Abergavenny - A Brythonic Welsh word meaning "mouth of the
blacksmith's river".
Aberth - A Brythonic term for sacrifice.
Afon {Avon} - A Brythonic word for river.
Albainn / Alba / Albain / Alban / Albania / Albany / Albu /
Alpine / Alps - Old Gaelic names which refer to the
territory from Caithness, Scotland south to the Humber
River in northern England.
Albion - An old Ligurian-Iberian name for the island of
Britain in use around BC 4th century.
Alps - An Indo-European term for high summer meadows.
Amber - Fossilized pine resin, found mainly in the Baltic
region, highly prized for its ornamental value.
Ancestor worship - A system by which ancestors became heroes
and deities through veneration by a clan or tribe.
Animism - The belief that all objects and natural phenomena
possess life and have souls.
Annwn {an-noon, ahn'-noon} / Annfwn {ahn'-foon} / Annwvyn
{An-wuyn} - Brythonic names for Hades, thought to be the
Isle of Man. Also referred to as The Kingdom of the Dead
and The Bottomless Place.
Anthropomorphic - Having human shape. Many Celtic artifacts
incorporated human images, especially heads, in their
ornamentation, whether on vessels or sword-hilts.
Ap / App - Brythonic terms for son of or descendant of.
Ard Righ / Ar-ri (high chieftain) - Gaelic terms for the
chieftain who ruled over a territory or for the head
chieftains of a confederation. In Ireland the Ard Righ
Eirinn was responsible for the five provinces of Ireland.
In Scotland the high chieftain was called the Ard-righ
Albainn and ruled over all of Scotland and south to the
Humber river in England.
The Ard Righ could be elected by the tribes, selected
by use of the Tarbhfhess, Great Stone, appointed by the
gods, or the position seized by force. Unlike that of
modern-day kings and queens, the position was not a
hereditary right although family position was important.
(see also Tarbhfhess / Great Stone)
Aremorica - The name derives from the Celtic words Ar Mor
which means "by the sea" and refers to the land mass in
France bounded by the Channel, Bay of Biscay, Loir and
Seine rivers.
Arganto - A Celtic name for silver.
Artificer - An inventive and highly skilled weapons maker.
Ath {ah} - A Gaelic word for a river ford.
Bagpipes - Bagpipes are a musical instrument which consist of
a goatskin air bag kept full by blowing into a pipe or
pumping a bellows. The bag is then squeezed to force air
through one or more double-reed drones and a chanter which
is used to finger the notes. (see also Gaita / Gaita de
foles)
Baldric - A shoulder belt that crosses the body at an angle
to hold a sword scabbard on the opposite hip.
Barrow - A mound of earth covering a circular or elongated
grave where one or more people were buried. Inhumation and
cremation were both practiced.
Beal-agh - a Gaelic term for the sacred fire of the sun god.
Bean - A Gaelic term for a woman or a wife.
Bean Sidhe (Banshee) (Women of the Sidhe) - Members of a
druidic order who keened and wailed for the souls of the
dead heroes who were departing for the Otherworld as their
bodies were being place in the tumulus. (see also Sidhe)
Beannacht / Beannachd - A Gaelic salutation, congratulation,
or blessing.
Beanshith - Fay women who predicted the coming of death.
Belec / Bel-eg - A priest of the sun god or servant of Baal.
Ben / Beinn - Gaelic words for a mountain.
Berla na Filed - A Gaelic name referring to the secret
language of the filidh order of the druids.
Black Banishment - The name given to the exile of the Ulster
warriors.
Blood Covenant - The mixing or drinking of blood to seal an
agreement.
Boarfire - A large fire that would be kindled to warm a
mighty warrior or a chieftain. (see also Torcfire)
Bodhran - Irish name for the hoop drum which has been used
throughout the northern hemisphere as a shaman's drum. The
diameter of the drum depends on the size of the skin and
the required pitch. Goat was a choice skin for many Celtic
drums but other skins were used depending on the purpose.
Most drums are covered with a skin on one side and
tied at the back, but some are covered on both sides and
have a handle or are held in the two hands and drummed with
the fingers. The strikers are usually made from wood, bone
or antler and have either a single or a double end.
Boramha Tribute (Boru/Borumha/Boromean) - A tax of goods
imposed on the province of Leinster by Tuathal, the Ard
Righ Eirinn, in AD 2nd century. The name means "cattle
counting".
Brae - A Gaelic term for a hill.
Brain Ball - A small projectile for a sling that was made
from a mixture of brains and lime.
Brandubh (black raven) - A Celtic board game played in
ancient Ireland. The board had 7x7 peg holes or squares.
The high chieftain (Ard Righ Eirinn) had his home seat in
the center of the board and was surrounded by his 8
champion warriors. The attacking force of 12 warriors was
placed on the outside row of the board. The Ard Righ must
make it to one of his four provincial seats or mounds to
win.
All players move 1 square at a time except the Ard Righ
when he or she reaches the outside lane. The Ard Righ then
can move any number of unoccupied squares. The Ard Righ
must be surrounded on four sides to be captured or
emobileized against the outside wall. A worrior need only
be flanked between 2 enemies or 1 enemy and a seat of the
high chieftain. Warriors can pass over the Ard righ's
seats or mounds of power but can not rest on them. Players
can only move up and down or back and forth, no diagnoal
moves.
The Viking game seems to have derived from Brandubh.
Brandubh, the modern Welsh board game Tawlbwrdd and the
Swedish game of Tablut are all variations on the ancient
Irish Fidchell. (see also Fidchell)
Branfad - A Celtic board game, played in Britain, similar to
checkers. (see also Draughts)
Breacan (Tartan) / Brecan / Breach / Brycan - Terms that
evolved from the Gaelic word Breac (partly coloured,
speckled, stripped or chequered). The later Scottish
chieftains were the only persons allowed to wear eight
colors. They wove their clothing in stripes, checks and
combinations of the two. The chieftain colors were black,
brown, purple, blue, green, red, yellow and white. From
this came the idea of clan tartans, those loyal to a
certain chieftain wore clothing of his or her tartan.
Breathing Bronze - A bronze made from a mixture of 90%
copper, 10-15% tin and a small quantity of arsenic.
