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Celtic Legends
Celtic mythology is the body of myths belonging to the Celtic peoples.Cunliffe, Barry, (1997) ''The Ancient Celts''. Oxford, Oxford University Press , pp. 183 (religion), 202, 204–8. Like other Iron Age Europeans, Celtic peoples followed a polytheistic religion, having many gods and goddesses. The mythologies of continental Celtic peoples, such as the Gauls and Celtiberians, did not survive their conquest by the Roman Empire, the loss of their Celtic languages and their subsequent conversion to Christianity. Only remnants are found in Greco-Roman sources and archaeology. Most surviving Celtic mythology belongs to the Insular Celtic peoples (the Gaels of Ireland and Scotland; the Celtic Britons of western Britain and Brittany). They preserved some of their myths in oral lore, which were eventually written down by Christian scribes in the Middle Ages. Irish mythology has the largest written body of myths, followed by Welsh mythology. The supernatural race called the Tuatha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brittany
Brittany ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duchy of Brittany, duchy before being Union of Brittany and France, united with the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a provinces of France, province governed as a separate nation under the crown. Brittany is the traditional homeland of the Breton people and is one of the six Celtic nations, retaining Culture of Brittany, a distinct cultural identity that reflects History of Brittany, its history. Brittany has also been referred to as Little Britain (as opposed to Great Britain, with which it shares an etymology). It is bordered by the English Channel to the north, Normandy to the northeast, eastern Pays de la Loire to the southeast, the Bay of Biscay to the south, and the Celtic Sea and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Its land area is 34,023 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gobannus
Gobannus (or Gobannos, the Gaulish form, sometimes Cobannus) was a Gallo-Roman smithing god. A number of statues dedicated to him are preserved, found together with a bronze cauldron dedicated to ''Deus Cobannos'', in the late 1980s and illegally exported to the United States, now in the Getty Museum in the Getty Center, in California. He is mentioned in an inscription found in the 1970s in Fontenay-près-Vézelay, reading AVG(VSTO) SAC(RVM) E COBANNO, i.e. dedicated to Augustus and ''Deus Cobannus''. Etymology The theonym ''Gobannos'', attested as ''Deo Cobanno'' on inscriptions, is derived from the Proto-Celtic stem *''goben''-, meaning 'smith' (cf. Old Irish ''gobae'', Middle Welsh ''gof,'' Middle Breton ''gof(f)'', Old Cornish ''gof'' 'smith'; cf. also Gaulish ''gobedbi'' 'with the smiths' < *''goben-bi'' or *''gob-et''-''bi-''). The same stem can be found in the Irish deity '' |
Gofannon
Gofannon () is a Middle Welsh reflex of Gobannus, one of the List of Celtic deities, deities worshipped by the Celts, ancient Celts. He features in Welsh mythology, Middle Welsh literature as a great Smith (metalwork), metal worker and as the son of Dôn. His name can be compared with the Old Irish ''gobae'' (gen. ''gobann'') ‘blacksmith, smith’, Middle Welsh / Cornish language, Cornish / Breton language, Breton ''gof'' (pl. ''gofein'') ‘blacksmith, smith’, Gaulish language, Gaulish ''gobedbi'' ‘with the blacksmith, smiths’, all of which are cognate with Lithuanian language, Lithuanian ''gabija'' ‘sacred home fire’, ''gabus'' ‘gifted, clever’. His apparent counterpart in Irish mythology, Goibniu, in addition to his metallurgy, duties as a smith, also takes on the role of a divine hero who brewed an ale of immortality, in addition to being an architect and builder. In Welsh mythology, Gofannon killed his nephew, Dylan Ail Don, not knowing who he was. One of the t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Goibniu
In Irish mythology, Goibniu (; ) was the metalsmith of the Tuatha Dé Danann. He is believed to have been a smithing god and is also associated with hospitality. His name is related to the Welsh Gofannon and the Gaulish Gobannus. Etymology The name ''Goibniu'' stems from a Proto-Celtic form reconstructed as *''Gobeniū'' or *''Gobanniō'', which is derived from the stem *''goben''-, meaning 'smith' (cf. Old Irish ''gobae'', Middle Welsh ''gof,'' Middle Breton ''gof(f)'', Old Cornish ''gof'' 'smith'; cf. also Gaulish ''gobedbi'' 'with the smiths' < *''goben-bi'' or *''gob-et''-''bi-''). The same stem can be found in the Gaulish deity '' Deo Cobanno'' (< *''Gobannos''), and in '' Govannon'' (< *''Gobannonos''), the son of the goddess Dôn in |
Lugus
Lugus (sometimes Lugos or Lug) is a Celtic god whose worship is attested in the epigraphic record. No depictions of the god are known. Lugus perhaps also appears in Ancient Rome, Roman sources and medieval Insular Celts, Insular mythology. Various dedications, concentrated in Iberia and dated to between the 1st century BCE and the 3rd century CE, attest to the worship of the god Lugus. However, these predominately describe the god in the plural, as the Lugoves. The nature of these deities, and their relationship to Lugus, has been much debated. Only one, early inscription from Peñalba de Villastar, Spain is widely agreed to attest to Lugus as a singular entity. The god Lugus has also been cited in the etymologies of several Celtic personal and place-names incorporating the element "Lug(u)-" (for example, the Roman settlement Lugdunum). Julius Caesar's description in his ''Commentaries on the Gallic War'' of an important pre-Roman Gaulish god (whom Caesar interpretatio romana, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lleu
