INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Celtic Goddess, who is one manifestation of the Great Goddess, or White Goddess, who dominated mytho-poetics over a vast region of Europe and Asia for millenia starting before the Neolithic began. When the Indo-Europeans began to emerge from their homeland in southwestern Russia c.4,000 and migrate to both the west and east, their mytho-poetics of the male sky god collided with those of the White Goddess. In many instances, the Great Goddess was mortally wounded and driven underground in dozens of disconnected pieces. The Indo-Europeans were an aggressive nomadic people who had domesticated the horse and were adept at conducting mobile warfare with chariots. This technology allowed them to quickly dominate in many regions; we can side step the debate over the degree of pacifism inherent in Goddess culture. However at the margin of their migrations, particularly in India and the Celtic realms of Europe, a much more complex interaction took place than simple warfare with clear-cut victory and defeat. The Indo-European invaders and the indigenous peoples fused into cultures that were hybrid on many levels from the mytho-poetic to the societal forms and rituals that are given structure by the myths. The White Goddess acquired new power and attributes, most notably in her manifestation as the Mare Goddess (horses were only food animals before the Indo-Europeans). The newly evolved Great Goddess possessed enormous strength which enabled her to resist the onslaught of Christianity for many centuries. The White Goddess was never completely extinguished, although brutalized and maimed almost beyond recognition. By the late Middle Ages fragments of her ritual were preserved in the underground of peasant culture by women who came to be known as `witches'. Sound scholarship has confirmed that they had little conscious knowledge of the ancient mytho-poetics but especially in the realm of healing, they preserved a portion of the timeless ritual. In the second half of this century, Western Culture is experiencing a New Age Movement, part of which is an attempt to rediscover the Goddess as an antedote to the spiritual sterility, chauvanism, aggression and ecological imperialism of the mainstream Christian Church. One of the timeless themes of history is the nostalgia for a `golden age' of the past, when life was simpler and better. In many hands, our contemporary revival of the Goddess begins with this dream then mixes in a little historical knowledge, personal anger and existentialism, and concludes by adding a heavy dose of feminist politics and then stirs well. The result is a `reinvention' of tradition in a fashion that has become typically American and typical of New Age Movements in general. Much of our fantasy literature and role- playing game design draws heavily upon an imagined Celtic realm that bears little relationship to what actually existed; their validity must lie in an assessment of their contribution to the imagination which is often considerable. The problem thus created is enormous and my perception of this problem is a major motivation for an in-depth exploration of the archetypal Goddess, as opposed to the cartoon version available for sale in countless bookstores, retreat centers and weekend workshops. `Reinvention' of the Goddess is hardly necessary and indeed almost laughable in conception. She is, and always will be, there! Our job, if we wish to contact her, is to disover her; she is objectively real. Indeed the best of New Age Movements use the verb `disover' rather than `reinvent.' Putting the Goddess into the clothes of contemporary pyscho-babble and New Age cultism insults her deeply and renders the profound trivial. The timeless truth that mytho-poetics cannot be divorced from context is no mere abstraction. The Goddess and Indo-European mythology, are the products of particular cultures evolving in very specific times and places. Everything nurtures everything else and all input is essential. In order to understand either system, which persisted in a strong and vital condition for millenia, it is necessary to explore the myths and cultures of those times in detail. Only then can an informed judgement be made as to whether some or all of an ancient mytho-poetic might be applicable to our times, and if so, how such application might proceed. This approach recognizes and respects the cultural gulf between the creators of those mythic systems and ourselves. The gap between our society and tribal agriculturalists living in villages, towns and small cities (Goddess culture) or nomadic pastoralists forever on the move for land and adventure (Indo-Europeans) is enormous. To assume, without thinking, that the mytho-poetics of the Goddess can be applied to ourselves is simplistic, to say the least, for there is no similarity in cultural context. My objective in attempting to present an accurate historical record is not to set the stage for a conclusion of irrelevancy; I firmly believe that the Goddess is very relevant to our age. But that relevance will require modification and adaptation and should not be attempted