Pic: Ireland History.org

The opinion is held widely but, it would seem, erroneously, that the copy of the Four Gospels seen in St. Brigid’s Convent Kildare, by Giraldus Cambrensis in 1185 was no other than the Book of Kells. This marvellous volume is often referred to as the Gospel-book of Kildare and, if other than the Book of Kells, has disappeared for ever. Of it Giraldus said :  It contains the Four Gospels according to St. Jerome, and almost every page is illustrated by drawings illuminated with a variety of brilliant colours. In one page we see the countenance of the Divine Majesty supernaturally pictured, in another the mystic forms of the Evangelists, with either six, four or two wings : here is depicted the eagle, there the calf; here the face of a man, there of a lion, with other figures in almost endless variety. . .

If you apply yourself to a close examination and are able to penetrate the secrets of the art displayed in these pictures, you will find them so delicate and exquisite, so finely drawn, and the work of interlacing so elaborate, while the colours with which they are illuminated are so blended, and still so fresh, that you will be ready to assert all this is the work of angelic not of human skill. The more often and closely I scrutinise them, the more I am surprised, always finding them new, and discovering fresh causes for increased admiration.

This book, Giraldus says further, was reputed to have been written in the time of the virgin, St. Brigid. Others attribute the "Book of Kells" in its original form to Colm Cille.

Excellent though the penwork of the Book of Kells unquestionably is, it is held by some to be surpassed by portions of the Book of Armagh, completed in 807 by Ferdomnach the scribe, who died in 845. Of this work Professor Westwood, who examined it with a magnifying glass says : "I have counted in a small space, scarcely three quarters of an inch in length by half an inch in width, in the Book of Armagh no less than one hundred and fifty-eight interlacements of a slender ribbon pattern formed of white lines edged with black ones." Other beautifully ornamented and illuminated manuscripts are the Book of Durrow and the Garland of Howth preserved in Trinity College, Dublin, the Stowe Missal in the Royal Irish Academy, and the Gospels of Mac Riaghail, written by a scribe of Biorra in the beginning of the ninth century, and preserved in the Bodleian Library at Oxford.

The Oldest Writing Appliances on Record

Pic: Ireland History.org

Taimhlidhe and Tamhlorgain are the oldest writing appliances on record. They were birch tablets and staves, often coated with wax, on which the inscription was impressed with a graph or style. These were in use in Pagan times and subsequently. Bards were entitled to use the tamhlorga for protection against dogs. The tamhlorga was sometimes called a slisneach. The people of Connacht are said to have regarded slisneacha as swords when seen in the possession of Patrick and his followers as they approached, and so thought to murder them. These again were superseded by parchment, pen and ink : the parchment was made from the skins of goats, sheep, c’alves ; the pens from the quills of geese, crows and swans.

Thus came books and illumination, and for the protection of the books came satchels, covers, shrines, some of the latter very beautiful. A book-satchel is mentioned among a number of presents given by St. Patrick to Fiach bishop of Sletty ; and Colm Cille, according to the Leabhar Breac, blessed one hundred polaires noble, one coloured. In the Tripartite Life,2 the polaire is defined as a tablet. " An alphabet is written for him " is quite a frequent statement in the Life of the Apostle, particularly on occasions of ordination or consecration.

Illumination developed rapidly after the coming of the faith. St. Doig of Inniskeen, who flourished in the sixth century, was " a most skilful writer of books," and St. Ultan is referred to in the next century as " a most accomplished writer and illuminator of books." Penmanship was brought to extraordinary perfection in the monasteries. Even the ink was unique, some of the illumination preserving its original freshness after the lapse of centuries. The great glory of Irish illuminated manuscripts is the " Book of Kells," a vellum copy of the Four Gospels, in Latin. When stolen out of the sacristy at Kells, in Meath, in 1006, the Annals referred to it as the great Gospel of Colm Cille, " the principal relic of the western world on account of its cover." Though the penmanship appears to have been regarded as of no exceptional excellence by comparison with other native manuscripts of the period, Margaret Stokes extolled it thus :

It is no exaggeration to say that, as with the microscopic works of nature, the stronger the magnifying power brought to bear upon it, the more is its perfection seen. No single false interlacement or uneven curve in the spirals, no faint trace of a trembling hand or a wandering thought can be detected. This is the very passion of labour and devotion, and thus did the Irish scribe work to glorify his book.

