What do you think?
Rate this book
Rethinking The Ancient Druids: An Archaeological Perspective
Dispels misconceptions about the ancient Druids through a careful study of their material culture.
Ancient authors have painted the Druids in a negative light, defining them as a barbaric cult that perpetrated savage and blood rites in ancient Britain and Gaul. Archaeology tells a more complicated story of this enigmatic priesthood, revealing a theocracy of immense political and sacred power. This book explores the tangible “footprint” the Druids have left behind in sacred spaces, art, ritual equipment, images of the gods, strange burial rites, and human sacrifice. In this careful study of Druid material culture, Miranda Aldhouse-Green uncovers compelling new findings about ancient religious beliefs and practices.
Ancient authors have painted the Druids in a negative light, defining them as a barbaric cult that perpetrated savage and blood rites in ancient Britain and Gaul. Archaeology tells a more complicated story of this enigmatic priesthood, revealing a theocracy of immense political and sacred power. This book explores the tangible “footprint” the Druids have left behind in sacred spaces, art, ritual equipment, images of the gods, strange burial rites, and human sacrifice. In this careful study of Druid material culture, Miranda Aldhouse-Green uncovers compelling new findings about ancient religious beliefs and practices.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
224 pages, Paperback
Published December 8, 2021
1 person is currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Aldhouse-Green
38 books93 followersMiranda Green was born in London and educated at Greycoat Hospital, Westminster. She took an Honours degree at University College, Cardiff and an M. Litt. at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. She gained a research scholarship at the Open University and was awarded a doctorate in 1981 for her thesis on Romano-Celtic sun-symbolism. She has received research awards from the Society of Antiquities of London and from the British Academy, and was awarded the Leverhulme Research Fellowship at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. After holding posts at Worthing and Peterborough Museums, she took up posts as Tutor in Roman Studies and full-time administrator at the Open University in Wales.
Until recently professor of archaeology at Newport University, Miranda's teaching experience ranges from leading undergraduate courses on Roman Britain and Iron Age Europe to managing and contributing to Newport's MA in Celto-Roman Studies. She has supervised more than twenty PhD and MPhil students to successful completion.
Miranda Aldhouse-Green is Tutor for the MA Archaeology programme, and is module leader for three of the MA skills modules (Research Methods, Writing Archaeology/Writing the Past and Speaking Archaeology). She lectures on Early Celtic Studies and contributes to the third-year undergraduate Theory course.
External responsibilities include membership of the Ancient Monuments Advisory Board for Wales, presidency of the Prehistoric Society (2004-6) and membership of the management board of the University of Wales Press.
Until recently professor of archaeology at Newport University, Miranda's teaching experience ranges from leading undergraduate courses on Roman Britain and Iron Age Europe to managing and contributing to Newport's MA in Celto-Roman Studies. She has supervised more than twenty PhD and MPhil students to successful completion.
Miranda Aldhouse-Green is Tutor for the MA Archaeology programme, and is module leader for three of the MA skills modules (Research Methods, Writing Archaeology/Writing the Past and Speaking Archaeology). She lectures on Early Celtic Studies and contributes to the third-year undergraduate Theory course.
External responsibilities include membership of the Ancient Monuments Advisory Board for Wales, presidency of the Prehistoric Society (2004-6) and membership of the management board of the University of Wales Press.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
October 10, 2023
This book review was written for The Folklore Podcast and is available to read at that website as well.
Nora Chadwick’s 1996 work The Druids analyzed the bulk of the historical literature that made reference to the ancient class. Her translations and textual criticism are still invaluable to scholars today, in spite of some of her more unusual conclusions in regards to the ancient druids - namely that they were a purely philosophical order rather than a religious one.. In 2021, Miranda Aldhouse-Green released her companion piece to Chadwick’s original book. Rethinking The Ancient Druids: An Archaeological Perspective, published by the University of Wales Press, builds upon Chadwick’s original work by focusing upon recent archaeological finds and whether they support or refute what literary sources have taught us about the ancient druids.
