The threshold figure is a common motif in Celtic myth. In this talk I look at some Welsh examples and explore what it means.
The lion is one of the most prominent symbols in the Mabinogion tale of Owain. But what is its meaning and how old is it?
The story of Owain ab Urien travelled far in medieval Europe, mainly through Chretian de Troyes Old French classic Yvain (12th century), which although popular seems to have been stripped of its older more mythic elements. Yet on the story’s return to Wales in the 13th century, the Welsh storytellers appear to have reinvested the text with myth, renovating and remaking the story as they claimed it back.
In the 13th century story of Owain we find one of the most ancient mythic figures to be found in European literature, the many-faced Lord of Animals.
Celtic myths are symbolic, so we need to interpret them to draw out their wisdom. As a result, it’s probably worth asking if interpretation was ever a part of the Celtic storytelling tradition?
In this video I dive into why ’otherworld’ is probably a misleading term when thinking of the Irish sidh or Welsh Annwfn, and what the subtle difference between the Welsh and Irish concepts could be.
A brief discussion on tracing the Celtic myth of water, divine birth and inspiration back to its Indo-European roots.
Connecting the different incarnations of Brigid, from Iron Age goddess to early Christian saint.
This is an old issue when it comes to Celtic culture and our historical source texts. In this video I try to unpick the position we’re currently in from the perspective of Welsh culture, and explain why I’m not necessarily taking the usual route with this field of study.