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Cú Chulainn, also called Cuchulain, Cuchulinn, or Cuchullin is the central character of the Ulster (Ulaid) cycle in the in medieval Irish mythology and literature. Source: Public Domain

Five Popular Irish Mythology Stories (Video)

Irish mythology , steeped in the ancient lore of the Celts, presents a tapestry of captivating stories that have endured through generations. One such legend is "Fionn MacCumhaill and the Salmon of...
Scene on the Gundestrup Cauldron. Source: British Museum

Does the Iconic Plate on the Gundestrup Cauldron Depict an Ancient Poem?

Amid the vivid imagery adorning the plates of the Gundestrup Cauldron lies an enigma that has captivated successive generations of scholars. The question lingers: What lies behind these scenes, so...
Father Christmas enjoying the Christmas tradition. Date: circa 1860. Source: Archivist / Adobe Stock

Favorite Christmas Traditions PLUS Those You May Never Have Heard About

Every year as December rolls in, some 2 billion people start to feel the Christmas cheer. While the celebration is now primarily a Christian one honoring the birth of Jesus, its traditions merge with...
Druids. Source: Algol / Adobe Stock.

Bizarre Facts About the Druids (Video)

The Druids , often misunderstood as mystical figures, had a key role in ancient Celtic society . The term likely referred to individuals with extensive knowledge rather than wizards. They were...
Glass artifacts are evidence of Iron Age glass production from Němčice, Czech Republic. Source: I. Čižmář/Antiquity Publications Ltd

2300-year-old Glass Workshop and Ritual Sanctuary Uncovered in Czech Republic!

Němčice in the Czech Republic was a seemingly inconspicuous place with a remarkable history. Now it holds the proud distinction of being the earliest and oldest glass workshop north of the Alps!...
Representation of Celtic god Cernunnos. Source: (Oleksandr/Adobe Stock)

Cernunnos - The Enigmatic Antlered God of the Ancient Celts

The Celts can rightfully be placed amongst the world’s most important ancient cultures and civilizations. Their far-reaching ancient origins are the irreplaceable part of every historical lesson, and...
Stone of Destiny, also known as Lia Fail. Hill of Tara. County Meath. Source: jamegaw/Adobe Stock

Vandal Strikes at Lia Fáil, Ireland’s Ancient Spiritual Heart

Ireland’s “Stone of Destiny” - the Lia Fáil - or Stone that Roared, has been defaced by a mindless vandal. Although mindless isn’t quite right, at they actually seem to have thought about what they...
Representation of a ritual human sacrifice on an altar. Source: archangelworks / Adobe Stock

Blood for the Gods: 10 Cultures that Engaged in Ritual Sacrifice

Since the dawn of humanity, countless civilizations have engaged in ritual sacrifice. Often, these sacrifices involved other humans, and were so common they were considered a normal aspect of life...
Naked Warriors: Celtic Mercenaries Went to War in the Buff

Naked Warriors: Celtic Mercenaries Went to War in the Buff

It would take a lot of confidence and courage to face up to a heavily-armored Roman army with neither armor nor clothing. But this is precisely what a band of Celtic mercenaries known as the Gaesatae...
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...
Hill of Tara, County Meath, Ireland

The Hill of Tara: Tracing the Footsteps of the High Kings of Ireland

The Hill of Tara is said to be one of the most ancient sacred sites in Ireland. Predating the Celts by thousands of years, the archaeological site is covered in tombs , monuments, and Neolithic...
Tiermes: Spain’s Ancient City Beset By Drama and Conflict

Tiermes: Spain’s Ancient City Beset By Drama and Conflict

The culture of the Iberian Peninsula has always been complex and multifaceted. Traces of many previous civilizations are ubiquitous in the archaeological record. One example of this is the...
Carnyx, a Celtic war trumpet found in the Gallic sanctuary of Tintignac.          Source: Harrsch, M / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Tintignac, Where the Gauls’ Favor of the Gods Couldn’t Last Forever

Like many countries in western Europe, France was deeply influenced by the Romans and the Celts who left remarkable monuments that today are major archaeological and historic sites. Because the area...
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...
One of the Roman slave skeletons alongside a pot found at the burial site in Somerset, England. Source: Wessex Archaeology

50 Roman Slaves Found Buried with ‘Care’ in England

A Roman slave burial ground has been found near what was once a great ancient villa in Britain. Many of the graves are very unusual, and they provide a glimpse into the impact of Rome on the local...
One of the skeletons in the stone coffin structure unearthed at the Roman burial site in Somerset.       Source: Wessex Archaeology

Builders Unearth 50 Skeletons from a Roman Burial in Britain

Construction workers in Britain have unearthed a large Roman-era cemetery. The burials are of an unusual type and show dramatic changes in the funerary customs of locals in the 1st century AD. This...
Bronze swine figurine found at Titelberg.      Source: Wuyts, A / CC BY 2.0

Titelberg, Home of the Influential Treveri Celts

The Duchy of Luxembourg has a remarkable archaeological site dating from the Celtic period. It was inhabited for over 700 years and is one of the first known urban settlements in Europe. Titelberg,...
The bark shield is made from green bark that has been stiffened with internal wooden laths. Source: (University of Leicester / Fair Use)

First Bark Shield Uncovered in England is Changing Celtic History

Archaeologists in England have announced the findings from their study of an ancient shield that was made from tree bark. The shield was unearthed in 2015 and is around 2,300 years old. The experts...
Gothic queen in red dress doing magic

Ancient Women Shamans of Ireland: Healers, Priestesses and Diviners

All around the world many of the oldest ceremonial megalithic sites are associated with women shamans and oracular tradition and prophecy. A good example of this is Napta Playa which was linked to...
Cliffs of Moher at sunset, Ireland. The Milesians were the last wave of invaders who came to Ireland.

The Milesians: Mythic Origins of the Ancient Irish

The Milesians are a legendary race of people mentioned in the Lebor Gabála Érenn (‘ The Book of the Taking of Ireland ’). According to this work, which attained its current structure during the 11 th...
The Celts had many female warriors

Eight Surprising Things You Should Know About the Celts

The Celts were a distinct ethnic group made up of tribes spread across Europe. They shared similar languages, traditions, religions , and cultural practices and were known for their fierceness in...
The Hallaton Helmet

The Helmet That Shows Celtic Warriors Helped the Roman Army Conquer Briton

In 2001, there was a very important find at an old Iron Age shrine in England. It included coins and other items from both the Iron Age and the Roman era. Among the discoveries was a remarkable 2,000...
 Women shaman of Ireland in trance - magic rotates the leaves.

Ancient Women Shaman of Ireland: Goddesses of Prophecy and Omens

The Celtic scholar Nora Chadwick notes that in Irish mythology the prophetess Fedelm tells Queen Medb that she has been in the land of Alba learning the art of the Filidect. Medb asks if she has...
Skulls found at Le Cailar archaeological site show signs that the heads were embalmed.

Gallic Warriors Reaped, Embalmed Then Displayed the Heads of Their Slain Enemies

Returning from battle, according to ancient accounts, Gallic warriors displayed the severed heads of their fallen enemies around their horses’ necks for all to see, as they returned victorious to...

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