Our Knowledge of Celtic Mythology - Essay Example

Why, despite seemingly copious sources, is our knowledge of Celtic mythology so fragmentary? The Celts were a culturally dominant and diverse people,whose beliefs and practices spread across a vast part of Ancient Europe. Although much of their history and ideas have been lost, there are many sources of reference available in the study of mythology. However, the problematic nature of the sources has created a fragmentary knowledge. This essay will focus on understanding the different types of sources available to historian and, more importantly, why they are so problematic. The major obstacle to our understanding of mythology comes from the fact that the Celts were not a literate race. They did not write down their knowledge and understanding of religion or of the supernatural. They relied wholly on the oral tradition to pass their mythology down to the next generation (Brezina, 2008, p. 4) Historians are also in agreement that the term “mythology” is problematic; how is “mythology” defined, and, what does it include? The Dictionary Of Celtic Religion and Culture defines mythology as the “sum total of the religious narratives” of the Celts which “interpret” and “affirm human experience.” It should be noted that their mythology was not”uniform” but rather made up of many different myths which were regarded as compatible. Mythology includes gods and goddesses, the story of our creation, and ideas about life after death (Maier, 1997, p. 204). MacKillop has shown how the definition of mythology has changed over time and has been redefined many times, which may have hindered historians in the study of this subject (MacKillop, 2004, p. xx). According to Aldhouse-Green, there are three categories of evidence when studying Celtic mythology; the evidence of Classical writers, vernacular sources from Ireland and Wales, and archaeology (1998, p. 8). These will now be discussed in turn. The Romans considered their Celtic neighbours to be barbarians, but their observations provide much of our body evidence in the study of mythology, in particular Julius Caesar, Lucan and Posidonius (Brezina, 2008, p.11). The two cultures co-existed but often clashed, as they were built on entirely different beliefs, traditions and values (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, p. 8). Furthermore, their relationship was also marked by conflict; the Romans successfully conquered Celtic Britain in the first-century, only to have their capital sacked by the Celts two centuries later (Brezina, 2008, p. 7). Consequently, historians such as Aldhouse-Green, have warned of the problems of using Roman sources as evidence. She argues that that there is a real danger of "bias distortion, misunderstanding and admission" which will affect the authenticity and usefulness of their opinions and observations. Classical writers may well have sensationalised or deliberately selected aspects of Celtic behaviour and ideas to create the image of an "uncivilised" race, and thus add to their own sense of superiority (1998. p. 8). The Romans may well have “singled out” or exaggerated particular Celtic ideas and beliefs which seemed alien to them. Brezina has commented that they offer “confused” and “fragmentary” accounts of the gods especially as they seemed very strange to the Romans ( 2008, p. 11). Their accounts also present difficulties for the historian because they employed Roman terminology when describing Celtic religion. This further compounds the difficulties of interpretation (Maier, 1997, p. 24). The second type of source to be discussed come from the Middle Ages and were compiled throughout Britain. Once again, the historian is immediately confronted with a problem which potentially affects their reliability and authenticity; the influence of Christianity (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, p. 9). Maier argues that this influence means that such accounts are not a true reflection of “pre-Christian mythology” and should actually be viewed as a “creative interpretation”. To be able to use them correctly also requires an excellent knowledge of Medieval Welsh and Irish sources, and a constant reviewing when new material is discovered (1997, p. 204). Ireland has produced a rich array of mythological and religious sources. Historian have grouped the tales into useful categories; the Mythological cycle, the Ulster cycle, the kings cycles, and the Fenian cycle. There is also a collection of romances and Arthurian tales (Koch, 2006, pp. 994-996). There has been much controversy over the value of these texts, and it has been argued that they are more “indicative of medieval Ireland” than of Celtic mythology. Another problem is that Christian contemporaries may have deliberately ignored aspects which they disapproved of or did not understand. Thus the historian is left with a “diluted version” of Celtic mythology and Gods completely cut off from their systems of belief (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, p. 11). Similarly, it has been argued that the Welsh vernacular sources have undergone serious modification and there is generally far less evidence at our disposal. They allow us to see some important themes in Celtic mythology and religion, such as shape-changing, which are in common with other sources, but offer a fragmentary view at best (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, pp. 11-12). Finally, what contribution has archaeology made to our understanding of mythology and what problems has it posed? Archaeology is concerned with the material culture of a particular group. It can potentially tell us about the material aspects of religion, such as rituals and burial rites. Mythology, however, is based on beliefs and the two consequently appear incompatible. However, there have been some important finds in the field of mythology; numerous inscriptions, dated from the Roman period, have given historians the names of key gods and goddesses (Aldhouse-Green, 1998, pp. 12-14). Images of deities, ritual objects and calendars with the dates of festivals have also been unearthed (Potter & Johns, 1992, p. 159).Archaeological evidence can also be used in conjunction with textual sources to further inform and understand (Denault, 2003). This essay has attempted to show the problematic nature of the different sources used by historians in the study of Celtic mythology. It is these problems of authenticity, reliability and bias,inherent in each source, which make our knowledge so fragmentary, as neither can be taken on face value, or offers a complete guide of mythology. In addition, defining the term mythology has also been an obstacle, as it has been redefined on many occasions and, even now, appears a subjective idea. Studying beliefs and values which were verbally articulated is not an easy task and the Celts illiteracy and oral traditions have proved a major barrier in our understanding. That is not to say that our knowledge will not continue to grow as more investigation is completed. The point of central importance is to be aware of the problems outlined in this essay and ensure that the perceptions of other cultures and religions do not allow us to forget the Celts. References Aldhouse-Green, Miranda J. 1998. Celtic Myths. Texas: University of Texas Press. Brezina, Corona. 2008. Celtic Mythology. New York: Rosen. Denault, Leigh T. 2003. Celtic Europe. (http://www.watson.org/~leigh/celts.html), Accessed 3rd April 2010. Fee, Christopher., & Leeming, David. 2001. Gods, Heroes and Kings:The Battle For Mythic Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Johns, Catherine., & Potter, Timothy. 1992. Roman Britain. Berkeley: University of California Press. Koch, John T. 2006. Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia. California: ABC-CLIO. MacKillop, James. 2004. Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Maier, Bernhard. 1992. Dictionary of Celtic Religion and Culture. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. . Read More