num_pages: 240
description: The ancient Celts were the greatest and most powerful of the early European peoples residing north of the Alps. Warlike exuberant and superstitious they saw divinities in every facet of life and nature venerating deities of the sun thunder water war healing hunting fertility and death. They practiced human and animal sacrifice and a powerful priesthood--the Druids--presided over much of their religious life. The Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend covers every aspect of Celtic myth religion and folklore in Britain and Europe between 500 BC and AD 400. In parallel with the fruits of archaeological research the testimony of Classical writers and the earliest recorded versions of the pagan oral traditions of Wales and Ireland provide us with a complete overview of Celtic lore. This guide presents that knowledge in over 400 copiously illustrated articles together with a comprehensive historical introduction.
language: English
title: Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend
publisher: Thames & Hudson