Druids Celts Evidence and Myth

[Aaron, Moderator]

I wanted to start a discussion about Prehistoric Britain, and the Celtic tribes in general, (We can include Gaul and Helvetica), and what we actually know.

[Aaron, Moderator]

My first question is, were there Fir Bolgs ever in Ireland? What is our source for the name Fir Bolg, and why is there such a detailed history of people living in Ireland even before the Tuatha De Denaan, who were themselves considered semi fey. Is it only an oral history?

[Old-Barbarossa]

Bit rough on my pre-Hx...a load of the stuff you mention is in The Book Of Invasions...think the earliest text is medieval.
Made up stuff though...traces folk back to Noah etc.

[Aaron, Moderator]

Noah, blech, small potatoes. Okay I see what your saying, but do check out the section on this article about St. Kilda (Hebrides Scotland) where they mention a Fir Bolg Fort. Scroll to Architecture - Buildings on other Islands.

Fir Bolg Fort

[Aaron, Moderator]

Old-Barbarossa and I had been chatting about a book which claims to contain Pictish Magic on another thread. From a historical standpoint, this is obviously an outrageous claim, but I'm curious if anyone thinks it's possible to psychically tune into an ancient culture, and channel their knowledge.

[Nell]

I think it's possible - maybe everything is possible - but when money comes into the equation (writing and selling books) it creates unbalance and makes one question the accuracy of the telling.

[Aaron, Moderator]

Obviously it's a Pandora's box for new age exploitation, but it could still be possible like anything as you say.

[Aaron, Moderator]

Basically we have no hard evidence that their were ever any druids at all. We have Julius Caesar's say so, and the accounts of a few Irish monks a few hundred years later. I commend the Irish for actually putting in some detail, but they're notorious for tall tales.

Do we even know if they wore white? Did they carry staves?

I find it fascinating that there is no archaeological evidence for Druids whatsoever. Not a scrap. Of course if they did wear white robes, and carried wooden staves, these materials tend to be quite perishable, and there wouldn't necessarily be much of a trace.

[Aaron, Moderator]

Is this one any good Old Barbarossa? I'm looking for any material that might be in addition to what we get can from the wikipedia article.

[Old-Barbarossa]

Not read it sir.
Still have the Hutton on my shelf...soon.
The World of the Druids is fairly well balanced and realistic in its Hx analysis.

[Aaron, Moderator]

Thanks Old-Barbarossa. That's the one I'm going to check out then.

[Old-Barbarossa]

Bear in mind that modern druidry is different. But the book I mentioned above and the Hutton text also go into the modern movement a wee bit as well.
Reading up on bronze/iron age Euro Hx is a good start, to put things in context...and to give insight into how little we know...archeo evidence, but very little text outside of classical authors with their own agenda...and after this period xtian authors with very different world view.