It is the most astonishing book of the Four Gospels which exists in the world," declares Professor Westwood of Oxford. And, referring to the designs, he adds : " How men could have eyes and tools to work them out, I am sure I, with all the skill and knowledge in such kind of work which I have been exercising for the last fifty years, cannot conceive. I know pretty well all the libraries in Europe, where such books as this occur, but there is no such book in any of them . . . there is nothing like it in all the books that were written for Charlemagne and his successors.

[Source]

Pic: stephen_dedalus

Sometimes when you are searching the net for information on the beliefs of the Ancient Celts, you’ll come across, as I did, the term Celtic Reconstructionist. Interested, I tried to find out exactly what Celtic Reconstructionism (often known as CR) is, and a brilliant article by Patricia Deneen published a year ago offers some general pointers. In summary, she says:

Celtic Reconstructionism (CR) is a growing movement in the Pagan community. The term Celtic refers to a group of languages that spanned from Northern Italy to the British Isles. Like other reconstruction religions, practitioners attempt to forge links between the pre-Christian past and modern religious practice.

Sources for Celtic Reconstructionism

There is a multitude of sources for Celtic mythology of varying scholarly quality. Reconstructionists look to the biases and educational background of authors and translators of this lore before deciding which are the most reliable.

Records of mythology of Celtic peoples such as the Welsh Mabinogion and the Irish heroic tales of the Tain are common resources.

Celtic Deities

CR is a polytheistic religion, that is the belief in many gods and goddesses. These deities are believed to be entities unto themselves worthy of reverence, not archetypal aspects of one godhead.

Celtic Reconstructionist Practice, Ritual, and Magic

This movement is still in its early stages, and there is no one set of dogma or rituals that is followed by every practitioner. However, there are some common denominators that individual CRs use while developing their practice.

Ethics in Celtic Reconstructionism

A virtue model similar to that of the Nine Noble Virtues of Asatru is part of the CR ethics system. Hospitality to the gods and humanity is seen as paramount. Other virtues include justice, loyalty, honor, honesty, and courage. Good and evil are not generally accepted concepts in CR as the gods and aspects of the world are seen as inclusive of light and dark.

The full article, over on Suite 101, is well worth reading and Patricia includes some references that have to be followed up, including one to the CR FAQ, which as I understand it, is pretty much the standard reference source for CR.

Pic: Connexion

Connexion reports that King Arthur and the Knights of the Round-Table have thrilled generations of British children with their exploits. However, less well-known to Britons is the fact they play a starring role in French folklore and literature as well. The first ever major French exhibition about Le Roi Arthur, classified by the Culture Ministry as “of national importance,” has opened in Rennes.

It is designed to appeal to everyone from families to experts in the field.

Curator Sarah Toulouse said:

There are beautiful pieces like original illuminated manuscripts from the 13th to 15th Centuries and beautiful 19th Century English pre-Raphaelite paintings, embroidery and stained glass by Edward Burne-Jones.

There was a major revival of interest in King Arthur in Britain in Victorian times, in art and also by poets like Tennyson and in children’s literature. In France it was more the 20th Century, with films and books.

The show also features pop culture exhibits and two impressive parade giants from Ewell, in Surrey, of Morgan le Fay and the Green Knight – who has been decapitated and is carrying his head.

Children love it and they can try to pull Excalibur from the stone.

added Ms Toulouse.

She said that, while academics on both sides of the Channel placed Camelot in Britain, some Arthurian adventures took place not in La Grande Bretagne but in what was, in the Middle Ages, known as la Petite Bretagne – modern Brittany.