Brenhines / Breninesav - A Brythonic Welsh title for a female
head chieftain.
Brenin - A Brythonic Welsh title word used to denote a male
head chieftain.
Briga - A Celtic word used predominantly in Portugal and
Spain to designate a hillfort, usually as a suffix to the
name of the fort. The word is Celtic for "mount". (see
also Burg / Hillfort)
Brithem (judge) / Brehon (English) - The Brithem used ancient
laws which have their roots in Indo-European law and were
codified by Ollamh Fodhla in Ireland around BC 714. Six
volumes of Irish law were published between 1865-1901 and
entitled "The Ancient Laws of Ireland".
Bronze leaf sword - The Celtic Bronze Age leaf-shaped sword
was one of the best available duelling weapons of the time.
It was around 30" (74.9 cm) long and the blade bulged
toward the end to give it weight for chopping. Some had a
point for jabbing.
Bruidhean / Bruidhem / Bruidhen / Bruidne - An old Gaelic
term for a hostel that supplied food, drink and lodging.
Bull-roarer - A free aerophone musical instrument, in that it
creates a sound in unenclosed air. It was usually made
from a long thin blade of bone, wood or stone with a hole
at on end for a cord to be looped through it.
Holding one end of the cord and twirling it around the
head causes the cords to twist together and untwist again,
creating an eerie sound which was thought to evoke the
spirits. The pitch is controlled by the length of the cord
and size of the object: a longer cord produces a lower
sound.
Burg - A German word denoting a fortress from which derived
the old English suffixes -burgh, - bury, -borough, -brough.
(see also Briga)
Burn - A Scottish Gaelic term for a stream.
Caduceus - The messenger staff of Hermes which had two snakes
winding around it. The wand of the herald and symbol of
diplomacy.
Caer / Gaer - A Brythonic term designating a fortress.
Cailleach - A Gaelic word for an old woman.
Cairns / carns - When going into a major battle each warrior
threw a rock into a pile, and after the battle the
survivors withdrew their rocks. The pile left represented
the number of dead. It was common for burial sites to be
covered by mounds of stones. The number of rocks may also
have represented the number of mourners or people who came
to pay their respects.
Caledonia - An old name for an area of present-day Scotland
and northern England.
Cambria / Combrog - Brythonic names for that part of present-
day Wales from the Cambrian range of Mountains to the Irish
Sea.
Canton - A Gaulish term used to define an allotment of land.
Cantref - A term used in the Brythonic language to denote two
commotes (regions). The word derives from the combination
of Cant (100) and Tref (farmstead).
Carnyx - A Celtic war-horn that was made of metal tubing that
was turned up from the mouthpiece so that the sound
bellowed out from high above the warriors. The heads were
in the shape of animals and were sometimes fitted with a
clapper for a tongue.
Castro - A term used in Spain and Portugal to designate a
fortified Celtic settlement. The defensive walls and the
round huts were of drystone construction. (see also Briga /
Citania / Hillfort)
Castro Culture - A term used to refer to the Celtic cultures
in Spain and Portugal. (see also Castro)
Caul - Sac of membrane that encloses the foetus. It was
considered to have supernatural qualities including
protection against drowning.
Cauldron - A large metal cooking vessel which held deep
religious significance, magical power and ritual importance
for the Celts.
The cauldron was a symbol of the circle of life, in
that something must be killed and eaten to sustain life. It
was a symbol of the Otherworld, death, ressurrection and
abundance.
The cauldrons of resurrection may have contained
antidotes to poisons used on the weapons, thus bringing
back the dead. The cauldron was used brewed beer and mead,
both sacred drinks to the Celts.
Cave of Cruachan - The cave was thought to be an entrance
into the Otherworld.
Ceann-cath - A Pictish term for a war leader in Scotland.
Ceann-Cinnidh - A Pictish term used to designate a male or
female chieftain in Scotland.
Ceilidh {Kay-lee} - A gathering of friends and neighbours
with music, story-telling and the occasional drink.
Celt {Kelt} - The name of a tribe that lived in southern
France and northern Spain. The name is now used to denote
tribes of European people of the Bronze and Iron Ages who
shared a similar language, religious beliefs and social
structure.
Celtic field - Small rectangular fields enclosed with walls
of rock, earth and hedges. Dating from as far back as the
Bronze Age, they are found mostly in southern England but
can also be found as far afield as Denmark and Portugal.
Celtologist - "A student of, authority on, the archaeology,
history, art and language of the Celtic peoples." -
Universal English Dictionary
Celtomaniac - "Person obsessed with the importance and
interest of Celtic language, art, poetry &c." Universal
English Dictionary
Cenel - An Irish word for kin, group or a tribe.
Cernyw - The Welsh Brythonic name for Cornwall.
Chalcolithic - The time period when Neolithic artisians were
beginning to experiment with copper.
Chariot - The chariots were used as far back as the Bronze
Age. The vehicles were first of all a means of transport
for the elite Celtic warriors who rode to battle dressed in
their best. They usually alighted to fight a combat but
during a battle they would throw spears from their moving
chariot.
The war chariot consisted of a platform with sides on
a 2-wheeled chassis. The wheel span was 3'6"-3'9" for
Hallstatt and 4'8½" for La Tène. The centre pole hooked
the chariot up to 2 horses and the driver sat on the
platform to steer the unit while the warrior pranced up and
down the pole or stood by his or her charioteer.
Chibbyrs - A Gaelic Manx word for a well.
Cisalpine Gaul - The Celtic area on the Italian side of the
Alps.
Citania - A Portuguese term denoting a large fortified Celtic
village. (see also Castro)
Clan {klan} / Clann / Clanna / Cenedl - A social group
usually with a common ancestry. Totem clans had an
affinity with an animal, bird or fish and had a taboo
against killing or eating that particular species.
Claymore / claidheamb m•r (great sword) - The claymore is a
two-handed long sword used by the highland Celts of
Scotland. The use of this type of weapon goes back to the
early Hallstatt long sword. The Picts of Scotland drove
the Romans out of the highlands with a similar long sword.
