ABSTRACT

The word Druid comes from a Celtic word for oak, a tree featured in Celtic religious observance; oak groves often functioned as Celtic holy places. Because of their long training and the importance of their contributions, Druids occupied a privileged place in Celtic society. For example, they were not required to serve in the military or pay taxes. Druids advised kings and often served as ambassadors to settle disputes between families or tribes. Along with bards and seers, Druids preserved the unwritten lore surrounding astronomy, techniques of divination, and tribal history and traditions. They performed the major rituals of Celtic religious practice and were consulted as prophets who could divine the will of the gods through omens that manifested in natural patterns or through animal sacrifice. Roman historians attest that the Druids sometimes presided over human sacrifices.