The head cult : tradition and folklore surrounding the symbol of the severed human head in the British Isles
Evidence relating to the use and veneration of the human head in a religious context is found repeatedly in the archaeological record and folklore of the British Isles. This has been documented from the earliest period, and manifests itself throughout prehistory and recent history in a variety of forms, from human skulls used as talismans to carved stone heads produced as part of a folk tradition of long standing. Until recently, much of the literature relating to the head as a sacred symbol has been produced from the perspective of Celtic studies, the material being interpreted as evidence for the existence of a ~Celtic cult of the head~ with roots in the pagan Iron Age. It has been claimed that this cult left an indelible mark both upon the archaeological record and the popular consciousness of later peoples, which has survived in superstition and folklore. This study aims to examine the evidence from archaeology, documentary sources and the folk tradition from outside the confines of the Celtic viewpoint, and to discuss the relationships between the different forms of material through a series of case studies. A cross-disciplinary approach is adopted as a method of interpreting this material using approaches
Clarke, David
Celtic; Celt
The head cult : tradition and folklore surrounding the symbol of the severed human head in the British Isles. Evidence relating to the use and veneration of the human head in a religious context is found repeatedly in the archaeological record and folklore of the British Isles. This has been documented from the earliest period, and manifests itself throughout prehistory and recent history in a variety of forms, from human skulls used as talismans to carved stone heads produced as part of a folk tradition of long standing. Until recently, much of the literature relating to the head as a sacred symbol has been produced from the perspective of Celtic studies, the material being interpreted as evidence for the existence of a ~Celtic cult of the head~ with roots in the pagan Iron Age. It has been claimed that this cult left an indelible mark both upon the archaeological record and the popular consciousness of later peoples, which has survived in superstition and folklore. This study aims to examine the evidence from archaeology, documentary sources and the folk tradition from outside the confines of the Celtic viewpoint, and to discuss the relationships between the different forms of material through a series of case studies. A cross-disciplinary approach is adopted as a method of interpreting this material using approaches
head cult tradition folklore surround symbol sever human head british_isles evidence_relate use veneration human head religious_context find repeatedly archaeological_record folklore british_isles document early_period manifest throughout prehistory recent history variety form human skull use carve_stone head produce part folk tradition long stand recently much_literature relate head sacred symbol produce perspective celtic study material interpret evidence_existence celtic cult head root pagan iron_age claim cult leave mark upon archaeological_record popular consciousness later people survive superstition folklore study aim_examine evidence archaeology documentary_source folk tradition outside confines celtic viewpoint discuss relationship different_form material series_case study cross_disciplinary adopt method interpret material use approach