Celtic Creation Myth?
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- phoenix_rising
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Celtic Creation Myth?
Everyone,
I was wondering if anyone knew of any Celtic creation myth that explains how the worlds, humanity, and life in all its forms were created: along the lines of the Egyptian myth of Atum and Nun. I have read about the Tuatha De Danaan arriving in Ireland and I believe that's the earliest myth chronologically that I've read. It does not matter from where the myth originated so long as it's Celtic. A book or some other hardcopy as a reference would be great to add in your response if you know of one.
Thanks,
Devon
I was wondering if anyone knew of any Celtic creation myth that explains how the worlds, humanity, and life in all its forms were created: along the lines of the Egyptian myth of Atum and Nun. I have read about the Tuatha De Danaan arriving in Ireland and I believe that's the earliest myth chronologically that I've read. It does not matter from where the myth originated so long as it's Celtic. A book or some other hardcopy as a reference would be great to add in your response if you know of one.
Thanks,
Devon
- DJ Droood
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
Peter Berresford Ellis attempts to re-create one in his "Celtic Myths and Legends".

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- Heddwen
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
The best creation myths are based on real life places. so far as the "celts go and bearing in mind that most of us have celtic blood somewhere, you can't beat the Tuatha Danaan or its variations. The Celtic culture (as now thought) travelled through Europe via the Danube known as the deity Don/Danu bringing forth stories myths legends along its waters.
I BELIEVE that these are good sources:
The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles by Dr R Hutton
The White Goddess by Robert Graves, Faber
I BELIEVE that these are good sources:
The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles by Dr R Hutton
The White Goddess by Robert Graves, Faber
- Huathe
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
The only one I know of is the stories in the Book of Invasions. It starts with the re-telling of the Biblical account of creation and then goes with the tellings of successive migrations of the Celts and possibly earlier pre-celtic peoples, ending with the Gaelic conquest of Ireland.
This is all I know of.
Ah, then there is the story of Fintan Mac Bochra. He was born just before the Flood of Noah and lived up until Ireland was being converted to Christianity. That is a time frame of over 5.500 years.
This is all I know of.
Ah, then there is the story of Fintan Mac Bochra. He was born just before the Flood of Noah and lived up until Ireland was being converted to Christianity. That is a time frame of over 5.500 years.
James E Parton
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" We all cry tears, we all bleed red "_Ronnie Dunn
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- Dathi
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
Quick reply, this book is good.
http://www.gothicimage.co.uk/stories.html
Stories that Crafted the Earth
Adrian Beckingham
And you support an excellent cause: http://www.survivalinternational.org/
Dathi
http://www.gothicimage.co.uk/stories.html
Stories that Crafted the Earth
Adrian Beckingham
And you support an excellent cause: http://www.survivalinternational.org/
Dathi




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- DaRC
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
Given the cross-cultural flow between the Celtic and Germanic worlds it would also be worth reading the Voluspa from the Norse Elder Edda in which it describes the creation of the world:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/
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most sweet the sight of the sun;
good is health if one can but keep it,
and to live a life without shame. (Havamal 68)
http://gewessiman.blogspot.co.uk
most sweet the sight of the sun;
good is health if one can but keep it,
and to live a life without shame. (Havamal 68)
http://gewessiman.blogspot.co.uk

- Corwen
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
Sadly though valuable in a poetic sense the White Goddess is far from being a useful source factually and is misleading on occasion.Heddwen wrote: I BELIEVE that these are good sources:
The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles by Dr R Hutton
The White Goddess by Robert Graves, Faber
Regarding Celtic creation myth I agree with the consensus, there is no early source. However Germanic sources might be of interest, as might Greek. I like the Finnish creation myth very much, one version of which you can find in the Kalevala. http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/kveng/kvrune01.htm There is an unfashionable but persistent theory that the Picts were a Finno Ugric people in which case the earliest Finnish mythology may have been quite similar to some Celtic stuff we have lost.
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- Heddwen
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
Thanks for that, I 'm re reading it and can totally see what you mean, Corwen
- Vorador
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
I found an interesting creation myth called Oran Mor.
http://www.druidcircle.org/library/inde ... c_Creation
Though I don't bother much with creation I kinda like this one.
http://www.druidcircle.org/library/inde ... c_Creation
Though I don't bother much with creation I kinda like this one.
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- DaRC
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
There is also this view from Frank Mills - although taken from a Christian perspective it's an interesting read
http://www.christianityceltic.com/pdf/T ... A_Song.pdf
It is similar to Tolkien's creation myth for Middle-Earth described in the Silmarillion chapter 'Ainulindalë'
http://www.christianityceltic.com/pdf/T ... A_Song.pdf
It is similar to Tolkien's creation myth for Middle-Earth described in the Silmarillion chapter 'Ainulindalë'
Most dear is fire to the sons of men,
most sweet the sight of the sun;
good is health if one can but keep it,
and to live a life without shame. (Havamal 68)
http://gewessiman.blogspot.co.uk
most sweet the sight of the sun;
good is health if one can but keep it,
and to live a life without shame. (Havamal 68)
http://gewessiman.blogspot.co.uk

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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
Peter Berresford Ellis attempts to re-create one in his "Celtic Myths and Legends".



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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
A book or some other hardcopy as a reference would be great to add in your response if you know of one.....
- DaRC
- OBOD Ovate
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Re: Celtic Creation Myth?
Most dear is fire to the sons of men,
most sweet the sight of the sun;
good is health if one can but keep it,
and to live a life without shame. (Havamal 68)
http://gewessiman.blogspot.co.uk
most sweet the sight of the sun;
good is health if one can but keep it,
and to live a life without shame. (Havamal 68)
http://gewessiman.blogspot.co.uk
