Celts believed that there was life after death, and they worshiped nature spirits. They worshiped springs, and even sacrificed their weapons. The Celtic calendar had thirteen months and an extra day added to the new year. In this time period, day began after sunset and night began with the arrival of darkness. Worries were heightened by the sun's weakening strength in winter. Early man started to make winter fires to help the sun travel.
Celts believed there was life after death
Celtic belief in life after death was based on belief that the soul is still alive in the next universe. Some believe the soul returns to the figure of the ancestral ancestor. Similar to the belief in the Romans living underworld, this belief is also common. However, Lucan used the word orbis to refer to an alternate world. But it isn't clear if these ideas were based on fiction or facts.
Early Celts also believed in a life after death. However, they believed in very little in terms of ethics. They did not understand the concept of punishing the gods. Romans discovered that at least 69 gods were responsible in war, which was a significant number. This suggests that some people would prefer a second life.
They worshipped nature spirits
Celtic people revered nature spirits, particularly those that were associated with fertility. They valued the ability to grow crops year after years and the health of their cattle and sheep. Their belief in nature spirits was reflected by their religion. Many Celtic gods or goddesses were shaped as animals. Their gods were incarnated by the elements, and they brought protection and luck to the Celts.
Trees were also important to Celtic religion. The Celtics held groves sacred, and there are evidences of trees being worshipped in parts of Ireland. Some places have been named after trees such as Derry, which means "oak-tree") or Kildare (Cill Dara), which comes from a Celtic word that means oak tree.
They gave up weapons
One of most striking and peculiar features of Celtic religions is the fact they sacrificed their weapons. Nearly 150 examples are found in archeological sites across the globe. These weapons were made of bronze and were often sacrificed to gods. These temples were destroyed during the Roman occupation in 124 BCE. They are still not extinct.
The Celts worshipped many gods and goddesses, and were polytheistic. Some were only known in a certain area, while others were widely recognized. The gods also favored those who would give up their lives. Some were more powerful than others such as Lugus, the sun-representative goddess. Other goddesses were associated to rivers and healing springs. Some were also connected to horses.
They believed in springs
The Celts had a complex belief system. They believed all living things had sentience or spirit. They saw the world in a multilayered, fascinating, and sometimes deadly theatre where both humans and animals lived and died. Scholars often contradicted their beliefs, so it's important for you to understand what they meant.
Celts were closely connected to the natural world, and they often saw omens within animal behavior. They admired the beauty and virility that animals had and were open to a connection with their spirits. They loved horses and stags because of their beauty, speed, endurance, and speed. They loved dogs because of their keen senses of smell.
They worshipped effigies
Celts worshiped effigies to express their devotion to the gods. Some made large figures from sticks and filled them up with live men. Other Celts set these effigies on fire to offer tribute to the gods. These practices were however banned by the Romans.
Celts believed that supernatural beings existed, and included fairies. They believed that the soul of the dead reincarnated and passed from one body to another. This belief is evident in Celtic mythology concerning fairies.