Resources on ancient Celtic relationships and sexuality?

[ravenferret]

Not really with any spiritual purpose, more of a personal interest that popped into my head yesterday...

Does anyone know of any good, accurate resources that describe how the ancient Celts viewed relationships, marriage, sexuality...things like that? Obscure book recommendations welcome too; I can probably find most academic books at the university library here or through their interlibrary loan system. But I'm open to websites, particular myths that would give examples, etc.

Thanks!

[Jembru]

Re: Resources on ancient Celtic relationships and sexuality?

Have you had any luck? The problem is that ACCURATE anything is hard to come by when talking about beliefs. I have been trying to research two local Brythonic deities but there is very little information. Most of what we do think we know, came from Roman reports and the Romans probably had no interest in being accurate in their accounts. I've tried books on druidry and druidism, books by historians and a fair few by people calling themselves wiccan and making all kinds of claims from those clearly plucked from their imagination, to those extrapolated from research with a genuine attempt at accurate recreation.

The only book that really addresses sex, is based on Anderson Feri and I would take the 'myths' with a pinch of salt as the author even boasts that she is a bard and so has free reign to alter the tales as she pleases. Still, if you are desperate for ANYTHING, then the book is Be A Goddess: A Guide to Magical Celtic Spells for Self-Healing, Prosperity and Great Sex by Francesca de Grandis. The book is nothing like the title implies and isn't even a spellbook. She is one very strange lady but it is this oddness that makes her worth reading. Historical and even contemporary accuracy has all been thrown out the window though, although she frequently claims her theology is what the 'ancient celts' (ALL of them?), believed and there is a whole chapter on the sacredness of sex (which from her explanation, appears to have been taken from wicca rather than anything ancient or celtic).

Sorry this is the best I could offer. Just clutching at straws as no one else has been able to offer any advice either. Good luck and if you DO happen to find something fairly decent, please share. I'd be very interested to learn more too.

[ravenferret]

Re: Resources on ancient Celtic relationships and sexuality?

Hey Jembru! Thanks for your response. Yeah, I know...those crazy Celts and their oral traditions. If they'd just written stuff down my thriving curiosity about well...everything...would be much more satisfied, haha. I think I'm going to have to go old school on this one...take a trip to the uni library, find ANYTHING written about ancient Celtic societies, and then hope something pops out of the index in the back that might lead me to something worth reading, haha. Might be fun though. I don't think I've gone into hardcore research mode since high school!

[Gobae]

Re: Resources on ancient Celtic relationships and sexuality?

As far as Celtic marriage traditions go, that's pretty easy; the Brehon laws cover the rights and responsibilities of marriage partners as well as the social structure of the family. That said, you should be aware that they are Irish in origin and finally written down sometime in around 400-600CE. So while they apply to late era Irish Celts, they needn't be considered universal for all Celts in all time periods.