in a vacuum of historical ignorance. If we understand where we were than we can better understand where we are and we thereby respect the Goddess. She won't help you if you do not understand her and cannot respect her. You should also be aware that some of the historical record about ancient ritual documents practices that are extreme, to say the least, and might shock some readers. I have no wish to be offensive, but where the record is clear and potentially of significance it must be presented and discussed. Such is the timeless ethic of commitment to search for what is real. Hopefully, our vision and perspective are thereby broadened and we grow in intellectual knowledge and spiritual insight. First, a word about what is contained in this book. This is not research that summarizes the archeology and history of the Celts. Many good books are available on those subjects and there are several recommendation below and extensive references in the complete registered version of The Great Goddess in Celtic and Germanic Realsm. This data base relies upon epic tales from medieval Ireland and Wales in which the Goddess plays a central role. Much interpretative nonsense has appeared in recent years that deals with these tales and separating the wheat from the chaff is not easy. To begin with, the researcher must exercise considerable self-discipline not to filter the analyis through the trendy nonsense of the worst of New Age goddess re-invention fantasies. Our job here is to see what is truly there, no more and no less, and leave the application to our times for another day. Hard harded archeologists scoff at using these narratives for a serious reconstruction of goddess mytho-poetics and ritual. The data certainly does not meet the requirements for `hard'; it is not an archeological object which has an objective physical existence; size, weight, surface contours etc. are often not subjected to varying interpretation because they are largely quantifiable. Nonetheless, there is a goldmine of valuable information in these epics, if one has done one's homework in the surrounding context of Celtic and Indo-European history and the religion and ritual of the Neolithic goddess of Old Europe (cf. Gimbutas 1989). Filtered through this interpretative structure, one can extract the metaphors, philosophy and ritual of the Celtic goddess without indulging in flights of irrelevant fantasy. Furthermore, these are the only written epics about the Goddess that exist outside of India. Granted the Celtic epics are not `pure' in the sense of pre-Christian but removing the Christian influence to uncover the goddess is not too difficult. An analysis of the Christian overlay allows us to chronicle the death of the Goddess. What is unveiled is extraordinary and a `window' into the distant pre-Christian past that has enormous interest and potentially great relevance for out times. This text relies heavily upon two studies which are unusual for their depth and clarity; O'Flaherty (1980) and Doan (1987). The latter is almost unique in the manner in which it explores the texts of the epics in great detail and brings to life the flesh and blood goddess with all of her personality and multiple manifestations. In these epics, the goddess is alive and vital and certainly not a mere intellectual reconstruction. Unfortunately, Doan (1987) is an `in house' manuscript that is virtually unavailable to the general public. It was `published' in one of the most restricted forms imagineable, that of a university departmental monograph. I have chosen to share this valuable study with a much larger readership; it is unique in its clarity, rigor and discipline. I hope your interest is awakened and you will provide yourself with a very special reading experience that might, depending upon your life, lead into realms that go beyond the `mere' study of religious history. REFERENCES Doan, J. 1987. "Women and Goddesses in Early Celtic History, Myth and Legend." Working Papers in Irish Studies No. 87-4/5. Boston: Northeastern Univ. Gimbutas, M. 1989. The Language of the Goddess. New York: Harper & Row. O'Flaherty, W.D. 1980. Women, Androgynes and Other Mythical Beasts. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago. Celtic History: Bibliography Condren, M. 1989. The Serpent and the Goddess. New York: Harper & Row. Green, M. 1986. The Gods of the Celts. Totowa, N.J.: Barnes and Noble. Herm. G. 1976. The Celts. New York: St. Martin's Press. Hubert, H. 1987. The Rise of the Celts. London: Constable & Co. Hubert, H. 1987. The Greatness and Decline of the Celts. London: Constable & Co. Markale, J. 1986. Women of the Celts. Rochester, Vt.: Inner Traditions Int. Ltd. Megaw, R. and V. 1989. Celtic Art. New York: Thames and Hudson. Powell, T.G.E. 1958. The Celts. New York: Frederick A. Praeger. Rankin, H.D. 1987. Celts and the Classical World. London: Croom Helm. Rees, A. and B. 1961. Celtic Tradition. New York: Thames and Hudson. Ross, A. 1986. The Pagan Celts. Tototwa, N.J.: Barnes and Noble. Ross, A. and M. Cyprien. 1985. A Traveller's Guide to Celtic Britian. