Celtic Origins


by Lisa Anderson - Date: 2006-12-11 - Word Count: 302 Share This!


Celtic origins are truly unknown. There is language and linguistic evidence that the people known as Celt were originally found in what is now modern-day Spain and Portugal. DNA studies, insofar as they are available, support the concept. The term Celt or Celtic appears in use in Roman writings such as Julius Caesar's Gallic Wars, which indicates the term was in usage at the time of Caesar.

In actuality, although there were up to eight people groups speaking a Celtic language at the time of Stonehenge, the confusion, sometimes deliberate between the roles of the Stonehenge builders, the Celts and the Druids has created a blurring of characteristics of the three groups.

The finding of a grave containing skeletons of a family almost certainly involved in the building of Stonehenge, excited scientists, anthropologists and archaeologists alike. The DNA testing revealed a connection between this family and the area where the famous bluestones originated.

The Celtic peoples came later and probably were assimilated by the local people around Stonehenge, rather than conquering and overthrowing the natives. The Celts made worship at Stonehenge part of their religion as well.

Things Celtic were rather in obscurity for many years, until the Irish and Scotch needed more of a national identity to distinguish them from the conquering English. Suddenly Celtic rings, clothing, names, characteristics and art were very much in demand. To be Celtic was important-people conducted name searches, grasping at any chance of Celtic origins,

At Stonehenge, meanwhile, no less than five groups, each calling themselves Druids, and claiming to be descended from the ancient builders of Stonehenge flourished. Several of the groups were styled after Masonic Lodges. All but one has died out. Since 1975, there has been a neo-pagan Secular Order of Druids which has been in charge of the annual midsummer solstice celebrations at the ancient site.


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