Animals in Celtic Life and Myth

click here for more details, find new or used items	Miranda Green Our price £23.74 (£24.99) New from £22.16 Used from £24.69 Pages: 140 (Paperback) ISBN: 0415185882 Pub: Routledge Pub date: 1998-03-12 Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 232932

Reader Reviews:

The book is of interest to many different disciplines (4/4 people found this helpful)

Another excellent book from Miranda Green. After reviewing Symbols & Images
in Celtic Religious Art, I was surprised to find that this new book is even
better. Its 240 Plus pages contain a wealth of information on the importance
of animals to the Celts and it is very well illustrated with line art, sketches
and photographs. The author draws together documentary, archaeological and iconographical
sources to paint an image of the Celts way of life and their relationship with
animals. The book is divided into sections dealing with different aspects of
Celtic life. The first three chapters deal with the importance of animals to
the Celtic economy, both domestic animals such as horses and stock. There is
also evidence of deer management and of animals hunted for food. Dietary evidence
shows the Celts enjoyed a rich diversity in their diet including dog meat, although
dogs were primarily kept for hunting. A good portion of the book deals with
animals used in ritual and the link made between the Celts, their animals and
their Gods. We are told that animals were often used as means of foretelling
the future by omens, both through their behaviour and by their entrails after
sacrifice. Examples are given of the use of sacrificed animals as grave goods,
some more important graves having many animals of different species. The final
section of the book deals with the association of animals with the Gods; dogs
with death and the hunt and Epona's bond with the horse. These and other animals
such as birds, bears, boars, bulls and snakes are covered. The book as a whole
is of interest to many different disciplines but reading it as a pagan gives
you a feel for the vital spiritual link between the Celtic people and their
animals.

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