Clochan - A term derived from the Gaelic word for bell. It
is the proper name for the so-called beehive hut. The
clochan was a circular building made in a drystone
construction. The walls began to curve in to form a dome
roof with a smoke hole in the center. This type of
building is found in many parts of the world and dates back
to Neolithic time. (see also Corbelling / Drystone)
Clubs - The clubs were symbols of authority and were made
from oak, blackthorn, holly etc. Probably similar to the
Irish shillelagh. (see Shillelagh)
Cog - An Anglicization of the old Norse word Kuggr, an ocean-
going ship.
Coiced [si] / Coiceda [pl] - An Irish term for a province.
In ancient times there were two different divisions for the
five coiceda or provinces. The first divided the island
into West Munster, East Munster, Connacht, Ulster and
Leinste. The later division was Connacht, Ulster,
Leinster, Munster and Meath.
Concubine - A second wife under a one-year trial.
Corbelling - A method of drystone roofing in which each
successive layer is placed closer to the center until the
roof is complete. (see also Clochan / Drystone)
Countenance - The changing expression on a face.
Covinus - A type of war chariot used by the Britons and
Gauls.
Crann Bethadh - A Gaelic name for the Tree of Life.
Crannog - An artifical or natural island in a lake which
supported dwellings. The water acted as a natural defence
and access was gained by canoe or a causeway which was
sometimes hidden under water.
Cremation - A preparation for burial where the body is burnt
to ashes.
Cromlech - A term with varied meanings such as dolmen,
tumulus, and stone circle.
Crotales - A musical instrument that is hollow bronze ball
with a metal striker inside. When the balls are shaken
they produce musical sounds.
Cu - An Irish name for a hunting dog or a hound.
Cumal - The unit for measuring monetary or trade value in
Ireland. One cumal was equal to a female slave or 3 cows.
Curadh-mir - An Irish word for the hero's portion at a feast,
usually consisting of the right hind thigh.
Curragh / Currach - A Gaelic name for water crafts of varying
sizes and shapes made by shaping branches in the desired
form, binding each cross branch, then covering the whole
structure with skins of animals. The boats were propelled
by sail, oar or paddle.
Curses - Words or phrases used to invoking a deity or spirit
with the intent of bringing ill fortune to someone who had
committed a wrong. Often a filidh was hired to inscribe
the curse in ogham on wood or lead which was then cast into
a sacred fire.
Cymmer - A Brythonic word designating the confluence of
rivers. (see also Kemper)
Cymry / Combroges - Brythonic terms for tribes who fight on
the same side. Cymry is the more recent term and now
designates the people of Wales who speak an evolved form of
the Brythonic language called Cymraeg.
Danza Prima - An ancient Celtic dance still enjoyed in
Asturius Spain. The dancers move in a circle to a rolling
repetitive rythm.
Deas-iul - A circular sun dance that evolved into the reel.
Defrobani - A Welsh term that suggests "awakening of the
banners".
Deo-Phaistein - A Scottish Gaelic term for the lawgivers and
religious instructors of the ancient druidic order.
Derwydd (druids) - The Welsh name for the men and women who
were the wise people of their society. (see also Druii)
Dexter - The right half of a shield was denoted the male side
of the family. (see also Sinister / Staff)
Din / Dinn - Celtic names for a fortress such as Din Eidyn
which was Anglicized to Edinburgh.
Dingles - An Irish Gaelic word meaning fields.
Dinnshenchas - The Irish lore of prominent places, a type of
geomancy. (see also Geomancy)
Dirk - A slim thin dagger of varying lengths mostly used for
stabbing, short slashing or for eating.
Disk Barrow - An early Bronze Age burial chamber found mostly
in Europe but also in North America. The barrows were used
mainly for female burials.
Distaff [si] / Distave [pl] - A tool made from a wooden stick
that is used for the spinning of flax or wool. The distaff
was an ancient symbol for the female line of the family.
(see also Staff)
Divination - A system for achieving insight by studying
flights of birds, entrails, randomly-placed bones,
atmospheric conditions, smoke rising from a fire, animal
movements and appearance, the cracks in burnt animal bones,
ogham sticks, etc.
Divining rods / Coelbreni (Talking Sticks) - Specially
prepared sticks from specific trees used to divine
information. (see also Divination)
Dolmen - A Breton word meaning stone table. The structure
was built with three or more vertical stones and topped
with a capstone. Some of them were originally covered with
earth that has since eroded away. The dolmens were
constructed from Neolithic times through to the Middle
Ages.
Dord Fain - A prolonged low note produced by humming: a
technique practised by the Fianna.
Dowse - To find water by the use of a divining rod. (see also
Divining Rod)
Dragons' Teeth - Small sharp stones embedded in the earth
around the entranceways of a hillfort or any similar
strategic position to deter the advance of attackers.
Draughts / Checkers - An Irish Celtic board game mentioned in
the Bo Tain Cualgne which uses 24 disks each for 2 players
on a checkered colored board of 8x8 squares. (see also
Taileasg)
Drauidht - A Manx word for druid that refers to enchantment.
(see also Druii)
Druid's Foot - The Celtic term used to denote a pentacle
drawn with a wand of witch hazel on the day and at the hour
of Lugh (Mercury). The drawing defined the space for a 9-
day fast (1 meal of bread and water each day).
Druii [si] / Druid [pl] - The Druii were the men and women of
the Celtic religion who had completed their many years of
training.
Drystone - The construction of a stone structure without the
use of mortar, relying for solidity on the careful
selection and placement of the stones. Neolithic tumuli,
Celtic hillforts and clochan were normally built in
drystone. The Celts were exceptionally fine drystone
masons. (see also Clochan / Corbelling / Hillfort)
Dun / Dunum - Gaelic terms for a fortress.
Dugout Canoe - A boat made by hollowing out a log.
Dyn - A Cornish word for a fortress.
Easc - the name of the new moon in Irish and Manx.
Edbart - An old Irish Gaelic term for sacrifice.
Eior - An aristocratic warrior of the lowlands who travelled
by chariot.
Eirinn / Eriu - Ancient names for the island of Ireland,
preserved in the modern Gaelic name Eire.
Eisteddfod - A Brythonic Welsh name for a meeting-place of
bards.
English Highlands - A line of hill running from Cornwall up
the west side of England. It was the first area settled
because the forest was not as dense on the thin soil.