[source]

Originally posted 2008-09-15 09:35:56. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Pic: Pretanic World

Historically the picture we have of the Druids is almost entirely due to people who traded with the Celts, such as the Greeks, or to the people who fought against them, such as the Romans. Sadly, it is for the main part, during the downfall of the Celts, in Roman occupied Gaul, that we hear the most about the Druids. The Celts, though never a united force, were the first masters of Europe. Their influence stretching from the North western fringes of Greece, across the top of Northern Italy and into Spain. Going up into Austria, Southern Germany, Gaul and Scandinavia and finally the British Isles. It is generally agreed that the Celts evolved from populations already resident in Europe during the Bronze Age, from earlier Indo-European tribes.

The Celts first get a mention by name in the sixth century BCE when a Greek, Hecateus, states that the Celts were neighbours of the Ligurians, and that a remarkable feature of their society is the social structure, which was a hallmark of that society. However, it is not until 200 BCE that the Druids get a mention, by another Greek called Sotion. His work ‘Succession of Philosophers’ was lost, but a reference was preserved by another writer Diogenes Laertius: There are among the Keltae and Galatae those called Druids and Semnotheoi…’ (Semnotheoi were presumably Galatian priests).

That the Druids were known to the outside world by 200 BCE would suggest that they were already a powerful, well established group amongst their own people, with wide ranging powers. The reports from Julius Caesar in his ‘Gallic Wars’ (sixth book) certainly agree on this point.

The Celts who had continued their migration into Britain and Ireland became separated and isolated for many centuries from the Celts of Gaul. Language, culture and religion developed along different lines, and Druidism, as pictured in native records, was in Ireland considerably different from that of Gaul. The religion of the pagan Irish is commonly designated ‘Druidism’ and in the oldest Irish legends the Druids figure conspicuously. Continue Reading »

Pic: Designs of Tattoos

Early Celtic people were famous for their skills and talent in artwork of metal, jewelry, and even weapons. Throughout Ireland, there are many evidence of Celtic artwork and Celtic crosses. The Celtics are also well known for being warriors and regarded as fierce fighters by the Romans.

Throughout the years, modern Celtics evolved and established symbols for themselves along the way. They often wear these symbols to let others know that they are of Celtic descent. Despite very little written history that time, the symbols and knowledge have been passed down from generation to generation. Tattooing is one art form that immortalize these symbols to keep the Celtic tradition alive with the infamous Celtic cross, Celtic knots and other popular Celtic art.

The Celtic Cross is a symbol of Christianity so as a tattoo design it is a visual representation of faith and heritage. During the early days, it was used as a symbol of protection and territoriality across Europe. The intricate Celtic knot featuring loops with no end symbolize a never ending cycle of dying and rebirth. The pure and detailed knot tattoo designs are normally never ending, unless an individual adds an end to symbolize a spiral. These knots have a much deeper meaning in that they represent the repeated crossing of both physical and spiritual elements. The strands are symbols of life, love and faith. Celtic tattoos are also used to express one’s origin; that is, he is of Celtic descent like the Irish, Scots or Welsh,

Celtic tattoos are complex and contains a lot of details like knots, spirals and mazes. If you opted to go for one, make sure that you choose a tattoo artist who can render this design skillfully. You do not want this tattoo to go wrong especially if it will be an expression of how proud you are of your heritage.

If you are looking for Celtic tattoo designs, check out Celtic Tattoos and Photos

Or you can go straight to our Tattoo Gallery to choose your own tattoo design.

Author: Marilen Kapchan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Import duty

Pic: Travian

After yesterday’s post about the new RPG add-on, Scion, it’s quite a coincidence to discover another game with a strong Celtic connection. This one, called Travian, is played entirely within your browser and allows you to take charge of a Vilage. You can play as either Roman, Gaul or Teuton and as you expand you’ll discover that the world is full of other villages run by other players all over the world. Obviously, lovers of the Celts will play the Gauls but this game allows you to exerience growth, trade and expansion in lots of different ways. I haven’t had a go at it yet, but it does look like fun – sort of a small, browser-based Age of Empires perhaps?

