Religion Flashcards
What kind of religion did they follow?
celts were polytheistic - worshipped many gods and goddesses but no organised pantheon as in Roman and Greek belief systems
What did each tribe have?
own partic. local deities and cults as well as those worshipped more widely
What natural phenomena was worshipped?
water, sky, mountains, trees and earth
Why did they worship water deities? evidence?
due to their medicinal and healing attributes, water deities commonly revered.
Numerous deposits of votive offerings found in rivers, springs and wells as offering to god
Why were element of animals revered?
special quality of speed, strength, ferocity and cunning
What kind of animals were favoured?
boars, horses, hare, birds
What close affinity did they have?
close affinity with nature, offering to gods in sacred groves and forest clearings
How serious did they take their religion?
according to Diodorus Siculus, Celts took their religious belief seriously as although he describes them as “exceedingly covetous ppl”, they never touched the gold deposited as dedication to gods (temples/precincts)
what other things, other than jewellery and weapons given to gods?
human sacrificed to honour gods
what are the 2 purposes of human sacrifice?
- punishment
2. forsee future and divine from death
What did Caesar say about Human sacrifices?
- Celts practiced human sacrfices as form of punishments, if anyone stole from god’s offering and keep for themselves although “Has not often happened”
- Not many Celtic men committed crime of stealing offerings to gods, as against religion and gods.
- Torture/death punishment
What did Strabo say about human sacrifices?
- used human sacrifices to foresee future “divine from his death struggle”
- Or human offering to gods by burning animals and humans in straw cage, shooting victims with arrows or impale them in temples
What archeological evidence confirm the human sacrifices?
lintels with skull niches and pile of human skulls
Although not religion, what did Strabo say the Celts did to heads of enemies they killed?
- Celts after victory, would “fasten to the necks of their horses the heads of their enemies” and would nail them up at the entrance of their home. Display for strangers
What are the possible explanations of such venerations of human skulls?
- trophy for their victory as bring best warrior was most respected status, “ unwilling to let them be redeemed even for their weight in gold”
- Brain was place of human intelligence and emotion, may believe could gain intelligence from them
- (part of soul) communication with other world
- show strength and put fear in others