Miranda Aldhouse-Green set herself the unenviable task of contextualizing the druids within their own time. Doing this sets the focus primarily upon the first couple of centuries BCE/CE, and she does an astonishing job synthesizing what the indigenous religions might have been throughout the Celtic world. Anyone with a passing interest in the study of Celtic religions is likely familiar with Aldhouse-Green’s work in the area, and she does no lesser job now of bringing to life what we know of this religion - and refuting some common misconceptions.
One of the interesting things that Aldhouse-Green brings to light is the survival of these indigenous beliefs into Roman times. She argues for examples and evidence of syncretism that developed, as well as the Gallic gods continuing to be worshiped underground in some areas into the 400s CE. It’s fascinating to see the evidence of it all play out, and the way that the evidence is analyzed in such an accessible way. Furthermore, her previous writings on the bog bodies come into play in her discussion of human sacrifice among the various tribes. Once more, recent archaeological evidence changes the view, by creating an interesting argument that some of the better examples may have been aversion sacrifices to drive the encroaching Roman armies away.
Rethinking the Ancient Druids is a truly invaluable resource for those interested in Celtic studies. While it is a scholarly text, it is by no means inaccessible to the general public. It is rife with beautiful photos of archaeological artefacts that the general public might not otherwise get a chance to see. The bibliography and thorough notes should provide any curious reader with a far larger reading list, while also attesting to the deep level of research that Aldhouse-Green has done. While we may never know precisely who the ancient druids were, and what they believed - this book does provide a more thorough and precise understanding of them than we have previously had. Like Chadwick’s book before, this one shall certainly turn into a classic within its field.
Nora Chadwick’s 1996 work The Druids analyzed the bulk of the historical literature that made reference to the ancient class. Her translations and textual criticism are still invaluable to scholars today, in spite of some of her more unusual conclusions in regards to the ancient druids - namely that they were a purely philosophical order rather than a religious one.. In 2021, Miranda Aldhouse-Green released her companion piece to Chadwick’s original book. Rethinking The Ancient Druids: An Archaeological Perspective, published by the University of Wales Press, builds upon Chadwick’s original work by focusing upon recent archaeological finds and whether they support or refute what literary sources have taught us about the ancient druids.
Miranda Aldhouse-Green set herself the unenviable task of contextualizing the druids within their own time. Doing this sets the focus primarily upon the first couple of centuries BCE/CE, and she does an astonishing job synthesizing what the indigenous religions might have been throughout the Celtic world. Anyone with a passing interest in the study of Celtic religions is likely familiar with Aldhouse-Green’s work in the area, and she does no lesser job now of bringing to life what we know of this religion - and refuting some common misconceptions.
One of the interesting things that Aldhouse-Green brings to light is the survival of these indigenous beliefs into Roman times. She argues for examples and evidence of syncretism that developed, as well as the Gallic gods continuing to be worshiped underground in some areas into the 400s CE. It’s fascinating to see the evidence of it all play out, and the way that the evidence is analyzed in such an accessible way. Furthermore, her previous writings on the bog bodies come into play in her discussion of human sacrifice among the various tribes. Once more, recent archaeological evidence changes the view, by creating an interesting argument that some of the better examples may have been aversion sacrifices to drive the encroaching Roman armies away.
Rethinking the Ancient Druids is a truly invaluable resource for those interested in Celtic studies. While it is a scholarly text, it is by no means inaccessible to the general public. It is rife with beautiful photos of archaeological artefacts that the general public might not otherwise get a chance to see. The bibliography and thorough notes should provide any curious reader with a far larger reading list, while also attesting to the deep level of research that Aldhouse-Green has done. While we may never know precisely who the ancient druids were, and what they believed - this book does provide a more thorough and precise understanding of them than we have previously had. Like Chadwick’s book before, this one shall certainly turn into a classic within its field.
Displaying 1 of 1 review