Little has been written about ancient druids, or at least what has survived about them is scant. From this, people have tried to piece together who the druids were and what they did. In general, they studied the stars, the moon, the plants and moral philosophy. But that’s not where their wisdom stopped. They meditated, worked with herbs, were healers and sometimes aided kings in decision making.
The name druid derives from the proto Celtic language and the words deru (oak) and wid (sight, to see). Perhaps at one time, it was spelt deruwid.
Over the past few days, I’ve been watching a documentary that shares detailed information on these mysterious forest lovers, spell casters and all around wisdom seekers.
I watch such things because I’m interested in learning about history, particularly that of the Celts since a branch of my ancestors stretches to that land, and because I find great details to use in my fantasy stories.
To watch this well-researched documentary, go here: The Druids – History, Philosophy, Religion (Full Documentary).
Description
Using ancient and medieval sources, alongside comparative analysis, the identity and beliefs of the druids take shape, from their organizational practices, to their philosophy and spiritual beliefs.
All pronunciation attempts to follow Old Gaelic, not modern Irish or Scottish Gaelic pronunciations. Breithem, however, should have been pronounced with a stronger “v” or “w” sound at the end. “druid” in Old Gaelic, is “druí” singular and “druíd” plural. I do not cover this in the video, but perhaps of interest.
Diane McGyver 