul. An archaeological record from Gaul reveals 374 names of deities, many of which were the personal gods of individual tribes or localities, or many of the names described the same deity.
Lug (Roman Mercury)
Belinus (Roman Apollo)
Taranis (Roman Mars)
Teutatis, god of thunder (Roman Jupiter)
Brigid (Roman Minerva)
Cernunnos (Roman Dispater), the Animal God or Green Man, and probably the God depicted on the Gunderstrup Cauldron.
Jesus, Hu "Hesu, the Ever-Dying God
Epona, Goddess of Horses, who has fertility attributes for mares and women.
Also worth noting is Gerne the Hunter, a Saxon god widely worshiped in the Middle Ages, whose cult probably descended from that of Cernunnos. Like Cernunnos, Gerne is a male hunter god, his home is in the dense forests, he is the owner of horns, and is also associated with animals and abundance. From his image, probably comes the image of the Horned God, who is worshiped by modern Wiccans. Cernunnos (and Gerne) have an Indian counterpart, Shiva, who is depicted surrounded by animals and called Pasupathi, "God of Animals", on specimens excavated at Mohenjorado, India.
Druids worshiped not only gods with a name. There is some (though historically very unreliable) evidence that the ancient Druids believed in a sort of universal Life Force flowing from some central point (such as the Irish Well of Wisdom or the Welsh Annun Spiral) to all living beings. His strength, perhaps, surpassed even the power of the gods. Perhaps the best modern description of it is Obi Wan's "The Force", from George Lucas's famous Star Wars. If you look for a name for this force in Celtic literature, then it will be - Truth. Many heroes use the proclamation of the Truth to effect some magical change in the world, and certain magical artifacts are responsible for the Truth around them. One of the classic examples is Cormac's Cup, which was supposed to break into three parts from three false words spoken next to it, and come together if three words of truth were said next to it.
The Celts (Gauls) conquered almost all of Europe, from Britain to the Carpathians. They even penetrated into Asia Minor. They were invited there as mercenaries, however, they created their own kingdom in the area of \u200b\u200bmodern Ankara, which terrorized all neighbors for several decades.
It was strange among the Celts that numerous tribes were ruled not by kings and aristocracy, as in all "normal" ancient states, but by sorcerers and astrologers, servants of the Gallic gods - the druids.
The Celts, of course, also had their own leaders and rulers, but they did not make important decisions. It was the Druids who declared war and made peace. Druids ruled the court, passing judgment on everything from murder to litigation for inheritance. And if someone, be it an individual or a whole tribe, did not obey their will, then the guilty one was excommunicated from participation in sacrifices and outlawed.
Nowadays, even in the newspapers, the so-called horoscopes of the Druids are printed. In fact, not much is known about the Celtic priests. After all, the organization of the druids was a secret, and only the initiated could touch their teachings. Therefore, knowledge was transmitted only orally, and any recording of sacred texts was considered a mortal sin.
Judging by the mean message of ancient writers, the mystical teaching of the Druids was based on the belief in the immortality of the soul, passing after death from one body to another, since human souls and the Universe are indestructible.
The secret caste included several levels of priestly initiation. In addition to the Druid priests themselves, it included astrologers and healers - "cotton wool", without which not a single serious issue was resolved. The Roman emperors also turned to the Celtic wats. It was the Gallic witches in the 3rd century AD. predicted the fate of the emperors of the Sever dynasty: Septimius - the imperial title, Alexander - death from the swords of legionnaires.
The class of druids, in addition to vats, also included singer-storytellers - bards. They supported the power of the druid "on the ground". Bards were traveling, who, during their wanderings in the remote corners of Gaul, not only carried the news, not only carried the news, but also collected the information necessary for the high priests to rule the country. Their craft was no stranger to magic - in the songs of the bards, performed to the melody of strings, magic formulas were woven that brought good luck or sent illness and death.
Once a year, in a sacred place, in the vicinity of present-day Lyon, an all-Gallic congress of Druids gathered, where controversial issues were resolved, and the high priest of the order was secretly elected. His name was not disclosed, so that in secular life he could simply be a respected person, but only the initiates knew that this was the high priest himself.
During the congresses, sacrifices were arranged. Ancient writers exaggerate the bloodthirstiness of the Druids, telling how huge effigies were built in which the unfortunate victims were burned, or about a massacre. In reality, human sacrifices were made only in exceptional cases, dedicating criminals or prisoners to the immortal gods only when it came to human life or the fate of the tribe.
