A druid was a member of the high-ranking priestly class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts.

May 3, 2021 · In Wales, the roles and privileges of bards related to laws set down by Hywel Dda in the 10th century AD. During the 18th century, druids came to be seen as the ancestors of the bards, the praise poets, musicians and genealogists, who flourished in Welsh medieval society.

Nov 1, 2024 · Druids in Wales were essential figures in ancient Celtic Pre-Roman Wales society, respected and often feared for their knowledge and spiritual power. Known as keepers of lore, judges, and healers, Druids held a status that transcended mere religious figures.

Druids were concerned with the natural world and its powers, and considered trees sacred, particularly the oak. Druidism can be described as a shamanic religion, as it relied on a combination of contact with the spirit world and holistic medicines to …

Apr 14, 2022 · Druids were the arbiters of the British justice system, and had the power to settle private and pubic disputes, banish delinquents, and intervene in the feuds of warring chieftains to negotiate peace.

Oct 3, 2024 · How Have Druids Influenced Wales Throughout History? Wales’s Druidic Legacy, from ancient origins to modern influence. Explore the rich tapestry of Welsh culture rooted in Druidic traditions.

An incomplete list of notable druids and neo-druids: Jean Le Fustec Breton Grand Druid from 1900 to 1903. Gwenc'hlan Le Scouëzec (1929-2008), Breton writer, Breton Grand Druid from 1981 to 2008.

Mar 14, 2023 · Druidism was primarily widespread among the Celtic tribes of ancient Britain, Ireland, and Gaul. Over time, its influence spread through parts of Western Europe before the Roman expansion. The druid religion, called Druidry (or Druidism), is believed to have been a shamanic religion.

As in most of the predominantly oral societies Celtic mythology and history were recorded orally by specialists such as druids (Welsh: derwyddon). This oral record has been lost or altered as a result of outside contact and invasion over the years.

The druids were the priests who would communicate with the gods on behalf of the Celtic people. As seers or soothsayers, they were known as vates, while the Irish called them filids. See the next section for more details. In the Irish and Welsh texts, the druids were seen as teachers, healers, seers and wizards, but not as priests.