Rituals of the Celts
(religious festivals to help mark the passing of time in their year)
SAMAIN (1 November): This was the most important festival as it highlighted the beginning of the Celtic year. It was a time for sacrifices to be made as well as community gatherings.
HOLY PITS: From around 400B.C., the Celts dug deep pits at holy sites which served as places for people to throw the remains of human bodies, sacrificed animals and offerings of wood, pottery and metal. These holy ritual pits have been found all around Celtic nations especially France.
WORSHIP: Worship was often performed in the open for Celtic peoples. It had cults involving the human head (captives were often decapitated) and human sacrifice. Druids were the masters of the cults and rituals, as well as acting as judges and teachers when performing rituals. Mistletoe is thought to have played a significant part in rites performed by the Druids.
Cult sites have continued to keep their sacred meaning after the decline of the Celts. These sites include:
-Lakes
-Hills
-Groves
-Islands
DRUIDS: In Britain, the Celtic religious leaders were called Druids; they were the ‘wise men’ of a tribe and often acted as political leaders. To be a Druid, it took about 20 years to learn and memories all the information necessary. They had the responsibility of the organization of all religious ceremonies in the tribe throughout the year as well as being the decision makers of when and where to go to war and possessing the knowledge of all the laws relating to their tribe. They also helped with the healing of the sick by demanding sacrifices or using medicines and natural remedies as well as deciding what days of the year were luck and which were not.
SAMAIN (1 November): This was the most important festival as it highlighted the beginning of the Celtic year. It was a time for sacrifices to be made as well as community gatherings.
HOLY PITS: From around 400B.C., the Celts dug deep pits at holy sites which served as places for people to throw the remains of human bodies, sacrificed animals and offerings of wood, pottery and metal. These holy ritual pits have been found all around Celtic nations especially France.
WORSHIP: Worship was often performed in the open for Celtic peoples. It had cults involving the human head (captives were often decapitated) and human sacrifice. Druids were the masters of the cults and rituals, as well as acting as judges and teachers when performing rituals. Mistletoe is thought to have played a significant part in rites performed by the Druids.
Cult sites have continued to keep their sacred meaning after the decline of the Celts. These sites include:
-Lakes
-Hills
-Groves
-Islands
DRUIDS: In Britain, the Celtic religious leaders were called Druids; they were the ‘wise men’ of a tribe and often acted as political leaders. To be a Druid, it took about 20 years to learn and memories all the information necessary. They had the responsibility of the organization of all religious ceremonies in the tribe throughout the year as well as being the decision makers of when and where to go to war and possessing the knowledge of all the laws relating to their tribe. They also helped with the healing of the sick by demanding sacrifices or using medicines and natural remedies as well as deciding what days of the year were luck and which were not.