The Romans

The Roman empire is the easiest for newcomers to Travian. Because of their significant social and technological developments, the Romans are the masters of building coordination, and their troops are the Travian elite. Continue Reading »

Originally posted 2009-02-28 09:50:06. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Now the public has the chance to view the much talked-about discovery, as the coins and the cow’s leg bone in which they were hidden have gone on display at the Town House Museum, King’s Lynn.

The annual summer excavation of a Saxon burial ground in the valley of the Heacham River has also uncovered evidence of an earlier, Iron Age settlement.

The hoard of 32 Gallo-Belgic E staters has been described as the most significant find since the Sedgeford Historical and Archaeological Research Project (Sharp) began in 1996.

Twenty of the coins, depicting a stylised horse on one side, were hidden inside the bone.

Ambiani tribe of Gaul

They are believed to have been made by the Ambiani tribe of Gaul in northern France 2000 years ago, and there are two main theories about why they were buried.

One is that the owner, perhaps a mercenary who had been fighting the Romans in Gaul, had been paid in gold staters and decided to give a votive offering to the gods for his safe passage home.

Alternatively, he may have decided that his precious coins were too valuable to carry around, so hid them in the bone and buried them to be retrieved later. But he was then either killed or forgot where they were.

The hoard was declared treasure and recently acquired by King’s Lynn Museums for £4000, which was raised by the museums’ Friends and contributions from the Museums, Libraries and Archives/Victoria and Albert purchase grant fund and the Headley Trust.

It will become one of the star attractions when Lynn Museum re-opens next year after a £1m redevelopment but has gone on display at the Town House Museum in the meantime.

We thought it would be nice for people to see it – at least temporarily.

said area museums officer Robin Hanley.

It’s a very important discovery and it’s a really interesting story. It’s fantastic to have them in the collections and they’ve attracted an awful lot of interest.

Read the original article at EPD24.

Pic: Bronze-Depot.com

The Archaeozoology blog carries a report about the practice of Paleolithic Horse Hunting and they say: The site of Roche de Solutre is one of a series of ridges or cuestas in the southern part of the Maconnais region of Burgundy, France. The cuestas are oriented from east to west and are separated by broad valleys with minor streams. The archaeological site at Solutre is located at the base of the southern face of the Roche de Solutre.

The discoverer and first investigator of the site, Adrien Arcelin, tried to explain the mass of horse bones revealed during the 19th century excavations by describing Palaeolithic hunters driving herds of up to 600 animals at a time over the edge of the rock. This concept of Solutre as a ‘horse-jump’ site found favour in the late 1800s and was upheld even as late as the 1950s. However, in 1956 Jean Combier re-interpreted Solutre as a place to which hunters periodically returned to kill horses which were passing through the valley during their seasonal migrations. Continue Reading »

Pic: Wiki

A socio-linguist has published the results of his ten year study on the use of the Breton language and has found that the number of speakers in Brittany has fallen considerably reports Cornwall 24.

Fañch Broudic, a former journalist at France 3 Ouest, reported that:

Pour la première fois, dans la zone traditionnelle de la pratique de la langue, le nombre de locuteurs est inférieur à 200 000.

(“For the first time in the traditional practice of language, the number ofspeakers is less than 200 000,”) Continue Reading »

Pic: Novopress

As reported earlier in our first post on the exciting finds from Brittany, French experts have called the four axes, which Adam MacHale spotted in the sea off Petit Rohu beach and donated to France, an exceptional archaeological discovery. The Telegraph reports that the discovery was made by a British tourist who received a £20,000 reward.

Mr MacHale, 38, from Malvern, Worcestershire handed them in to authorities, and the neolithic pieces are now on display at the Carnac Museum of Prehistory in southern Brittany.

Curator Emmanuelle Vigier said:

Their attitude was that of good citizens.

They could be rewarded for not keeping the objects or selling them to a private collector with a prize worth £23,800 (€30,000)

Read the full article on the Telegraph site.

Originally posted 2008-10-10 09:09:13. Republished by Blog Post Promoter