Druids and divination, curses and charms: the Celtic world was filled with magic and intrigue, but how and why did people practice magic? This guide travels through Celtic-speaking regions to explore the different ways people interacted with magic. Some sought aid through deities and dedications, while others used spells and curse tablets to wish ill on their enemies. With the medieval period, magic collided with popular religion, saints overtook the old gods, and witches, shape-shifters, and spirit battles became but tropes of medieval literature.
Author Brigid Ehrmantraut delves into gods and practices that shaped the lives of Celts through antiquity. She writes of forgotten gods like Cernunnos and Esus, immortalized on the Pillar of the Boatmen in Paris, and explores the sanctuary of Sequana, goddess of healing at the Seine’s source. But magic wasn’t always benevolent; curses like those etched on the famous Larzac tablet, expose a darker side to magic practitioners. While Classical accounts of magic offer tantalizing glimpses into lurid rituals and wild druids, their accounts blur fact and fiction.
This journey through the Celtic world sweeps into medieval Wales and Ireland, touching on Scotland and Brittany in the process. Protective prayers, such as St. Patrick’s loricae, and miraculous tales from saints' lives reveal the interplay of magic and religion. The power of star signs and medicinal charms connect Celtic practices to broader medieval traditions. Celtic Magic also includes tips and tricks for personal practice, including creating curses, dedicating religious offerings to the gods, and a medieval Welsh hangover cure.