English Lowlands - The flattish southeastern area of England
which has thick lime soil and was heavily forested in early
times.
Epithet - A descriptive or significant name that emphasizes
an attribute.
Eponym - The person who gives their name to a clan, tribe,
nation, etc.
Faience beads - Beads of various geometric shapes made of
silicate colored blue or green by the addition of copper
salts and highly valued in trade. They were produced in
Egypt and copied by the Mycenaean and Wessex cultures.
Falcata - An extremely effective weapon and probably the best
iron short-sword the Celts ever used. It had a curved
single edge that was heavy at the front for chopping and
was 7"-20" (18-51 cm) long. It was pointed for stabbing
and had a hand guard. It was mostly used by the Celts of
Spain and Portugal, but Ferdiad of Ireland carried a curved
battle-sword called a Falchion Almedinilla.
Fay - An Irish Gaelic word for people of the sidhe who could
perform supernatural deeds. It later became a name for
elves. (see also Sidhe)
Feats (clessa) - English name given to a clessa which was a
well praticed movement of combat, such as the Salmon Leap
or the Edge Feat performed with a shield.
Fenian Cycle - A group of stories revolving around the heroes
Fionn mac Cumhaill and his sons Oscar, Oisin and the Fianna
of Ireland.
Fibula - A clasp with a safety-pin closure used to fasten
cloaks or other garments. The Celts invested great
artistic workmanship in their construction, often
incorporating precious metals and gems into intricate
abstract or zoomorphic designs.
Fidchell (wooden wisdom) / Gwyddbwyll - A board game said to
have been introduced into Ireland by Lugh. It was also
played by Goidel throught their history and Conchobar set
aside ¬ of his day for playing this game. The chieftain
and his 4 warriors defended themselves against the 12
attacking warriors of the Sidhe (Danann). The idea of the
game was to keep the chieftain from reaching the outside
edge of the board. The pieces can move over any number of
unoccupied squares in a straight line. Players are taken
when they are flanked. The chieftain must be surrounded on
4 sides to be captured. Players can only move up and down
or back and forth, no diagnoal moves. (see also Brandubh)
Fidnemed - An Irish word for a sacred grove or a shrine that
was located in the depth of the forest. (see also Nemed)
Fine - An Irish Gaelic word designating a household or
several households.
First Fruit - The first products picked, cut or born were
considered to be sacred and were offered to the deities.
They were then either ceremoniously eaten or sacrificed by
destruction.
Fogou / Souterrain - An underground passageway, sometimes
with rooms, lined with stone and covered with a stone slab
roof. They were built as part of a dwelling, fortress or
village and offered refuge or a way of escape during battle
and a cold storage area during peacetime.
Fulacht Fiadh - The system of heating water for cooking
purposes by placing hot stones into a metal or leather
cauldron, stone or wood trough, or tub filled with water.
Gae Bulga / Gae Bolga - A small dart with hinged barbs on its
head. It was the supreme weapon of Cu Chulainn. Because
many combats were fought at fords and the Gae Bulga was
thrown with the foot from underwater it was a desirable
weapon. When the head went in the the barbs would open,
causing multiple wounds.
Gaelic (English) / Goielic (Irish) / Gaighlig (Scottish) -The
present-day languages spoken by the Irish and Scottish
Celts. It evolved from the language spoken by the Goidel
Celts who came out of the Rhineland around BC 2200. (see
also Q-Celt)
Gaesum / Gesum - The names of the javelin used by the
Gaesatae warriors of the Belgae culture. Many of the heads
were personalized with designs of flames, broad leaves,
long barbs and crimped edges. The heads were either
socketed or tanged heads and some were covered with holes
to reduce the weight. A number of all-iron javelins have
been found and others had wooden shafts with heads on both
ends.
Gaiscedach - A Celtic foot soldier who was armed with a sword
and shield.
Gaita (Span) / Gaita de foles (Port) - Bagpipes, the favorite
instrument of the Celtic northwestern area of the Iberian
peninsula. (see also Bagpipes)
Gallery Grave - A prehistoric grave in the shape of a long
passage with slabs of rock forming the walls and roof.
These graves often have a number of chambers the same
height and width of the passage. Some have engravings on
the stones. (see also Passage Grave).
Gaul - Gaul was an ancient name for the Celtic territory
bounded by its western coastline on the Atlantic, the Rhine
river to the north and east, the Alps in the southeast, and
by the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees mountains to the
south. Gaul consisted of part of present-day Netherlands,
Germany and Switzerland, and all of Belgium, Luxembourg and
France.
Geis [si] / gessa [pl] / geas / geise / geiss / geissi /
gessi - A taboo that prohibits or obliges someone to act or
respond in a particular way.
Geomancy - A Greek word meaning "earth-divination", a system
used to discover the ley of the land. (see also Ley Lines)
Goad - A stick used to urge on horses or other animals.
Gobha - A Scottish Gaelic term for smith. A Gobannium
(smithy) is the place in which they work.
Great Fal (Lia Fail) / The Stone of Knowledge - One of the
four treasures that the Danann brought from Denmark to
Ireland. It was the stone of sovereignty in the shape of a
penis. The Great Fal was accompanied by 3 other stones:
Moel (Maol) to the east, Bluicne to the north, and Blocc to
the south. They bear the same names as Conn's druids.
Blocc and Bluigne were two flagstones that were only a
hand's-width apart but would open to allow a candidate to
enter in a chariot. If the candidate was the right person,
the stone of Fal would screech against the chariot's axle.
Guerrilla warfare (guerilla) - A hit-and-hide method of
warfare used against a better-armed and larger force. It
is also a type of warfare often used by freedom fighters
against an occupying army. Offences are often quick
strategic attacks, made to demoralize and to keep fear
alive in the enemy.
Gundestrup Cauldron - The cauldron is about 14" (35 cm) high
with a diameter of about 27" (70 cm) and a liquid capacity
of around 28 gallons (125 l). There are 5 inner plates and
7 outer plates of gilded silver, weighing around 20 lbs (9
kg). The plates on the inside depict mythical scenes and
the plates on the outside depict deities. It was
constructed by the Scordisci and was sacrificed by the
Cimbri in a lake in Denmark at Raevemose, Jutland around BC
113.
