The Druids
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Tanning and foxing
Long before the Romans marched across Britain, a powerful priestly class held sway over the Celtic world — mysterious, learned, and feared — and Stuart Piggott's The Druids stands as one of the most rigorous and authoritative accounts of their history ever written. Drawing on classical sources, archaeological evidence, and centuries of mythological tradition, Piggott meticulously reconstructs the world of these ancient Celtic priests, separating historical fact from the romantic folklore that has so often obscured their true nature. The book chronicles their role as judges, philosophers, and intermediaries between the human and divine realms, painting a vivid portrait of pre-Roman Iron Age society in Britain and Gaul. Piggott writes with the precision of a seasoned archaeologist — which he was — and brings a refreshingly sceptical eye to the subject, rigorously distinguishing between what ancient sources actually record and the layers of later romanticism and Neo-Druidic revival that have distorted the popular image. His lucid, authoritative prose illuminates the gap between the Druids of history and the Druids of legend, making this work essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in Celtic civilisation or ancient European religion. Richly illustrated with 115 images, including 16 in colour, this landmark study leaves the reader wondering just how much of the ancient world still lies buried beneath the myths we have constructed to replace it.
Author: Stuart Piggott
Format: Hardback
Genre: Ancient history
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Tanning and foxing
Long before the Romans marched across Britain, a powerful priestly class held sway over the Celtic world — mysterious, learned, and feared — and Stuart Piggott's The Druids stands as one of the most rigorous and authoritative accounts of their history ever written. Drawing on classical sources, archaeological evidence, and centuries of mythological tradition, Piggott meticulously reconstructs the world of these ancient Celtic priests, separating historical fact from the romantic folklore that has so often obscured their true nature. The book chronicles their role as judges, philosophers, and intermediaries between the human and divine realms, painting a vivid portrait of pre-Roman Iron Age society in Britain and Gaul. Piggott writes with the precision of a seasoned archaeologist — which he was — and brings a refreshingly sceptical eye to the subject, rigorously distinguishing between what ancient sources actually record and the layers of later romanticism and Neo-Druidic revival that have distorted the popular image. His lucid, authoritative prose illuminates the gap between the Druids of history and the Druids of legend, making this work essential reading for anyone with a serious interest in Celtic civilisation or ancient European religion. Richly illustrated with 115 images, including 16 in colour, this landmark study leaves the reader wondering just how much of the ancient world still lies buried beneath the myths we have constructed to replace it.