The Celts worshipped nature spirits and believed in life after death. They also worshiped springs and sacrificed weapons. The Celtic calendar was thirteen months long and added one day to the new year. Day began after sunset, while night began with darkness. The sun's decreasing strength was a concern in winter. This led early man to start winter fires in order to assist the sun's journey.
Celts believed that there would be a new life after death
Celtic belief in life after death was based on belief that the soul is still alive in the next universe. Many believe that the soul returns to its ancestral ancestor. This is similar to the belief of the Romans in the underworld. 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.
The existence of a life beyond death was also believed to be a belief of the Early Celts. They had little faith in ethics. They had no idea about punishment by the gods. Romans wrote extensively about Celtic beliefs and found at least 69 gods that were responsible for war. This suggests that people wanted a life after death.
They worshipped nature spirits
The Celtic people worshiped nature spirits, especially those associated with fertility. They valued crops growing year after year and healthy cattle and sheep. Many of the Celtic gods and goddesses were shaped to resemble animals because they believed in nature spirits. Their gods were incarnated by the elements, and they brought protection and luck to the Celts.
Celtic religion was also influenced by trees. The Celtics held groves sacred, and there are evidences of trees being worshipped in parts of Ireland. Some places are even named after trees, such as Derry (meaning "oak-tree") and Kildare (Cill-Dara), which derives from a Celtic word for oak tree.
They sacrificed weapons
One of most striking and peculiar features of Celtic religions is the fact they sacrificed their weapons. Around 150 examples of ancient Celtic weapons have been found at archaeological sites all over the globe. The weapons were often made of bronze, and they were sacrificed to a god. The Romans destroyed these temples in 124 BCE, but they are not extinct.
The Celts worshipped many gods and goddesses, and were polytheistic. Some were localized to a specific region, while others were well-known worldwide. They also preferred those willing to give up their lives. Some were more powerful than others such as Lugus, the sun-representative goddess. Other goddesses were associated with rivers and healing springs. Some were associated with animals such as horses.
They believed in springs
Celts had a complicated belief system. They believed all living things had sentience or spirit. They viewed the world as a multilayered, wonderful, and sometimes dangerous theatre where humans and creatures alike lived and died. Scholars were often able to contradict their beliefs and practices. Therefore, it is important to clarify what they meant.
The Celts were extremely close to the natural world and often saw omens in animal behavior. They loved the animal beauty and virility and associated these attributes with the spirits. Horses and stags were their favorite animals for their endurance, speed and beauty. They also admired dogs for their keen senses of smell.
They worshipped effigies
As a way of showing their devotion to their gods, the Celts worshipped effigies. Some made large figures from sticks and filled them up with live men. These effigies were set on fire by other Celts as a tribute to Gods. These practices were however banned by the Romans.
Celts believed in supernatural beings including fairies. They believed the souls of the deceased were reincarnated and could pass from one body or another. This belief can be seen in Celtic mythology, which is about fairies.