Gutuater [si] / Gutuatri [pl] (Master of voice) - A Brythonic
title for the person who is responsible for a particular
sanctuary.
Gwledig - A Welsh name for the war leader who was put in
temporary charge of the chieftains and warriors from
different tribes.
Gwyddon Ganherbon - The Welsh stone from which the Arts and
Sciences of the world were spoken.
Halberd - A short- or long-handled axe with a dagger blade at
the end of the axe-head so the weapon can be used to jab or
chop.
Harp (clarsach / clarischoe) - The oldest harps were made
from the skull of an animal with its horns or antlers
intact. The horns were strung with brass or cat gut
strings and the skull acted as a sounding box. Harps were
also constructed from the wood of trees that were shaped as
they grew.
Hen - The Brythonic Welsh word for ancient or old.
Henge - A prehistoric monument of stone or wood uprights
constructed in a circular format and surrounded by a ditch
and rampart. It has been suggested that the ditches may
have been filled with water during battle or ceremonies.
Hercynian Forest - A huge ancient forest of Europe. It was
north of the Danube and stretched from the Swiss Alps to
modern-day Russia.
Heroic Cycle / Ulster Cycle - The Irish tales of heroic deed
revolving around the many conflicts between Ulster and
Connacht.
Hy-Breasail / Hy-Brasil / Hi-Brasil / O-Brisal - An ancient
island of the Otherworld named after Bresal Etarlam and
believed to be off the west coast of Ireland. The island
was usually invisible and has in more modern times been
identified with a mirage that appears off the west coast of
Ireland when atmospheric conditions are favorable. The
belief in the existance of Hy-Breasail was so profound that
explorers gave its name to present-day Brazil.
Hibernia - A name given by the Romans to present-day Ireland.
Hillfort - A general name for any defended Celtic settlement
situated on or near the summit of a hill. Hillforts
usually had groupings of stone-walled circular thatched
huts surrounded by defensive walls. The walls were often
solid stone, sometimes timber-laced or rubble-filled and
faced with stone. There were often two or three sets of
walls with staggered entrances and protective earthworks
(ditches and embankments), and the sites were chosen to
take advantage of the natural defences such as cliff-faces.
Cattle would be taken inside the walls in times of danger.
Springs were a common feature, either within or outside the
inner walls. (see also Drystone)
Hoodoo - A natural column formed in sandstone by the result
of wind and water erosion.
Horns - Musical instruments or drinking vessels were made
from the hollow horns of bulls and goats.
Hostage - When individuals or tribes made an agreement,
hostages were exchanged. The hostages were honored guests,
mostly sons and daughters of a chieftain, but their well-
being depended on the agreement being upheld.
Hurley / Hurly / Hurling / Iomain (Gaelic) - An ancient Irish
game of field hockey which may originally have been played
by only two opponents. The game is now played with two
teams of 15 players using sticks to manoeuver a leather
ball through the air or over the ground into the opponents'
nets. (see also Shinty)
Hyperborian - A name used by the Greeks to describe the Celts
of Britain.
Inber - A gaelic word meaning estuary of a river.
Inhumation - The custom of burying an intact body in the
ground or chamber.
Inghean audagha (virgin daughters of the fire) - A sect of
druids who guarded the sacred fires.
Javelin - A Celtic word that means a light spear or dart for
throwing long distances. They often had a 16"-30" (40-75
cm) hazel-wood shaft with a bronze or iron head. The La
Tene javelin was approximately 16"-20" (40-50 cm) in length
with a head shaped like a willow leaf.
Javelin Thrower - A wooden stick, long bone or leather thong
that was used to throw a javelin. The use of a thrower
would send the javelin or dart a greater distance. The
leather thong had an extra advantage of adding spin for
accuracy.
Kemper - A Brythonic Breton word indicating a confluence of
rivers. (see also Cymmer)
Kine / Kye - A Gaelic term used to define a herd of cows.
Knife - A sacred weapon to the Celts as it was the main tool
used for gutting an animal, skinning it, deboning the meat
and eating the meal. The short blade was sharpened on one
or two sides and was also important for in-house fighting.
Lance (lancea) - A light spear with a long slender head. The
etymology of the name suggests "to fling the long thing".
Laighin (Leinster) - A Gaelic name for a warrior whose main
weapon was a spear.
Lembi - A long, narrow fast boat used by coastal Illyrians.
Ley Lines - Alignments of megaliths, cairns and other ancient
sites across large tracts of territory, thought to indicate
ancient trackways and possibly relating to particular
energy currents of the earth. (see also Geomancy)
Lirites - worshippers or devotees to sacred water.
Lloegr / Lloegyr / Loegria - Names given to the part of
England from Cornwall in the south to the Humber River in
the north and including the eastern part of Wales.
Llydaw - The Brythonic name for Brittany.
Llyn - A Brythonic Welsh name for a lake.
Loch - A Scottish term for a lake or inlet of the sea. In
Irish Gaelic it is a lake only.
Lough - An Irish term for an inlet of the sea.
Lunula - A crescent-shaped chest ornament made from gold,
found mostly in Ireland and Cornwall.
Mac / macc / maq / maqq / maqi / maqos - Gaelic words meaning
"descendant of" (male/female).
Magh Mell (Field of Happiness) - The place where the Danann
buried their dead after the battle of Taillcenn with the
Goidels.
Magh Tuireadh {Moy Too-ra} (Plain of Towers) - The First
Battle of Magh Tuireadh was fought between the Danann and
the Firbolg in southern county Mayo (South Moytura). The
Second Battle of Magh Tuireadh was fought between the
Danann and the Fomorii in northern county Sligo.
Magic - The harnessing of supernatural force to produce a
desired effect. The term derives from the Persian magus.
Mantle - A loose sleeveless hooded cloak that covers the head
and shoulders only.
Marrow Bath - The bath was made from the bone marrow of
cattle. A badly-wounded warrior would sometimes soak in it
for a day.
Matriarchal - A clan, tribe or social organization in which
the position of head of the family is passed on through the
females. (see also Patriarchal)
Matron - The first wife in a Gallic marriage.
Maypole - A large tree that was ritually killed and cleaned
of its limbs and bark. Any rough parts were smoothed and
eight ropes were attached to the top of the pole. It was
the focus of fertility rites associated with the sun.
