Archaeology and Celtic Myth

An Exploration

John Waddell

Many people are familiar with the Irish archaeological landscapes of Newgrange and the Boyne Valley, and the royal sites of Rathcroghan in Co. Roscommon, Navan in Co. Armagh, and Tara in Co. Meath. In this book, John Waddell focuses on aspects of the mythology associated with these places, demonstrating that elements of pre-Christian Celtic myth preserved in medieval Irish literature shed light on older traditions and beliefs, not just in Ireland but elswhere in Europe as well. Their mythological associations permit the exploration of the archaeological implications of several mythic themes, namely sacral kingship, a sovereignty goddess, solar cosmology and the perception of an Otherworld.

John Waddell is Emeritus Professor of Archaeology in the National University of Ireland Galway. His recent research has focused on the royal site of Rathcroghan, a complex of archaeological monuments that figures prominently in early Irish literature.