Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
ISBN: , SKU: , AUTHOR: Ellis, Peter Berresford, PUBLISHER: ABC-CLIO, Predated only by Greek and Roman legend by virtue of ong>theong> fact that ong>theong> ong>Celticong> languages were not written until ong>theong> early Christian era, ong>Celticong> mythology developed from a far earlier oral tradition, which preserves voices from ong>theong> dawn of European civilization. ong>Theong> peoples of ong>theong>se ong>Celticong> cultures survive today on ong>theong> western seaboard of Europe: ong>theong> Irish, Manx, and Scots who make up ong>theong> Goidelic (Gaelic) speaking branch of Celts, and ong>theong> Welsh, Cornish, and Bretons, who represent ong>theong> Byrthonic-speaking branch. In his introduction, Ellis discusses ong>theong> roles of ong>theong>se six cultures, ong>theong> evolution (or demise) of ong>theong> languages, and ong>theong> relationship between ong>theong> legends, especially ong>theong> Irish and Welsh, ong>theong> two major ong>Celticong> cultures. ong>Theong> "Dictionary of ong>Celticong> Mythology" is an easy to read handbook, and presents a fascinating window to centuries of rich oral and written tradition from ong>theong> mists of Europe's origins.