The pole was also used in initiation rites where the
participants dressed in costumes of feathers and attached
themselves to the ropes which they wound up on the pole
then simulated the flight of birds as the ropes unwound.
Megalith - Large ("mega-") stone ("lith") used for building
graves or for being set in a specific place or
configuration, such as menhirs, dolmens and henges.
Megalithic Chamber - A site built from large stones for
burials and religious ceremonies.
Menhir (Longstone) - A single standing stone which marks a
significant spot.
Merin Iodeo "Sea of Iudeu" - The Brythonic name for the Firth
of Forth in Scotland.
Merry Dancers / Perry Dancers - Terms used for the Aurora
Borealis phenomenon. In North America they are called the
Northern Lights.
Metempsychosis - The passing of the soul from one form to
another at death, whether human, animal or inanimate.
Mor - A Gaelic word that signifies "large" or "grand".
Mor - A Brythonic Welsh word for an ocean or a sea.
Morris Dances - Ancient Celtic dances reminiscent of ritual
sword dances, incorporating the hobby horse, the shaman
(Betty), line and circle formations, accompanied by pipes,
fiddle and hoop drum as well as jangly instruments
(sistrums, bells) held or worn by the dancers themselves.
(see also Pauliteiros)
Murchrech - Gaelic term for a unit of measurement used at
sea.
Mysticism - The practice of entering a particular state of
mind with the intention of uniting with a deity in order to
gain insight. This was achieved by putting the conscious
mind to rest and surrendering oneself to the subconscious
or super-subconscious. The ancients used contemplation,
meditation, frenzied dancing or chanting, sometimes
accompanied by hallucinogenic stimulants.
Myth - A story of supernatural beings sometimes based on
facts, but altered to fit into the proper sequences of
events. The stories were also used to explain natural
events and the role of humans in nature and their conduct
in society.
Mythological Cycle - A term used to denote the early period
of invasions in old Ireland.
Necromancy - Predicting the future by communicating with the
dead.
Needfire (Tein-eigen) - A sacred fire lit by rubbing two
pieces of sacred wood together. All the chieftain fires
were lit from a needfire.
Nemed - An old Irish word for sanctuary.
Nemeton - A Brythonic word for a sacred place, grove or
ritual site.
Netherworld - The world of the subconscious.
Nia / Gnia - Gaelic words meaning "sister's son" or
"champion".
Numerology - The use of numbers to divine and influence
future events. (see also Divination)
Nwywre - Term used by the druids to refer to the essence of
life that links the spiritual world to the physical.
Oblation - The rite of making offerrings to the deities.
Obsidian - A glassy black to dark-grey acid lava rock with
occasional green or brown. It is extremely hard and
brittle and was used in the Stone Age to make arrow heads,
spear points and knives. It was also incorporated into
jewelry and because it could take a high shine it was used
to make mirrors.
Ogham - A Gaelic name for ancient alphabets using strokes
grouped in numbers between one and five. It may have been
originally a sign language using the fingers.
Okeano - An island in the Atlantic where women paid homage to
a male fertility god.
Ollamh - The highest order of bard. It could take 12 years
to memorize the required 250 principal stories and 100
secondary stories.
Oppidum [si] / oppida [pl] - A large fortified settlement of
the La Tène period that was usually the center for a tribe.
Oracular incubation - Spending the night beside the ashes of
a sacrifice, practiced by filidhs for divination.
Oral knowledge / Sword of Knowledge / Tongue of Knowledge -
The double-edged sword was the Bronze Age symbol for
knowledge. The opinions of which is the mightier, the
sword (oral) or the pen (written), is an old argument.
Orthostat - A vertical stone column that supports the lintels
of the entrance to an underground megalithic chamber.
Otherworld / Netherworld - Terms used to signify a magical
place where things were different from the normal everyday
world. The terms were also used for territories controlled
by a different culture. Some of these places were referred
to with specific names:
Annwn - Underworld / Hades / western Island / Isle of Man
Caer Loyw - Loyw's fortress
Faylinn - Pond of the Fay
Hy-Breasail - Island of the Dead / Island of the Blessed
Inis na Manannan - Isle of Man
Inis na mBan - Isle of Women
Inis na n-Og - Isle of Youth
Iwerddon - Ireland / Underworld / Western Island / Hades
Llychlyn / Lochlann - Lake of Fish Scales (Scandinavia)
Llyn y Fan - The Lake of Fan
Llyntegid - Lake Tegid
Loch Uath - Uath's Lake
Lochlinners - Lake of Pools
Magh Da Cheo - Plain of Two Mists
Magh nInnis - Plain of Meadows
Magh Mell - Field of Happiness / Plain of Delight /
Pleasant Plain
Plant yr Isddwfn - Children of The Netherworld
Plant Rhi Is-Dwfn - Young Lords of The Netherworld
Tech nDuind / Teach Dhoinn - House of Donn
Tir fo Thuinn - Land Under the Waves
Tir na Fathach - Land of Giants
Tir na Iontas - Land of Wonder
Tir na Mairbh - Land of the Dead
Tir na mBan - Land of Women
Tir na mBeo / Tir Inna Beo - Land of the Living
Tir na nOg {Teer nahn Ock} / Tir na h-Oige - Land of Youth
Tir na Scath - Land of Shadows
Tir na Sorcha - Land of Light
Tir na tSamhraidh - Land of Summer
Tir na Tairngire - Land of Promise
Oxytiocin - A chemical in the womb water which some believe
deletes the memory of previous lives.
P-Celt - The Brythonic Celts spoke a language that like Latin
and Greek went through a change around BC 1200 when the Q
sound was modified to P. The languages of Wales, Cornwall,
Brittany all evolved from P-Celt. (see also Q-Celt)
Pallozas - A Spanish word for Celtic-style circular stone
dwellings with thatched roofs.
Paragon - Model of excellence: a supremely excellent person,
value or thing.
Passage Grave - An earth-covered stone passage with a larger
burial chamber at one end. The Neolithic passage graves
were revered as the home of the gods to the Celts. (see
also Gallery Grave)
Patriarchal - A clan, tribe or social organization where the
leadership passes through the male line. (see also
Matriarchal)
Pauliteiros - Morris dancers from Miranda do Duero in
northern Portugal who perform dances similar to some in
Britain, eastern Europe and Canada.