Lleu Llaw Gyffes (), sometimes incorrectly spelled as Llew Llaw Gyffes, is a hero of Welsh mythology. He appears most prominently in the Fourth Branch of the Mabinogi, the tale of Math fab Mathonwy, which tells the tale of his birth, his marriage, his death, his resurrection and his accession to the throne of Gwynedd. He is a warrior and magician, invariably associated with his uncle Gwydion. He is widely understood to be the Welsh equivalent of the Irish Lugh and the Gaulish Lugus. It has been suggested that Lleu, like Pryderi, is related to the divine son figure of Mabon ap Modron. Name The name ''Lleu'' is derived from Proto-Celtic *''Lugus'', the exact meaning (and etymology) of which is still a matter of scholarly debate. Role in Welsh tradition The story of Lleu and the '' tynghedau'' of Arianrhod and then of Lleu and Blodeuwedd form respectively the second and third part of the Mabinogi of Math fab Mathonwy. Birth Gilfaethwy, nephew to the Venedotian king, Ma ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lugh
Lugh or Lug (; ) is a figure in Irish mythology. A member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a group of supernatural beings, Lugh is portrayed as a warrior, a king, a master craftsman and a saviour.Olmsted, Garrett. ''The Gods of the Celts and the Indo-Europeans''. University of Innsbruck, 1994. p.117 He is associated with skill and mastery in multiple disciplines, including the arts.Monaghan, Patricia. ''The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore''. Infobase Publishing, 2004. pp.296-297 Lugh also has associations with oaths, truth, and the law, and therefore with rightful kingship.Koch, John T. ''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia''. ABC-CLIO, 2006. p.1200 Lugh is linked with the harvest festival of Lughnasadh, which bears his name. His most common epithets are ''Lámfada'' ( ; "long hand" or "long arm", possibly for his skill with a spear or his ability as a ruler) and ''Samildánach'' ( ; "equally skilled in many arts"). This has sometimes been anglicised as "Lew of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Llŷr
Llŷr ( (); meaning 'half-speech' or 'half-language') is a figure in Welsh mythology, probably originally a deity, probably derived from Irish Ler ('the Sea'), father of ''Manannán mac Lir''. Other than his progeny and odd tidbits, his identity remains obscure. Llŷr appears as the father of Brân, Brânwen and Manawydan by Penarddun in the ''Branwen, Daughter of Llyr'', the Second Branch of the '' Mabinogi''.: "Bendigeidfran son of Llŷr was crowned king. His two brothers on the mother's side (Nisien and Efnisien) were sons of Euroswydd by his mother Penarddun." The Welsh Triads states that Llŷr was imprisoned by Euroswydd, and presumably, Penarddun subsequently married Euroswydd, giving birth by Euroswydd to her two younger sons, Nisien and Efnisien, as stated in the Second Branch. William Shakespeare's play ''King Lear'' is based on material taken secondhand (through Raphael Holinshed) from Geoffrey of Monmouth's mythical king King Leir, who has often been conn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dôn
Dôn () is an ancestor figure in Welsh legend and literature. She is typically given as the mother of a group known as the "Children of Dôn", including Gwydion, Arianrhod, and Gilfaethwy, among many others. However, antiquarians of the early modern era generally considered Dôn a male figure. The House of Dôn In addition, '' Bonedd yr Arwyr'' (the Gentry of the Heroes) gives an extended list of children, including Aidden, Cynan, Digant, Elawg, Elestron, Eunydd, Hedd, Hunawg, and Idwal. In astronomy Llys Dôn (literally "The Court of Dôn") is the traditional Welsh name for the constellation Cassiopeia. At least two of Dôn's children also have astronomical associations: Caer Gwydion ("The Castle of Gwydion") is the traditional Welsh name for the Milky Way, and Caer Arianrhod ("The Castle of Arianrhod") being the constellation of Corona Borealis. Etymology & Proto-Indo-European Origins Dôn has different etymological origins than the Irish Danu; while the fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tuatha Dé Danann
The Tuatha Dé Danann (, meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu"), also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"), are a supernatural race in Irish mythology. Many of them are thought to represent deities of pre-Christian Gaelic Ireland. The Tuath Dé Danann are often depicted as kings, queens, druids, bards, warriors, heroes, healers and craftsmen who have supernatural powers. They dwell in the Otherworld but interact with humans and the human world. They are associated with the ''sídhe'': prominent ancient burial mounds such as Brú na Bóinne, which are entrances to Otherworld realms. Their traditional rivals are the Fomorians (Fomoire), who might represent the destructive powers of nature, and whom the Tuatha Dé Danann defeat in the Battle of Mag Tuired. Prominent members include the Dagda ("the great god"); The Morrígan ("the great queen" or "phantom queen"); Lugh; Nuada; Aengus; Brigid; Manannán; Dian Cecht the healer; and Goibniu the smith ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Welsh Mythology
Welsh mythology (also commonly known as ''Y Chwedlau'', meaning "The Legends") consists of both folk traditions developed in Wales, and traditions developed by the Celtic Britons elsewhere before the end of the first millennium. As in most of the predominantly oral societies Celtic mythology and history were recorded orally by specialists such as druids (). This oral record has been lost or altered as a result of outside contact and invasion over the years. Much of this altered mythology and history is preserved in Medieval Welsh literature, medieval Welsh manuscripts, which include the Red Book of Hergest, the White Book of Rhydderch, the Book of Aneirin and the Book of Taliesin. Other works connected to Welsh mythology include the ninth-century Latin historical compilation ''Historia Brittonum'' ("History of the Britons") and Geoffrey of Monmouth's twelfth-century Latin chronicle ''Historia Regum Britanniae'' ("History of the Kings of Britain"), as well as later Welsh folklore, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
