Product Description

Warlike, exuberant and superstitious, the ancient Celts saw divinities in every facet of life and nature, venerating deities of the sun, thunder, water, war, healing, hunting, fertility and death. They possessed a complicated array of concepts and rituals, a powerful priesthood - the Druids - and a pantheon which included the goddess-queen Medb and the Morrigan, a sinister war-goddess. This dictionary contains entries on every aspect of Celtic myth, religion and folklore in Britain and Europe between 500 BC and AD 400. In parallel with the findings of archaeological research, the testimony of Classical writers and the earliest recorded versions of the pagan oral traditions of Wales and Ireland provide us with a complete record of Celtic lore.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #70961 in Books
• Published on: 1997-09-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 240 pages

Customer Reviews

Celtic Cunnundrums
Professor Green is a world renowned academic, "working" archaeologist and prolific author. She is also, more importantly, a gifted writer with an enthusiasm and love for her subject that cannot fail to impress any that read her books.
Her depth of knowledge, her years of research and her keeness for detail are all evident, yet again, in Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend.
This book is an excellent companion to any work on the Celtic world, its legends and myths, and one that i recommend to any person who is interested in the subject, whether scholar, student or interested "layman".
The book covers everything from Gods and warriors to graves and goblets, and every other page has black and white photograhs to illustrate the subjects covered.
Celtic history is littered with "strange" names, places and events all of which can become a confusing and time consuming chore to decipher. Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend is the perfect "code breaker" for this historic enigma.
I for one, will be buying more of Miranda Green's books and strongly urge you to do the same.

A good glossary

I found this book very interesting indeed, and I liked the glossary/dictionary format in which it was laid out. There are many photographs too, to illustrate the ideas the author discussed. A definately scholarly source book for those with an interest in the Celtic traditions and symbolism.