Publisher's Synopsis
DNA, history and archaeology have shown that the European people, or those of a close enough racial origin, have existed for around 40,000 years, of which Christianity has only been the dominant religion for less than one thousand.
The Celtic religion is possibly one of the most suppressed pre-Christian belief systems of Western Europe. Starting with a racial definition of the Celtic people, this work explores the gods of Celtic France, Britain and Ireland before moving on to a full and highly satisfying review of the major Celtic myths and legends. Read here of the heroism and struggle of Celtic legends such as Cúchulainn, Finn and the Fenians, and the real origins of "King" Arthur.
This valuable work also discusses in full many of the controversial aspects of Celtic religion, and reveals the truth about Druids and allegations of Celtic human sacrifice--showing the latter to be unsubstantiated anti-Celtic Roman propaganda.
Finally, this book shows how many aspects of Celtic religion have survived into the present-day, and still forms a vital and living part of European culture. A highly recommended and readable overview. Fully indexed.
These volumes, Original European Religions, are a vital resource for any European person seeking to learn about their real cultural heritage, roots and belief systems of their ancestors which existed before the intrusion of Christianity.
Contents
Part I
The Celts and their Religion
Chapter I: The Origins Of The Celtic People
Chapter II: The Gods of Gaul and the Continental Celts
Chapter III: The Gods of the Gaels
Chapter IV: The Irish Mythological Cycle
Chapter V: Gods and Men
Chapter VI: The Cult of the Dead
Chapter VII: Sacrifice, Prayer, And Divination
Chapter VIII: Festivals
Chapter IX: The Druids
Part II
The Celtic Myths
Introduction
Chapter I: The Gods of the Gaels
Chapter II: The Gods Arrive
Chapter III: The Rise of the Sun-God
Chapter IV: The Gaelic Argonauts
Chapter V: The War with the Giants
Chapter VI: The Conquest of the Gods by Mortals
Chapter VII: The Gods in Exile
Chapter VIII: The Saga of Cúchulainn
Chapter IX: Gaelic Love-Stories
Chapter X: Finn and the Fenians
Chapter XI: The Decline and Fall of the Gods
Chapter XII: The Gods of the Britons
Chapter XIII: The Adventures of the Gods of Hades
Chapter XIV: The Wooing of Enchantments
Chapter XVI: The Victories of Light over Darkness
Chapter XVII: The Mythological "Coming of Arthur"
Chapter XVIII: The Treasures of Britain
Chapter XIX: Survival of Celtic Religion into Modern Times
Conclusion
Index
Cover illustration: The 5,200 year-old Newgrange Barrow, County Meath, Ireland.
