Classical Wisdom Litterae - April 2020

human offerings to their gods; in other c a s e s , t h e y selected members of their community to have this great honor. No age was e x e m p t , w i t h sacrifices as young as three years old. The methods vary as much as the ages. Victims were filled with arrows and burned, others poleaxed, garroted, and thrown into a pool. Still others s u f f e r e d a n a x blow to the head a n d b u r i a l . N o matter the method employed, the deed was never taken l ight ly, as archaeological evidence shows signs of great ceremony and importance. Generally, the custom of sacrifice was carried out by all levels of ancient barbarian society, not just the elites and not just the Druids. Any Celt could make an offering, and most did. The majority of these consisted of household items, such as pottery or the bones of small animals. For human sacrifice, however, there was Dr u i d i nvo l vemen t . I t i s a common misconception that Druids conducted the human sacrifices themselves. In reality, the only requirement in Celtic society was that a druid was present to ensure the offerings were acceptable to the gods and that those conducting the sacrifice followed proper procedures. The “civilized” world of the Greeks and Romans viewed the use of sacrifice in the barbarian world with disdain and ironic d i s g u s t . I r o n i c because the act of animal sacrifice was c o mm o n i n t h e ancient world. Even human sacrifice wa s p r a c t i c ed i n t i m e s o f g r e a t danger, not only by the Celts but also by other, more “civilized” societies. The stigma associated with the Celts and the practice of human sacrifice stems primarily f rom political reasons, for the Greeks and Romans saw these outsiders as a threat to their civilization, culture, and ways of life. It is no wonder, then, that they exaggerated the more shocking aspects of the Celtic culture and singled out the Druids as the focal point of their derision. As times change, so too do customs and the meanings of words. In ancient times, sacrifice was an integral part of a culture and a reflection of their belief system, while for us it is a losing exchange. To get a fuller sense of the lives and customs of our ancient forebears, we need to sacrifice our modern judgment on the altar of contextual understanding. Only then will we be able to see things through their eyes. Irish Gaels, c. 1529 L