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴캠 � CELTIC MYTHO-POETICS � � IN BRITISH ISLES � 突袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴暠 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � Hunter-Gatherer � � Shamanism-Goddess � � < 10,000 B.C. � 突袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴� 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � � Neolithic Goddess � 쳐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� Agriculturalists � � � Megalith Builders � � � > 4,000 B.C. � 旼컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴캠 突袴袴袴錮袴袴袴袴袴� � Hunter-Gatherers � � � Extinct c.3,000 B.C. � 旼컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴� 突袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴暠 � Solar Observatories � � 3300 B.C. - 1500 B.C. � 突袴袴袴袴錮袴袴袴袴袴袴� � 旼컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴� 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � Lunar Observatories � � Indo-Europeans � � 2700 B.C. - 1650 B.C. 봬컴컴컴컴� Arrive � 突袴袴袴袴錮袴袴袴袴袴袴� � Sky-Thunder God � � � c.2500 B.C. � 旼컴컴컴컴좔컴컴컴컴컴� 突袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴� � Ancestor Cults � � � Extinct c.2500 B.C. � � 突袴袴袴袴佶袴袴袴袴袴� � � � 旼컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴캠 � � Megalithic Calculators � � � 2250 B.C. - 1200 B.C. � � 突袴袴袴袴錮袴袴袴袴袴袴暠 � � � 旼컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴� � � Megalithic Culture � � � Extinct c.1100 B.C. � � 突袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴� � 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴좔컴컴캠 � Intensive Celtic � � Immigration � � Beltane, Lugh, Goddess � � 500 B.C. - 400 B.C. � 突袴袴袴袴袴佶袴袴袴袴袴暠 � 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴컴캠 � Romans Invade � 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� � 55 B.C. - 43 A.D. � � British Isles Christianized � � Conquer all by 90 A.D. � � 580 A.D. - 696 A.D. � � Evacuate 383 A.D. - 430 A.D. � 突袴袴袴袴袴袴佶袴袴袴袴袴袴袴� 突袴袴袴袴袴袴錮袴袴袴袴袴袴袴暠 旼컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴캠 旼컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴� � Ireland � � King Arthur � � Imran Bran, Echtrae Conli � � b.?475, d.?515 ?542 � � Book of Druim Snechta c.800 A.D. � 突袴袴袴袴錮袴袴袴袴袴� 突袴袴袴袴袴袴袴錮袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴暠 旼컴컴컴좔컴컴캠 旼컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴캠 � Merlin Alive � � Wales � � 573 A.D. � � Mabinogi c.1200 A.D. � 突袴袴袴佶袴袴暠 突袴袴袴袴錮袴袴袴袴袴暠 � 旼컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴캠 旼컴컴컴컴컴컨컴컴컴컴컴컴캠 � Celtic Christianity � � IRELAND � � Catholic Ireland � � LAST MARE GODDESS RITUAL � � Protestant, Anglican � � 1185 A.D. � 突袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴暠 突袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴袴暠 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS To enjoy the reports in the archive CELT12.ZIP simply unarchive the ZIP file to a directory of your choice. There are two executable files in the archive plus readme.1st which is an ASCII text file. The executables are self running 'electronic books'. Enter the file name at the command line as you would with any DOS program and press . The opening screen of the 'book' will appear with menu items for you to select with the keyboard. These menu items correspond to chapter or section headings within the document. By selecting one, you will jump immediately to that section. If you wish to read the document from the beginning to the end without interruption, select the first menu item and proceed. Moving throughout the 'book' is intuitive using the arrow, page, home and end keys. Read the top and bottom menu bars for 'hot keys' which allow you to save and print sections or the entire 'book' and perform other functions. If you have the Microscoft Word for Windows version, decompress the files to your WinWord directory itself. Files may be opened and read as you would any text or doc file. The same procedure should be followed for the version which is a package of ASCII text files. Copyright Stuff This material is protected by U.S. copyright laws and may not be reproduced in any media without express written permission of the author. In the past, I have given such permission when classes or study groups have wished to provide printouts of selected material for study and discussion. You may freely distribute the shareware archive of this project (CELT12.ZIP) as you wish; I urge and encourage you to do so. Please do not distribute in any manner the registered version of CELT12. You may not alter in any manner the documents in either the shareware or registered versions of CELT12. To do so would violate the integrity of the work and would be a serious abrogation of copyright law. If you wish to make notes of ideas and thoughts that occur to you as you read, please do so on a printed copy as margin notes or in a separate computer file of your own creation. How to Reference If you wish to refer to material in CELT12 in a work of your own, you must honor professional procedures and reference appropriately. Failure to do so is plagarism which is a serious matter and is covered by copyright law. Please note that where I directly quote you should reference the original source, not CELT12. An electronic book such as this should be referenced as follows: Blumenberg. B. 1993. THE WHITE GODDESS IN EIRE, BRITAIN, WALES AND GAUL. Waldoboro, ME: Reality Software (book on disk). File List This shareware archive of THE WHITE GODDESS IN EIRE, BRITAIN, WALES AND GAUL BigText version, contains three files: readme.1st, cltint12.exe, celt12sh.exe. The file celt12sh.exe is a preview of the book about THE WHITE GODDESS IN EIRE, BRITAIN, WALES AND GAUL. You are now reading a section of cltint12.exe, a package of introductory and explanatory text files along with registration materials. 