Sexual Rituals in Ancient Celtic Culture.
The ancient Celts were an Indo-European people living in Europe even before the Common Era. When I hear the word “Celts,” I immediately associate them with the Gauls from the movie “Asterix and Obelix.” Yes, the ancient Celts were similar to those characters. In what festivals could the Celts engage in sexual rituals? What were these rituals? And what did they symbolize? I will answer these questions in this article.
The ancient Celts had two festivals associated with sexual rituals: Beltane and Samhain.
Chapter 1: The First Day of Summer.
Beltane is one of the most important Celtic festivals, celebrated on May 1, marking the arrival of summer. It was associated with fertility, prosperity, and renewal. Its name comes from the phrase “Fires of Belenus” (Belenus was one of the Celtic gods associated with the sun and light). Symbolic sacrifices were made to him by the Druids, the Celtic priests. It was believed that during the festival, Belenus could be seen descending to earth.
Figure 1 – Belenus (Bel or Belen) – the Celtic god of the sun and light.
During Beltane, the following rituals were performed:
Green Ceremony: One of the possible customs of Beltane was the conclusion of temporary ritual unions, sometimes called “green weddings.” These unions between young men and women could last for one day or one night and had symbolic significance. The goal of these rituals was to enhance the fertility of the land and strengthen communal ties. These acts were not necessarily marital but could include symbolic (or real) sexual acts to represent the union of a god and goddess, the fertility of the land, and the continuation of the community.
Night Wanderings: In some interpretations of the festival, it is said that the youth would go out into the forest at night in search of partners for wandering and games. These encounters could include sexual acts as part of the fertility ritual. Such a ritual was a symbol of the union between earth and sky, which was believed to ensure fertility and a good harvest.
Dances around the Phallic Symbol: The Maypole, which was decorated and danced around, is often interpreted as a phallic symbol. Dances around the Maypole symbolized the act of fertilizing the land, where the pole represented the masculine principle, and the ribbons and flowers represented the feminine. These dances were also accompanied by playful and flirtatious actions between participants, which also had ritual significance.
Jumping over Fires: Lighting large bonfires was a central part of Beltane. People would jump over the fire to purify themselves and ensure fertility. In some cases, couples would jump over the fire together, symbolizing their ritual union.
Offering Gifts to Fertility Deities: During Beltane, people also worshipped gods and goddesses associated with fertility, such as Danu, the mother goddess of earth and fertility. In some places, symbolic gifts related to sexuality and fertility were offered, and rituals were performed to ensure the continuation of the community.
As we can see, the ancient Celts combined the pleasant with the useful, but they did not only hold such rituals in the spring.
Figure 2 – Beltane Festival
Figure 3 – The Maypole Figure 4 – Danu – Goddess of Fertility and the Earth
Chapter 2: The First Day of Winter
Samhain was another important Celtic festival that marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter (October 31 – November 1). This holiday had deep ties to the world of spirits, as it was believed that during this time, the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead was especially thin. Samhain was a time to honor ancestors and prepare for the harsh winter period. Although Samhain was primarily associated with death and communication with spirits, some ritual actions related to sexuality and fertility may have also taken place. This holiday has survived to the present day under the more commonly known name Halloween.
During the celebration of Samhain, similar rituals were performed:
Symbolic Union: In some interpretations of Samhain rituals, it is suggested that symbolic unions could take place during this time to ensure the continuation of the lineage. This could be associated with the need to prepare for the winter period and the survival of the tribe.
Ritual Acts for Fertility: Although Samhain marked the end of the harvest season, the issue of fertility remained important. Ritual acts aimed at ensuring fertility for the next year could include sexual elements. These could be symbolic or real acts, associated with preparing for the winter period.
Sacrifices and Unions: In some traditions, animal sacrifices (and sometimes symbolic human sacrifices) could be accompanied by ritual sexual acts designed to ensure fertility and protect against evil spirits during the winter months.
Ritual Games and Feasts: In some regions, ritual feasts were held, accompanied by masquerades, drunkenness, and symbolic sexual acts aimed at bringing good fortune and prosperity during the winter period.
In some cases, priests and priestesses would engage in public sexual intercourse, representing the gods and thus ensuring the fertility of the land. If there were no priests, regular tribe members, sometimes even leaders, would take their place, regardless of marital status. Representing the gods, they would cease to be themselves, and in this context, even unions between brothers and sisters were allowed. There was also the tradition of a naked girl (sometimes a priestess, but not necessarily) riding a horse across a plowed field to ensure a good harvest.
Figures 5 and 6 – Samhain Festival
Many people know that in Celtic societies, Druids were the keepers of knowledge and traditions, often shrouded in mystery and revered as a special caste. Their rituals could be closed and sacred for the chosen ones. The Sanctum club also presents itself as a closed, elite society that can only be entered by special invitation. Like ancient cults, participation in its events is limited to the “chosen ones,” creating an atmosphere of exclusivity and mysticism. The founder of this club was Damon Lawner. We tell his story, as well as that of his second club, Elysian House, in our film of the same name.
Chapter 3: Sexual Rituals for All Occasions
In addition to festivals such as Beltane and Samhain, ritual sexual acts and, possibly, orgies could also take place in other contexts related to religious, social, and cultural practices. Here are a few instances where such rituals might have occurred:
Dedication to Priests or Priestesses: In some cases, sexual rituals could be part of the ceremonies of becoming a priest or priestess. These rituals could include symbolic or real sexual acts to represent a union with the deity or acceptance of a new status. Such rites could symbolize sacrifice and the renewal of life force.
Rites of Passage and Maturity: Rituals associated with transitioning to a new stage in life, such as coming of age or marriage, could include ritual sexual acts. These acts could symbolize the transition from childhood to adulthood, taking responsibility for continuing the lineage, and participating in community life.
Unions Between Tribes: Ritual sexual acts could also take place during the formation of alliances between tribes or leaders. These acts could symbolize the unification of forces or the fertility of a new alliance. In some cases, marital unions between representatives of different tribes could be accompanied by symbolic or real sexual rituals confirming the alliance.
Rituals During Wars or Battle Preparation: Sexual rituals could also occur in the context of preparations for wars or battles. These rituals were aimed at ensuring victory and protection for the tribe. In some cultures, it was believed that sexual acts could awaken the forces of nature and gods, who would grant protection in battle.
Rituals in Sacred Groves or Mounds: Many Celtic rituals took place in sacred groves or on mounds, which were considered places of power and connection with deities. In such places, ritual sexual acts could be performed in honor of the gods or spirits to strengthen the connection with nature and the deities and ensure the tribe’s well-being.
In conclusion, I would like to say that Celtic culture was largely oral, and many aspects of their customs were not documented. Much of the information about Celtic sexual rituals is based on interpretations of archaeological findings and indirect references in Roman sources. However, Celtic culture has left an indelible mark, for example, in popular culture. Movies, TV series, music, and even books show the diversity of the Celtic heritage. Since the 18th century, Celtic culture has been slowly revived, and some Celtic elements have been preserved in the cultures and languages of the peoples of Britain and Ireland to this day.
- Is it true that most ritual sexual acts occurred during festivals? Yes.
- Is it true that the sexual rituals of the ancient Celts were tied to their belief in gods? Yes, these were not ordinary sexual acts. The Celts believed that after such ritual sexual acts, their gods would send them, for example, a good harvest or protection in battle.
- Is it true that the main symbols in rituals were sexuality and fertility? Yes, these rituals were primarily aimed at ensuring the fertility of the land, livestock, and people, as Celtic culture was agrarian and depended on natural cycles.
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