Knowing the Celtic Deity Types
The Celtic Deities, or the Celtic gods, were based on different types, dependant on the needs of the area and religion that the god was honored in. Although there were hundreds of gods each having their own specific purpose, the Celtic Deities could be broken down into certain types and archetypes. Those types are the Intra-Tribal Order Divinities, the Inter-Tribal Land Divinities, and the Wheel of the Year. These were the different types, or categories that the gods fell in to.
The first type is the Intra-Tribal Order Divinities. These gods could be the immediate family of the present gods or the ancient spirit of the gods. These types of gods were worshipped inside a person’s home. This type could also be an occupational god. They would be archetypes of occupations and there was always a goddess paired with them to provide the energy for that occupation. They could be worshipped either in a shrine or inside the home. There was also the tribal area god in this group that would protect the region that the god was worshipped in.
The Inter-Tribal Land Divinities were based on the belief of the Celts that the land had much to do with fertility. The gods and goddess within this grouping were often found to be confusing and misunderstanding of the tribe’s values and procedures. However, because they were so important to the land and the Celts were dependent on the land for survival, they continued to observe and honor these gods. The gods and goddesses fell into certain archetypes within this type and the goddesses with the Celtic Ritual Cycle are also part of this type.
The Wheel of the Year was extremely important to the ancient Celtic civilization. Just like our calendar today, the Wheel of the Year dictated when certain things would happen and when events should be recognized. This wheel was based on the agriculture of the area and was followed extremely closely.
The Celtic Deities were not just part of a religion that the ancient Celtic civilization followed. The Deities were extremely important regarding when knowing when storms would come in, and when certain times of year were to be celebrated. There are many different translations for the different gods and goddesses and although this makes them difficult to understand, it’s also a part of what makes studying the Celtic Deities so fascinating.