The Search for an Authentic Druid
One of the most difficult aspects of writing about Gaulish Celts in 52 B.C. is accurately capturing the rituals and practices of the Druids. So much of our modern perspective of Druidism has been romanticized “out of all recognition to what their role in Celtic society originally was” (Berresford Ellis 11). The only references we have to Druids in Celtic Gaul come from Greek and Latin writing, the bulk of which consists of anti-Celtic propaganda.
Caesar, for example, claims that the Gauls had a sacrificial ritual using a “colossal made of wickerwork, the limbs of which they fill with living men; they are then set on fire, and the victims burnt to death” (VI.16.5). No other evidence exists However, despite there being no evidence anywhere except Caesar’s de Bello Gallico, of this sort of sacrificial rite occurring, it has become a major image of Druidism.
Another example is the image of the white robed Druid cutting a sprig of mistletoe from an oak tree with a golden knife, a rite describe by Pliny the Elder, the only source for this ritual.
To even further muddy the waters of history, “New Age” movements of new-paganism have appropriated and warped the limited evidence available. As Beresford Ellis puts it, “any half baked philosophy can have the word ‘Druid’ or even ‘Celtic’ attached to it and be assured of an enthusiastic, if somewhat gullible, following” (13).
When I first encountered these problems of authenticity, I have to admit I despaired a bit. How was I ever going to discern fantasy and imagination from reality, however obfuscated it might be? And since I am writing historical fiction, does it matter? Can’t I just make it up too?
My decision was to go back to my scholarly impulse and research, research, research, comparing sources, following bibliographies, and generally understanding the contextual genealogy of the topic.
Eventually, several works began to rise to the surface, sources that presented an academic comparison of sources and critically analyzed authenticity. Peter Berresford Ellis’s The Druids was the first main work that presented a general overview of the various investigations, sources, and evidence, as well as generally accepted interpretations. By no means is it the end all of sources on the Druids, but it helped me establish a foundation “home base” from which I could continue to research.
Much of my characterization of Druids in my novel, at least at this point in the process, has been at an individual level, and focused on the connection of the Druid characters to natural, divination, healing, and politics. However, my story is quickly about to encounter the Imbolc, or “Ewe’s Milk,” festival, and I wanted to ensure as much historical accuracy as possible in my description of the Druidic rituals.
Perhaps the best source I have so far encountered was recommended to me by a member of the Kelticos.org online community. Focusing on reviving an “authentic” Celtic spirituality, The Apple Branch: A Path to Celtic Ritual, by Alexei Kondratiev, is a treasure of philosophy and ritual, all based on Irish, Welsh, and Gaelic writings, etymology, and oral tradition. And while the recording of these rituals comes centuries after my specific time period, I decided that they could be representative of past Druidic traditions practiced in Gaul. Certainly, there have been numerous comparisons of various Gods and Goddesses between Insular and Continental Celts: The Divine Smith, for example, is a common God, known as Volcan in Gaulish, Goibhniu in Irish, and Gofannon in Welsh.
So it seems appropriate to make the logical assumption that there would be an ongoing cultural tradition that would have survived from 1st century B.C. Gaul all the way to 8th century A.D. Ireland. Sure, it would have evolved and mutated depending on local customs, politics, and the infusion of Christianity, but this is where Kondratiev becomes so useful. Rather than focusing on specific rituals, he looks at the basic philosophy informing said rituals, chiefly the connection Celtic spirituality had to the seasonal cycles and the earth. This allows one the freedom to tailor rituals to fit the needs of a “new age” group, or a fictional description, while still maintaining the authenticity of the philosophy and spirituality.
In addition, The Apple Branch is personally appealing to me in its depiction of a philosophy that attempts to create a symbiotic relationship between humans and the earth. I recently visited my old farm in Washington State, and spent a good deal of time tramping through the wilderness with Celtic inspirations running through my mind. I’ll discuss this in more detail in a later post, but suffice it to say that The Apple Branch has become one of my main sources for Druidic ritual.
I have been reading some interesting reviews of Barry Cunliffe’s new book, Druids: A Very Short Introduction. Cunliffe’s book The Ancient Celts was one of the first I picked up at the start of my research, and is generally considered a staple of Celtic studies, so I am very interested in his perspective on the Druids.
If you are interested in cutting through the muck of Druidic studies, I suggest starting with the two sources listed above. And if you have any suggestions, by all means post them as a comment!
