Celtic mythology

· Who are the Celts?

The history of the Celts goes back some 32 centuries. Their first places of
settlement were in Central Europe, more precisely in France and Germany, parts
of the Danube basin, and the Alps. They practised farming and were able to obtain
iron. Soon the Celts began to migrate. A small proportion of them were now in the
territories of Spain, Portugal and Greece. However, after the Roman invasion this
civilisation was almost completely destroyed (the exception being the Irish lands).

In fact, the word "Celtic" was already mentioned by the ancient Greeks when they
described some people who had a closed way of life. In what way was this
characteristic expressed? For example, the Celtic legends were transmitted only
by word of mouth: there are no written sources with the tales of the ancient
period.

That's why the legacy of the Celts has come down to us solely in the oral tradition.
Their culture is incredibly rich in magical legends and tales which have been
transmitted orally for centuries, usually preserved in several variations, as have
the Celtic names and titels.

• Celtic mythology
Features of Celtic mythology
Celtic mythology is characterised by the absence of stories about the end of time
and the birth of the Earth out of chaos. Celtic mythology is interesting primarily
because its tales are mainly about fearless heroes, less often about the gods. In
Celtic mythology there are many violent and bloody battles, but the Celts believed
in the reincarnation of souls. They didn't have the grim antic hopelessness of the
afterlife - in their view the souls there simply rested before returning to our world.

Gods of Celtic mythology

• Danu (The Primordial Goddess of Nature) - she was referred to as the mother of
the Irish gods, which indicates that she was a mother goddess. In this guise she
represented the earth and its fruitfulness

• Dagda (The Cheerful Chief of Gods) - he's is portrayed as a father-figure, king,

and druid. He is associated with fertility, agriculture, manliness and strength, as
well as magic, druidry and wisdom.

• Aengus (The Youthful God of Love) - he was the son of the Daghda and Boann
who was the Goddess of the River Boyne. He was a very handsome young man of
fine physcial proportions and an attractive nature. Therefore, Aengus would
forever be known to represent youthfulness.

• Lugus (The Courageous Warrior God) - he was an important deity among the
Celtic gods and goddesses. In addition, he was the god of light and was always
portrayed as a young and handsome warrior

• Morrigan (The Mysterious Goddess of Fate) - was a fearsome Celtic deity and
Irish goddess of death and battle. The Morrígan was the Irish goddess of death and
destiny.

King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table

One of the most famous and mysterious characters of Celtic mythology is King
Arthur. In Starowallian legends his name is mentioned along with the rest of the
military leaders, but in later tales he becomes the "king of the gods". Legend has it
that the ruler gathered the most valiant and noble Knights of the Round Table to
his court in Camelot. The table was shaped so that each member felt equal - until
then, the feudal lords' disputes over their place near the suzerain had led to armed
conflicts. Numerous tales tell of the exploits of Arthur and his comrades-in-arms,
the rescue of beautiful ladies. King Arthur was the most significant image for the
Celts.