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marycatelliThe Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy by Ronald Hutton
A long topic
Going back to the Paleolithic and starting with the art and burials. Careful to point out such things as grave goods have many meanings, down to sparing the feelings of the living by putting the objects out of sight. Through the first monumental building in the world, of megalithic tombs, and what if anyone can be gleaned. For instance, in the late tombs, there are beams with female figures, and things put about them in a manner that appears to be sacrifice; a grave goddess?
Periods of which little is known. Perhaps because of invasion, which is overrated as an explanation for goods changing, but perhaps underrated for the period where we know the Middle East was suffering the Late Bronze Age Collapse.
Through the Celtic eras in which the sources are Roman, and so foreign and frequently hostile, or Celtic, and so centuries after the pagan era. The problems of people simply making up stuff for Celtic eras. The river deposits that appear too selective and too frequent to be anything but offerings of goods. The Roman eras and the Anglo-Saxon ones.
Lots of discussions of dead bodies because graves are among the commonest survivals. (Amazing what you can do with a dead body.)
I do note that where I know details about a period, I caught some errors. For instance, stating that Christmas is Sol Invictus, taken over, when in fact we have older dates for Christmas being on December 25th than for Sol Invictus. Also his discussions of Christian activity and why things were done seldom cites Christianity.
Still some interesting stuff.
A long topic
Going back to the Paleolithic and starting with the art and burials. Careful to point out such things as grave goods have many meanings, down to sparing the feelings of the living by putting the objects out of sight. Through the first monumental building in the world, of megalithic tombs, and what if anyone can be gleaned. For instance, in the late tombs, there are beams with female figures, and things put about them in a manner that appears to be sacrifice; a grave goddess?
Periods of which little is known. Perhaps because of invasion, which is overrated as an explanation for goods changing, but perhaps underrated for the period where we know the Middle East was suffering the Late Bronze Age Collapse.
Through the Celtic eras in which the sources are Roman, and so foreign and frequently hostile, or Celtic, and so centuries after the pagan era. The problems of people simply making up stuff for Celtic eras. The river deposits that appear too selective and too frequent to be anything but offerings of goods. The Roman eras and the Anglo-Saxon ones.
Lots of discussions of dead bodies because graves are among the commonest survivals. (Amazing what you can do with a dead body.)
I do note that where I know details about a period, I caught some errors. For instance, stating that Christmas is Sol Invictus, taken over, when in fact we have older dates for Christmas being on December 25th than for Sol Invictus. Also his discussions of Christian activity and why things were done seldom cites Christianity.
Still some interesting stuff.