Russo - Uncovering Celtic Mythology

During my study of the Greco-Roman antiquity period, I stumbled upon Julius Caesars encounters with the Celtic people of Gaul. Over the course of the 9-year Gallic wars, Caesar documented all that he could about the culture and beliefs of these people. While doing so, he began to draw connections between the German and Celtic gods to those that were followed in Rome. These wars were decisive to the Romans in securing victory over the many Gallic tribes. Despite the victories and colonization of these areas, the Celtic culture continued to thrive in the current countries of the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Suffice to say, the use of syncretism, or the overlap of beliefs and practices across nations, piqued my interest in the Celtic peoples and the origins of their surviving culture. The modern-day British Isles stand as a representation of the mix of cultures that swept across Europe throughout the Iron Age through the Middle Ages. Polytheistic and monotheistic societies and religions were combined and reinterpreted, resulting in unique and blended cultures.

To this day, the Celts are famed for their deeply intricate art styles, unique burial practices, and the ever-popular description of red-headed braves throughout popular media. The Celtic culture stands among other cultural and historical giants, such as the Romans, the Greeks, and the Germanic peoples. Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and Great Britain continue to hold onto the remains of this great ancient history. Historic castles and forts mark the skyline of the isles, as do oral traditions and histories of folktales, mythical creatures, and heroic figures, all told in their mother languages or the closest modern variants.

Ancient Celtic culture continues to bear influence over modern cultures and media. Many of the legends, beasts, and heroes find themselves repeatedly retold or reimagined. Of course, this isnt exclusive to Celtic traditions; we see the same with Norse, Greek, Roman, and many other polytheistic cultures. What keeps us returning to these ancient roots?

Mythology has always played a major role in cultures around the world, through every era in history. While we know in modern days how volcanoes work and how weather systems impact a variety of crops and natural cycles, in ancient times mythology provided comfort and significance in these unknown patterns. Being able to give hardship and success meaning helped to shape cultures and traditions. Mythology gave the human race a way to process life and death, explain natural phenomena, as well as give meaning to tragedies, such as the spread of illness through the tribes, famine, and any emotional or mental distress. In turning to mythology, we make sense of the deepest of tragedies, and find joy in the most overwhelming of emotions. When you look into the pantheons of polytheistic mythology, we see that the deities of worship were never made to be perfect idyllic beings, but were truly made as humans are: flawed, but capable of overcoming the greatest adversity.

When we study ancient mythology, we get a clearer view of what our ancestors lived through and the ideals they held in high regard. Throughout the ages, deities rose and fell in popularity, depending on the requirements of the culture. When faced with adversity and war, it only made sense that gods of war would come into higher worship. When it came time to bless the sown seeds, gods of fertility received offerings throughout the tribes. When it comes to seeing what it was that the ancient peoples found value in, we need look no further than the myths that were cherished and passed down through the generations.

Living in a world where science meets fiction, where the phenomena that once perplexed our ancestors are easily explained by a barometer and careful observation, it can be easy to wonder why we still turn to ancient mythology. After all, when we see the lightning streak across the sky, we know better than to think that Thor is actually racing across our sky in his chariot, right? We understand the way lightning is created within our clouds, and released as vibrant energy. So what purpose does mythology hold in our modern world?

In many ways, these myths still hold the same significance to us as they did to our ancestors. When the Celts went to war, they turned to the Mrrgan, calling for her to stand with them and guide them as the fiercest goddess on the battlefield. Today, when we know that we are about to battle, whether its our own internal demons or fighting with external issues and pressure, we rely on the tales of the Mrrgan so that we can draw from her strength. We turn to these stories to learn from them and aim to better ourselves as we pursue our goals in the image of these gods.

Even today, we have modern-day myths and legends. If you look into the near past, we have the stories of Paul Bunyan and his ox. In the present, we can see these stories at work within our media. One thing that carries forward is the human desire to tell stories. Instead of telling stories of Brigid, we tell stories of Batman and Deadpool, seeing ourselves in their greatness and downfalls. We retell the stories of great battles in history the same way ancient civilizations did. Instead of them being oral traditions, we instead have movies, like Valkyrie and We Were Soldiers : dramatizations based on true events, retold for both education and inspiration, as well as entertainment. We look at the greatest beings of our lifetimes and tell their stories, creating modern legends out of the great men and women who led movements and fought to make our culture better.

In looking at the great tales of ancient Celtic mythology, we can understand the culture, and the way these civilizations lived their lives. In the telling of these mythological giants and powers, we see more than just the values of these people. We see what they aspired to be, what they view to be true success and greatness, and what they understand of the world. We can see the state of their economies through what we know was being left as offerings, what they feared based on the creatures that were created, and their overall worldview. In todays world, these tales, deities, and creatures continue to inspire us to create and teach.