Pen - A Welsh term used to denote a mountain or a chieftain.
Pentacle - A sacred five-cornered star called a druid's foot.
(see Druid's Foot)
Phalanx - The Battle Line warriors of Gauls and Germans both
used the phalanx formation. The phalanx was formed by
lining up close order ranks one behind the other. The back
ranks used longer spears that would project beyond the
front rank. The phalanx was hard to penetrate whether it
was in use in the offensive or the defensive.
Phallus - The representation of an engorged penis of
supernatural proportions used as a male fertility symbol.
Philabeg (kilt) - Gaelic name meaning the belted plaid.
Pictland - A name used to describe the territory bounded by
the Forth, the Clyde and the Spay until the 10th century.
Plant yr Isddwfn (Children of The Netherworld) / Plant Rhi
Is-Dwfn (Young Lords of The Netherworld) - The Island of
Youth off the coast of Dyfed. The island could be made
invisible except for a small part closest to Dyfed.
Polygamy - The practice of having more than one partner in
marriage.
Potlatch - Term derived from the Nootka "Patshatl" (giving)
used to describe a feast at which lavish gifts were given
by the host to the guests.
Promontory fort - A Celtic defended settlement situated on a
promontory, usually jutting into the sea but sometimes on
the bend of a river. The steep banks going into the water
would protect the fort on three sides, and one or more
walls would be constructed across the fourth, protecting it
from land access. (see also Hillfort)
Prydain / Prydein - Brythonic names for the Picts.
Q-Celt - The term used to denote people who spoke the oldest
Celtic language which was called Goidelic (Irish), Gaighlig
(Scottish) or Gaelic (English) and is the language from
which the modern Irish, Scottish and Manx languages
derived. (see also Gaelic / P-Celt)
Quoits / Koits / Horse Shoes - A field game played with an
upright post and circles of wood, metal or rope of 6"-7"
(15-18 cm) in diameter, or horseshoes. The object of the
game is to throw the hoop or shoe around the post from a
distance. The game can be played by singles or doubles.
Raith / Rath - Gaelic names for a ring-fort. (see Ring-fort)
Rampart - A broad earthen wall used as a defence for a
fortress. (see Hillfort)
Rapier - The weapon was a long thin stabbing sword of the
middle Bronze Age.
Rebirth (reincarnation) - The Celts believed that when the
body died, the soul lived on and was reborn again in
another body. They believed that the soul could be reborn
for instance in the form of an animal, fish, bird, insect,
plant, rock or volcano. (see also Metempsychosis)
Rhain - Brythonic term for a woman of the noble class.
Ri / Righ - A Gaelic name for a chieftain. The term was also
used more loosely to signify the best hunter or the "Ri" of
charioteers.
Ri Ruirech - A Gaelic term for a head chieftain or chief of
chiefs.
Riastarthae - The distorted form taken by a warrior's
body as he or she became overwhelmed by battle fury.
Rigbean - The Gaelic term for a woman of the noble class.
Ring-fort - A small settlement or large farmstead defended by
a wooden palisade banked by earth and usually surrounded by
a ditch. (see also Rath)
Ritual combat - Mock combats fought by Celtic champions
during the funerals of great heroes or chieftains.
Rix - The Brythonic name for the person who was elected to
the position of high chieftain. The Rix could have been
elected by the tribes, chosen by the gods or could have
taken the position by force. Unlike the royal families of
modern times, the position was not hereditary. (see also
Ard Righ)
Runes (Runa) - The alphabet used by the Nordic shamans for
divination, writing messages and preserving information.
(see also Divination)
Samhoklanach (Samildanach) - A Gaelic term for a person who
is a master of all arts.
Satire - A poem created to ridicule a person or situation.
Schematic Art - Forms drawn with a minimal use of line that
would allow the images to be recognized.
Score - A term given to denote a quantity 20, as in a tally
system where every 20th mark was scored into the tally
stick.
Scrying - The use of crystals, liquids or mirrors to enhance
clairvoyance.
Scurvy - A debilitating disease caused by the lack of vitamin
C. The symptoms are swelling gums, loosening teeth and
hemorrhaging under the skin, giving the appearance of early
aging.
Seer - A person who can see into another time or place.
Shaman [M] / Shamanka [F] - The word derives from the hunting
society of the Siberian Tungus people. The Shaman/ka is
the individual who interacts between the hunter and the
hunted. The Shaman/ka also protects the tribe from harm on
both spiritual and physical levels.
Shape-changing - Changing from one form to another, such as
from a human to an eagle, was common in Celtic mythology.
Shillelagh / shillelah (fighting stick) - A walking stick
used by the Irish. It was usually made from blackthorn or
oak and had a knobby end. It regained popularity during
the English occupation of Ireland.
Shield - The shield was mostly a defensive tool used to
deflect the force of a sword, axe, spear, etc. Shields
were made from different materials such as wicker, hide,
wood or bronze or a combination of materials and different
shapes such as round, oval, rectangular, etc. depending on
the type of defence needed.
A small round leather shield was made by first
softening the leather with cow dung, then pressing it
against a mold of concentric rings. The shield could then
be strengthened using a copper or iron boss. This type of
shield was used during sword-play. The battle line soldier
preferred the larger heavier retangular shield that could
be used to push as well as to stop a heavy spear.
Shinty {Shinny} / Camanchd - A Scottish field game played
with 12 players to a team. The players used curved sticks
to manouver a leather ball into a goal (hail) which is 10
ft (3 m) high and 12 ft (3.5 m) wide. The field varies in
size from 100-70 yds (90-65 m) in width to 250-140 yds
(230-130 m) in length.
The game is the forerunner of Canadian ice hockey and
probably came over to the new world with the Scots during
the ethnic cleansing of the Highlands in AD 18th century.
(see also Hurley)
Sidhe {Shee} - The Celtic name for the Neolithic tumuli or
mounds where the Danann retired after they were defeated by
the Gaels. The Danann built their raiths near or on top of
them and buried their most important people in them. The
Goidels considered them to be doors to the Otherworld.
