If we wanna have a realistic idea about the nature of religion in ancient days (though the word 'religion' is not a particularly accurate description of cultural belief systems in pre-christian societies), we should really look at the myths and practices of the universal character known as the 'shaman': for this medicine-man-style character would have been the purveyor of myths and the person to whom the tribes turned to when they needed guidance about spirituality and a host of other matters. But this subject is a huge one and can't really be explicated in a short missive like this.
As for the druids...well, although we have no direct evidence of druidism in the region, there is a great deal of folklore about them at many ancient sites. Schools of druidism very probably emerged from collectives of shamans, whose 'religious' ideas and practices go all the way back to the origins of human culture. (Please don't get the idea that the modern druids, or modern shamans for that matter, have anything to do with the ancient ways - cos they don't - whatever some of them might tell you!)
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Imagine, if you will, a country so fulfilling in its beauty and grandeur as to hold the tongue of the most ardent fool...
Paulus, I know what you mean about the complexity of the subject. The many romances interwoven over the centuries don't help at all either.
If my investigations of some twenty years ago are anywhere near the target then 'Druid' is a term meaning 'wise'. (There ya go Ted). I forget the early Welsh word - though the Welsh language didn't even start to settle down until the late 6th century - but it makes sense. I seem to think the Manx word fitted nicely too. Trouble is 'wise' can be read in many ways.
Let me throw in my 2 penn'orth anyway. The shamanistic beliefs of the early Celts (I know - we would have to define that term too!) doesn't seem to be too radical within the alledged nature of those people. Even into the 1800's the Native American tribes and eastern Russian peoples still had stereotype shamans. But my early research did get me wondering somewhat.
The Celtic influence seemingly spread outward from present-day eastern Europe and shaman ways are well recorded in early evidence of the people that we now name as Celts. But it hits a buffer when it gets to Britain. Ancient myths and legends, more often than not containing more truth than any Victorian 'history' book, told of Britain as the Island of the Mighty. Giants dwelt here. Wonderful stuff for bardic historians. But 'giants' is a translation of a description that means simply 'great'. So is it tall, wealthy, warlike, powerful, knowledgeable, or what? Certainly after the wave hit these shores it bounced back with a movement surfing upon it that we now refer to as Druidism. It made it (somewhat watered down) all the way to the middle east, and the term Magi is noted as an alternative there. This is the root from which we get 'magic', but even in present-day English this can have diverse connotations. (Seem to remember from school a famous work of fiction which refers to a wee bairn being visited by three wise men, or sometimes by three magi).
Some claim the Druids built Stonehenge. But this was before the Celtic influence was felt on our shores. Puts a downer on that idea..... unless the Druids were actually here before the Celtic communication system linked into Britain?
Their centre on Ynys Mon is well known though somewhat flattened by the R.A.F. site there. So something was afoot in Britain. It seems to be the centre or origin of the Druid term, their pictured educational system is something to boggle the modern mind, and their knowledge of astronomy is well recorded.
So who might these 'mighty' people have been? And are 'Druids' sadly the only commonly recognised part of their culture?
Over to you.....
Oh, postscript:- I note your comment on 'religion', by this term I presume you refer to the politically-invented movements that took 'life' out of the hands of 'nature' and gave it to beings in animal or (prefered) human form? And thus 'respect' became 'worship'? Wish I'd thought of that little money maker and power controller! Still works well today as we sadly see only too often.
Sorry I've been away so long! But glad I'm back. Well I don't know where to start really. This is so huge. I am what would be labelled 'Druid'. But that word means different things to different people. For me it is a path I walk that is hand in hand with the land around me and the spirits of my ancestors, as well as the spirits of nature. As far as religion is concerned my path encompasses prayer and ritual, but the word religion for me gives rise to images of organised dogmatic society that doesn't sit well with who I am.
As to where the Druids came from, we probably will never know, but there was evidence of them in all the Celtic regions of the world. Britain was renowned for its Druidic Colleges and people came from all over Europe. Why the teachings in Britain were so strong we again don't know but I have my own theory, which is no way meant to be historical fact, just more of a gut feeling.
As JayDee said, Stone henge was here before the Celts, as were most other henges, Dolmens, and such. I believe that the neolithic peoples of Britain and the invading Celtic tribes merged two similar spritualities to form a stronger, deeper spirituality that resonated with the energies of Britain. And it is those energies that interest me, rather than the Celtic people that were in this area. Those ancient energies that can be found all over Britain and especially in Eire are the source of my Druidry, my inspiration, my creativity.
If anyone has any questions about Druids or Druidry I will be happy to answer if I can! It is hard to talk on this subject unless we direct ourselves at individual areas.