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Available with the new superb document viewing interface you are now using. The data entry for an update to TimeLine, our historical timeline 10,000 B.C. to 900 A.D. has just been completed. Much rewriting and additional significant new material has been incorported, particularly for Asia. A version will be available which makes use of Replica for Windows, a breathrough product for viewing documents which allows the user to bypass specific Windows applications. Reality Software is in the midst of negotiating for a commercial license for Replica in order to utilize this new, innovative document viewing system for Windows. If all goes as planned, each of our forthcoming releases will be available in a very attractive, highly designed version for Windows that will not require the user to own any particular Windows word processor or text editor. We are very excited about this development! RELEASES SCHEDULED FOR 1994 A major study of celtic druids, their lives, training and sacred lore is nearing completion. This study is exhaustive and definitive and true to the historical record. Important material is drawn from the work of older historians who had access to private manuscript collections in monasteries and bardic families. Finally - we hope - the full blown TimeLine will make its debut. This product will jump several version numbers: if MicroSoft can do that why can't we? This TimeLine will make full use of Window's OLE capability and will include hundreds of embedded documents which add enormous depth to important line items in the history of religion. Truly a breakthrough product in humanities software and a reference which will last a lifetime!! Watch for it sometime late in 1994. REGISTRATION The time and effort that went into this research was considerable, as you may have sensed. 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My E-mail addresses are: on the Internet at benb12@aol.com; at America on Line - benb12; and at Compuserve - 71044,1645. CATALOG: REALITY SOFTWARE October 30, 1993 Here is a listing of books on disk in the history of religion series currently available from Reality Software. The price differences between books reflect both their length and the research effort necessary to complete the project. The least expensive contain one or more documents whose length is less than 25 pages while the more costly contain one or more reports in excess of 75 pages for the longest documents in the package which are exceptionally deep; such estimates vary with printer and print setup of course. We offer a money back guarantee: if you do not find a book captivating and interesting, return your disk(s) for a full, no questions asked, refund. 1) Reality Software publishes an exceptional HISTORICAL TIMELINE for the period 12,000 B.C. to 900 A.D. which emphasizes the history of religion. Literally hundreds of line items. A typical printout would be three pages across and 18 pages deep. 2) THE WHITE GODDESS IN NEOLITHIC OLD EUROPE is an in-depth study of the archeology, artifacts, iconography and ritual of the Goddess religion of Neolithic Europe. The material is based extensively on the breakthrough work of Marija Gimbutas with several provocative new hypotheses presented which are drawn from realms as diverse as evolutionary biology and the marine zoology of megafuna in the dark abyss of the deep ocean. 3) A study of the GREAT GODDESS IN CHINA AND JAPAN has been finished. Information is drawn from several sources which include the iconography of Chou Dynasty bronzes, Manchu shamanism, a new reading of early Tao texts and Ainu ritual. 4) Our latest publication explores the ORIGINS OF MYTHOLOGY with hunter/gatherers in the Upper Paleolithic and Indians in the Amazon. Available with a new, state of the art document viewing interface for DOS (BigText). Have you ever wondered how it all began? 5) Our book on disk about THE GREAT GODDESS IN INDIA AND TIBET has just been revised. The new version also incorporates this new, state-of-art document viewing interface for DOS (BigText). This study has exceptional depth, particularly in the discussions of tantra, the sacred horse ritual, the saga of the doomsday Mare, the appearance and then near demise of the goddess in ancient India and Tara - the White and Green Goddess of Tibet. To order, simply fill our this form and mail to: _____________________________________________________________________ REALITY SOFTWARE, P.O. BOX 105, WALDOBORO, ME 04572. 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