Sinister - The left half of the shield denoted the female of
the family. (see also Dexter / Distaff)
Sling - A weapon made with a leather pouch and a thong at
either end (44"/110 cm) in total length. A finger or wrist
loop held one end to the hand, the other thong was held
with the fingers. The sling was swung around the head and
thrown with a snap. The sling was a very useful weapon and
could be supplied at very little cost. Cu Chulainn used it
very effectively.
Soldurii - The term denotes a group of warriors who pledged
their life to their leader. If he or she died a violent
death, the rest fought to the death as well or committed
suicide.
Sorcier - A French word used to denote a water diviner.
Sortilege - The practice of divining by drawing lots.
Souterrain - see Fogou
Staff [si] / staves [pl] - A long stick that was a symbol of
authority for the male line of a family. It was of a
specific length and was used for measuring, walking and
climbing. (see also Distaff)
Spear - The spear was a heavy version of the lance with a
long wooden handle 9-18 ft (2.7-5.5 m) and with a heavy
head up to 18" (45 cm) long and 6" (15 cm) wide. A short
powerful thrust of the spear could pierce armor or the hide
of a boar. The heads sometimes had a wavy edge for easier
penetration. (see also Lance)
Sporran - A purse worn at the front of the body. It was made
from the pelt of an animal with the head pulled up under a
belt then folded over the opening which leads to the in the
belly of the animal.
Stone of Destiny - A carved stone upon which the leaders were
sworn into position. The origional stone is thought to be
hidden away in Scotland.
Suicide - A Celtic warrior considered taking one's own life
an honorable means to avoid being dominated, or a way to
escape the consequence of a defeat.
Surety - A person responsibe for the good behavior of
another.
Swan Boat - A special curragh built in the shape of a swan
used to ferry the dead to the Otherworld. (see also
Curragh)
Taileasg - A board game that is alternately called draughts
(checkers) and backgammon. (see also Draughts / Checkers)
Tamhlorgaibh fileadh / Taibhli-filidh (filidh staves) /
Tabhall-lorg (tablet staff) / Fleasc filidh (filidh's wand)
/ Tamlorga filidh (trance shin of the filidh) - A headless
square staff made up of thin sticks of birch, yew, alder,
apple, oak etc. and attached at one end so that it could
be opened into a fan. The poets wrote the basic outlines
of stories into the sticks in ogham. The filidh and druids
also used them for record-keeping. The reference to the
shin reinforces the idea that the shin and the nose were
both used as the stem line for two-handed ogham. They were
commonly called ogham wands and sometimes the sticks were
tied into bundles and stored.
Tang - The continuation of the blade of a sword or knife over
which the handle is fitted.
Tarbhfhess (bullfeast) / Tarbfeis - A sacred feast where a
selected filidh would gorge on the flesh of a sacrificed
bull. Sometimes they would soak in the broth or marrow fat
of the animal, or wrap themselves in the animal's hide.
The filidh would then have a prophetic dream to discover a
new Ard Righ.
Teamhair (Tara's Halls) - The abode of the Ard Righ Eirinn
and meeting halls of the people of Ireland.
Tech Screpta - A library at Tara where information and
history were kept written on ogham sticks. A story may
have any number of sticks tied in a bundle.
Patrick was credited with having burned the library of
Tara as well as instigating the burning of caves full of
ogham wands in an attempt to destroy the old religion. This
may have been the reference to driving the snakes out of
Ireland because there never were any real snakes.
Teulv - A Welsh term for one or more households.
Tutelary - Protector deity of the tribe.
Tifinag - A type of alphabet used by the Berbers and Tuaregs
of North Africa which uses only consonants.
Totem - The symbol with which a person, clan or tribe had an
affinity. It might have been a type of bird, animal or
fish and they would have a taboo against killing or eating
that particular species.
Tor Innis - Island of Towers - An island off the coast of
Ireland which was controlled the Fomorii.
Torc - The neck piece worn by Celtic warriors. They were
usually made of gold but some were of copper, bronze and
iron. The word was also used to denote a boar, hero or
chieftain.
Torc fire (Torc Caille) - A large fire to warm a chieftain or
hero. (see also Boarfire)
Transalpine Gaul - A term used in Caesar's time to designate
present-day central France.
Tribe - A number of clans who are kinsmen and have banded
together under one leader.
Trilithon - A type of megalith made from two upright stones
with a horizontal stone on top.
Trimarkisia - The term used for a Gallic horse warriors and
his or her 2 servants.
Tryst - Agreement to meet at a particular time and place.
Tuatha - A Gaelic term for tribe.
Turoe Stone - An ancient boundary marker in Ireland that is
covered in leaf motif patterns.
Uisce Bea Tha (Water of Life) - Irish Gaelic name for
whiskey.
Uisge Beatha (Water of Life) - Scottish Gaelic name for
whiskey.
Umbo (boss) - The round or conical protusion of a shield that
protects the holder's hand and strengthens the shield. They
were made of hardened leather or metal.
Vergobret / Vergobrete / Vergobrate - An elected magistrate
with the executive power of life or death over his or her
people. The position was similar to a chieftain but the
term of office was defined. They sometimes served as war
leaders after their term of office. The term derives from
Vergo, "effective" and breto, "judgment".
Vernemeton - A Celtic term meaning great shrine or special
sacred place.
Vitrified fort - A term used to describe the remains of a
fortress wall made of wood and stone that had been set
ablaze and now has a molten glassy look.
Warrior's Yell - A blood-curdling scream that is loud and
prolonged.
Wagons - A 2-, 4- and sometimes 6-wheeled vehicle used for
hauling goods. The wheels were spoked with metal rims and
the back wheels were usually larger than those on the
front. The wagon was also a part of the burial grave goods
and was used to haul the deceased to the Otherworld along
with his or her possessions.
Welsh - A Saxon word meaning foreigner.
Wether - The term for a castrated male sheep.
Withe - Flexible band of twisted willow or similar pliable
twigs, used for tying up faggots, etc.
Year and a day - The phrase was used by the Celts to signify
forever.
Zoomorphic - In the shape of an animal. Many Celtic
artifacts, from bucket handles to torcs, had zoomorphic
designs incorporated into them.