Druids are in many mystical stories of Prehistoric Britain. The source of the word ‘Druid’’ is not clear, however, the most popular view is that it comes from ‘doire’, which is an Irish-Gaelic word for oak tree (frequently a symbol of knowledge), also meaning ‘wisdom’. Druids were focused on the natural world and its powers, and considered trees to be sacred, specifically the oak.
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Did The Druids Build Stonehenge?
The Druids had nothing to do with the building of Stonehenge. This statement appears in a brand-new illustrated guide Stonehenge and Avebury and Neighbouring Monuments that is published (H.M.S.O., 3ss) by Professor RJC Atkinson, Professor of Archaeology at University College, Cardiff. He says that ever since it was first proposed 300 years ago that stone circles were temples of the Druids temples it has been generally supposed that Stonehenge was built and utilised by the Druids.
Who Were The Druids?
The term ‘druid’ refers to a member of the learned class among the ancient Celts. These people acted as priests, teachers as well as judges.
The earliest-known records of the Druids come from the 3rd century BCE. Their name might have come from a Celtic word that means “knower of the oak tree.” Very little is known for certain regarding the Druids, who kept absolutely no records of their own.
Celebrating The Summer Solstice
Known to Druids as Alban Hefin, the summer solstice is the longest day of the year. Celebrated in the northern hemisphere around 21 June, and around 21 December in the southern hemisphere, it is a time of light, life, and the splendour of nature.
The Druidic Samhain Ritual
The festival of Samhain, or Calan Gaeaf, is a time of honouring the dead and the closing of the year. It is also the time when the veil between the living and the dead is at its thinnest.
Each and every druid celebrates Samhain in his or her own special way, but there is a ritual that tends to be followed by all practicing druids in part, or in its entity.