Traces of Ancient Celtic Religiosity in the Place Names of the British Isles [Az ősi kelta vallásosság nyomai a Brit-szigetek helyneveiben]

Bölcskei, Andrea (2014) Traces of Ancient Celtic Religiosity in the Place Names of the British Isles [Az ősi kelta vallásosság nyomai a Brit-szigetek helyneveiben]. In: UNSPECIFIED.

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Abstract

Religion definitely played an important role in the lives of the ancient Celtic people of the British Isles. Its great significance is well represented by the fact that several toponyms reflecting heathen Celtic beliefs have come down to us both in Britain and in Ireland. Based on data collected from relevant etymological dictionaries (e.g. The Cambridge Dictionary of English Place-Names by Victor Watts, A Dictionary of British Place Names by A. D. Mills), the paper describes names for bodies of water (e.g. Brent, Dee, Lea, Boyne, Shannon), (historical) names for settlements (e.g. Camulodunon, Clackmannan, Armagh) and names for territories (e.g. Isle of Man, Éire, Atholl) relating presumably to the names of Celtic gods, goddesses and mythological figures. The author also discusses place names of Celtic origin referring to oak or yew trees, as several of them must have identified sacred groves of religious importance, described also by classical authors (e.g. Iona, Mayo, Kildare, Derwent).

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