A History of Witchcraft and Magic in Europe Part 3: The Celtic World

Episode 3 of this series on the history of witchcraft and magic in Europe overlaps with Episode 2 (the Roman world) and Episode 4 (the Viking Age) and explores the evidence for Celtic pagan witchcraft and magic in the Iron Age and early medieval period.

00:00 Intro
00:59 Who are the Celts?
06:54 The Evidence
12:05 Myths and Legends
15:59 Religion and Druids
18:19 Human sacrifice
25:57 Mistletoe
29:21 Shamans
30:27 Voodoo, curses, and art
33:34 Crystal balls?
37:05 Magic cauldrons

Creepy Classics theme music composed and performed by Ed Harrisson ©

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Medieval witch marks:    • Have you heard of medieval witch marks?  

Books and sources cited (some of these include affiliate links; if you buy from these I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you):

Miranda Aldhouse-Green, The Celtic Myths: A Guide to the Ancient Gods and Legends: https://amzn.to/3yeb3PO

Miranda Aldhouse-Green, Enchanted Wales: Myth and Magic in Welsh Storytelling

Chris Gosden, The History of Magic: https://amzn.to/4a7zpbr

Jacqueline Borsje, ‘Celtic Spells and Counterspells’ in Katja Ritari and Alexandra Bergholm (eds), Understanding Celtic Religion: Revisiting the Pagan Past: https://amzn.to/4b0XvWH

Matthew Champion, Medieval Graffiti: The Lost Voice of England’s Churches: https://amzn.to/3Qv3mek

On the Iron Age Llyn Fawr Hoard: https://cynonvalleymuseum.wales/2021/...

On the Gundestrup Cauldron: see https://en.natmus.dk/historical-knowl...

On the grave of King Childeric I: https://hal.science/hal-04060182/docu...

Pliny the Elder, Natural History, on magic: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/t...

Information on the bog bodies was compiled for a lecture I wrote years ago, primarily sourcing information from articles in National Geographic and the British Museum website.

Image credits:

Family tree of Indo-European languages: EnriBrahimaj, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

Map showing the distribution of Celtic languages: QuartierLatin1968, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b..., via Wikimedia Commons

Map showing the modern Celtic nations: QuartierLatin1968, CC BY-SA 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b..., via Wikimedia Commons

Bilingual traffic signs in Brittany: Man vyi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Bilingual traffic sign in Wales: Henry Spooner / Welsh spelling on road sign, Newtown, Powys

Bilingual road sign in Co. Kerry, Ireland: Mucklagh, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

Merlin and Vortigern: British Library MS Cotton Claudius B VII f.224, Geoffrey of Monmouth's Prophetiae Merlini. Unknown illustrator. Per Nigel Morgan Survey, probably London, 1250 or earlier. Style of Matthew Paris, but not him., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Statue of Geoffrey of Monmouth: Colin Cheesman / Geoffrey of Monmouth at Tintern Station

Lleu is transformed into an eagle. Image from "The Mabinogion", trans. Charlotte Guest, 1877, via Wikimedia Commons

Blodeuwedd, Ernest Wallcousins, via Wikipedia

Ceridwen and her cauldron: photo of original print in 1901 book; no copyright, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Culhwch entering King Arthur's court, by Alfred Fredericks, via Wikimedia Commons

Pliny the Elder: Geoffrey, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Lindow Moss: Roger Gittins / Lindow Pete's final resting place - prior to British Museum.

Mistletoe: Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

Druids cutting mistletoe: Julius Caesar Ibbetson, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Druids cutting mistletoe on the 6th day of the moon: Henri-Paul Motte (1846-1922), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Celtic knot: AnonMoos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Celtic cross: RootOfAllLight, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

Peredur, illustration from Charlotte Guest’s translation of the Mabinogion, https://sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab...

The nine maidens of Annwn, The Cauldron of Inspiration: Ernest Wallcousins, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Llyn Fawr: Alan Hughes / Llyn Fawr, via Wikimedia Commons

The Gundestrup cauldron: Falcodigiada, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

Detail from the Gundestrup cauldron showing a cauldron: Chatsam, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/..., via Wikimedia Commons

Other photos author’s own