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fosterage Source: trafa / Adobe Stock

Why Fostering Kids Was So Popular in Ancient Ireland

There were many complex laws and customs prevalent in the Celtic-speaking world of ancient times. In Ireland and the British Isles in general, these customs survived for many centuries, some as late...
The La Tene culture Laténium landing stage in Hauterive on Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland.		Source: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / CC BY 2.0

How the Great La Tene Culture Changed Iron Age Europe

Speaking of the Iron Age, most people first think of wild barbarian tribes wielding their crude swords and tools made from iron. But the truth is often very far from this. This important age in world...
Monk chronicler writes an ancient manuscript. Source: Nejron Photo / Adobe Stock

How Did it All Begin? The Rich Origins of the English Language

Language is a universal tool for every person in this world. It is the connecting link between nations, ethnicities, and people sharing a common background. The world of language is colorful and...
Hallstatt, an idyllic lakeside town that was oblivious of its grandiose history as the birthplace of the Hallstatt culture until 1846.          Source: janoka82 / Adobe Stock

The Powerful Hallstatt Culture: Foundation of the Proto-Celtic World

The European Bronze Age was the cradle of many world-changing cultures and civilizations. As it shifted towards the new and revolutionary Iron Age , it saw the emergence of the famed Hallstatt...
Ancient Skeleton Found Clutching Deer Antler in Neolithic Complex in France

Gallic Ancient Skeleton Found Clutching Deer Antler in Neolithic Complex in France

Archaeologists involved in a mid-summer excavation in northcentral France discovered two isolated Neolithic-era burials, dating from the years 5,500 BC to 3,700 BC. Uniquely, one of the skeletons was...
Callanish Stones (spanishjohnny72/ Adobe Stock)

The Ancient Celtic Thresholds Of Liminal Time And Space

The ‘Veil of Isis’ is an ancient metaphor and allegorical motif of mythology where nature is personified as the goddess Isis covered by a veil representing the mystery and inaccessibility of nature's...
Aine: A Radiant Celtic Goddess of Love, Summer, and Sovereignty

Aine: Radiant Celtic Goddess of Love, Summer, and Sovereignty

Aine is often remembered as a Celtic goddess of love. But she was also a deity of wealth, sovereignty, and the summer. Her sensitive and joyful personality brought her many followers in the Celtic...
Boudicca, the Celtic Queen, (www.emilyhare.co.uk)

Boudicca: The Celtic Queen Who Unleashed Fury on the Romans

We British are used to women commanders in war; I am descended from mighty men! But I am not fighting for my kingdom and wealth now. I am fighting as an ordinary person for my lost freedom, my...
Aerial shot of the Cerne Abbas Giant.            Source: Dorset Council / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Tests Reveal True Age of Naked Cerne Abbas Giant

After a year of work, archaeologists in the United Kingdom have completed their scientific tests to determine the age of a giant figure cut into the chalk of a hill. This figure, known as the Cerne...
Night view of the castle and Charles Bridge, Prague, Czech Republic. Prague, over time, became the definitive center of the growing Kingdom of Bohemia.

The Kingdom of Bohemia: European Jewel and the Heritage of Czechs

The colorful history of the Czech Republic is firmly rooted in its predecessor, the illustrious Kingdom of Bohemia. A powerful kingdom that lasted for more than seven centuries, it was an...
A ‘Cult of Saints’ Meant Plentiful Sainthoods For Celtic Aristocracy

A ‘Cult of Saints’ Meant Plentiful Sainthoods For Celtic Aristocracy

Dark Age Britain was apparently full of “saints”…well, at least hundreds of people gained membership into the ‘cult of saints’ at that time. Up to 3-4 percent of aristocrats may have been awarded...
Segóbriga: Vestiges of Roman Grandeur in Spain

Segóbriga: Vestiges of Roman Grandeur in Spain

Segóbriga was a Celtic, and later Roman, city located in Castilla-La Mancha, in the central part of Spain . Today, the ancient city is an important archaeological park and one of the best-preserved...
Medieval knight.

Sir Lancelot: Exploring the History Behind the Legend

There is no doubt that most of us, in our childhoods and later in life, heard all about the stories and legends of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. For many, the stories of Arthur and...
A gold Claddagh wedding ring.

Legendary Claddagh Rings: What are the True Origins of these Symbolic Irish Wedding Rings?

The Claddagh ring design of two hands holding a crowned heart is a recognizable symbol of Ireland and enduring love. It is hugely popular as a fashion accessory and a symbolic gesture. While everyone...
Raised Celtic Settlement May Be Aftermath of Boudica’s Rebellion

Raised Celtic Settlement May Be Aftermath of Boudica’s Rebellion

An Iron Age village that was deliberately destroyed in England might have been torched in response to Queen Boudicca´s legendary rebellion against invading Roman conquerors. Constructed with wattle-...
After a ten year run of bad luck, an Irish farmer was advised by University College Cork to contact druids to perform a ceremony. Source: heywoody / Adobe Stock

Cursed Irish Farmer Calls in The Druids

A Cork farmer has employed the services of druids to end his decade of bad luck after a bull damaged an ancient standing stone on his land. The Irish farmer, Donal Bohane, owns a 30-acre (12.1 ha.)...
Crossing the Veil: The Pre-Christian Origins of Halloween and Samhain

Crossing the Veil: The Pre-Christian Origins of Halloween and Samhain

Halloween, or the ancient Samhain, is considered the time of year when the veil between our world and the spirit world is at its thinnest. As darkness falls and families light their pumpkin Jack-o'-...
10 Fierce But Often Forgotten Enemies of Rome

10 Fierce But Often Forgotten Enemies of Rome

Rome, this very name conjures up images of an ancient empire so vast that experts from different ages have been spellbound by the unprecedented magnanimity of its reaches. Ancient Rome defined the...
Return of the Ancient Gods: The Resurgence of Paganism

Return of the Ancient Gods: The Resurgence of Paganism

Over the past two centuries, Europe has become increasingly secular. Scholars in fact no longer talk of the Christian West when they speak of Modern Europe and North America, but of the Secular West...
Statue of the Irish hero Red Hugh O’Donnell. Source: rgmcfadden / CC BY-NC 2.0.

Skeleton Of Irish Hero, Red Hugh O’Donnell, To Be Exhumed In Spain

Spanish archaeologists are preparing to dig beneath the remains of an ancient chapel in Valladolid looking specifically for the remains of the Irish hero, Red Hugh O’Donnell. Beginning this Monday a...
Viking jewelry and sword representations on fur

Viking-Era Jewelry: Revealing an Intricate Cultural History of the Ancient Norsemen

When you think of ancient Vikings, the first thing that pops into your mind is probably not jewelry, right? The picture that forms in the mind of most people is one of savages with long sharp spears...
Ogham sticks

The Celtic Ogham: An Ancient Tree Alphabet that May Disappear Before Showing its Roots

In secluded fields, on the walls of churches, and beneath construction sites, stones have been found with intricate markings that rise from the lower left up to the center and then down to the lower...
Representation of Norse-Gael (Gallowglass) warriors in battle.          Source: PatSM / Adobe stock

Gallowglass Mercenaries – The Notorious Norse-Gael Soldiers of Fortune

The turbulent history of medieval Europe always called for abled and skilled warriors. Wars and battles depended on the ability of the soldiers, and a man who was skilled with a sword was a sought-...

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