Marie-Louise Sjoestedt's 1940 classic "Celtic Gods and Heroes" (2000 English language edition) is a must read for every student of pre medieval western European folklore, religion, and mythology. This brief study (only 95 pages) concludes with a thorough 4-page bibliography and precision 4-page index.
Sjoestedt's central point with this original study is that students should not project contemporary understandings on ancient narrative. Indeed, much of her work simply wants to report on the pre Roman Celtic cultures of Ireland, Britain, and Gaul.
Early on admitting that Celtic sources are few Professor Sjoestedt reviews Celtic primary source narratives. She adeptly proves that Irish, British and Gallic gods and heroes found their origins in tribal life.
These primordial beings were born, fought epic battles, gave birth, caroused in huge banquets, founded kingly dynasties, and died from intrigue and war. Unlike immortal Greco-roman deities the Celtic divine ones were never their counter-parts. The Celtic pantheon maintained warrior gods and goddesses who could also double as fertility and agrarian divines.
For war the Celts had, at least, 59 different tribal deities, a fact that seemed to confuse the conquering Romans (who gave the name "Mars" to each Gallic war-god). Rome's Mercury had 19 such Gallic synonymous monikers. Sjoestedt finds, curiously, the Celts had no specific love god or goddess.
Perhaps most interesting is Celtic divinity's fascinating with "threes". The Gauls worshiped three great gods. Early Irish believed in six (apparently a profound derivative of three) ancient races prior to the current population. Three principal festivals (spring, fall, and winter) blanket other lesser annual celebrations. Their threes fixation made early Trinitarian Christian missionaries more acceptable among the Celts.
Sjoestedt is impressive and informative. She is recommended to students of European pre-history, connoisseurs of mythological studies, and Celtic aficionados.
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