But not only people and animals were sacrificed by the Celts to their gods. They were also dedicated to rich booty taken after successful campaigns. Treasures stored in caches and sacred ponds, in 106 BC. were captured by the Roman consul Gnaeus Servilius Caepio in the Celtic city of Tolosa (modern Toulouse). According to Posidonius, they amounted to about 15,000 talents - this is almost 300 tons of gold and silver.
Druid gold turned out to be cursed. Anyone who even touched him during the robbery suffered a painful and terrible death.
Archaeologists have also discovered some Druid sanctuaries. These are rectangular areas fenced with a moat, on which sacred trees grew. Sometimes sacrificial wells tens of meters deep were dug there, in which utensils, bronze items, bones of animals and people were found.
In southern France, where the Celts closely communicated with the Greek colonists, the sanctuaries were built more thoroughly - these were luxurious halls with columns decorated with human skulls, and statues of fantastic monsters and many-faced gods stood around the perimeter.
The situation was somewhat different in Britain. There, the Celt Druids got acquainted with the magic of the ancient population of the islands, the builders of structures from huge stones - megaliths. So, the famous ancient Stonehenge observatory, built 2000 years before the Celts, continued to function in their time. Acquaintance with the ancient knowledge of the inhabitants of Britain immeasurably enriched the philosophy of the Druids. This was the reason that the main "schools" of druids were located there. Young novices from all over continental Gaul traveled to Britain to learn the secret craft.
After the eight-year war, which ended with the annexation of Gaul to Rome, the secret organization of the Druids did not seem to manifest itself in any way. On the contrary, Roman culture and the Latin language began to spread rapidly in Gaul.
The Romans did not prohibit the cult of local gods, on the contrary, they supported the construction of their temples in order to direct the Celtic religion into a "civilized" channel. But the followers of the old cult became less and less.
In the forefront of the dissatisfied were the druids. But they realized it when it was too late to return everything back. A wave of anti-Roman uprising rose only under the emperor Tiberius, in 21, but it was quickly suppressed. The emperor issued a decree forbidding the secret cult and the "barbaric and inhumane" organization of the druids. After this, the Druids of continental Gaul are almost never mentioned anywhere.
But there was still foggy Albion, the last stronghold of the Celtic religion, where the threads of conspiracies against Roman rule were woven.
That's what a secret organization is to live underground. Even after Christianity arrived in Britain, the Druids still remained there. After all, it was the famous Merlin, a magician and wizard who worked miracles at the court of the legendary King of the Britons Arthur in the 5th century AD, who was a druid! The remnants of the ancient Celtic paganism were destroyed only by the invasions of the Angles and Saxons, and then the Vikings. Only in Ireland, in the mountains of Scotland and in Wales did the descendants of the Celts survive. Ancient legends were also preserved here, some of which were recorded by Irish monks. Wandering bard poets roamed Irish soil until the English conquered it in the 16th century.
But there was little that connected them with that ancient tradition. Rare remnants of pre-Christian beliefs have survived only in folklore. Ancient deities turned into elves and gnomes, pagan holidays acquired a Christian coloring. It was these legends that formed the basis of the J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
People in white robes come to the stones of Stonehenge today. These are modern "druids". Unfortunately, they do not have an answer to questions about ancient knowledge. The origin of this cult based on questionable Welsh texts is well known. "Neo-Druidism" was created on September 22, 1717 in the London tavern "Apple Tree" by the Irishman John Toland. At the same time, countless books about the mystical rites of the Druids and a number of pagan sects arose. There is a small chance to unravel their mysteries. These are the remains of ancient manuscripts that can still be found in Egypt or Palestine, and the decoding of Celtic inscriptions. The secrets of the Druids are hidden both at the bottom of the lakes, where they kept their treasures, and in the mounds of ancient burial mounds...
It is possible that the answers to many riddles are hidden not in the west, but in the east of the Celtic world. After all, there is an analogue of the British Stonehenge built by the Druids even in the south of Poland. And certainly not without them the construction of the sanctuary-observatory, discovered in the Carpathians, in the capital of the proud Dacians - Sarmisegituz.
The remains of sanctuaries with human sacrifices and Celtic ceramics are found even in Moldova, where Maetonium was located on the Dniester - one of the barbarian cities mentioned by the geographer Ptolemy, who lived in the 2nd century AD. It was there that in 62 the cohorts of the Roman commander Plautius Silvanus went to do away with the Druids not only in the west, but also in the east.
