Moccus : dzik w wierzeniach starożytnych Celtów

Abstract

Celt tribes had a developed system of beliefs. Animals played an important role in Celt cults. A boar was one of the most important animals. Initially, it was worshipped as a manifestation of the forces of nature. Only later, did they begin to worship anthropomorphic gods, a boar being one of their attributes. Celts admired strength, aggression, and fertility of this animal. For that reason they worshipped it as an attribute of a war god. The pictures of a boar were readily placed on weapons, among others, on swords and shields. The figures presenting a boar were a popular decoration of the helmets of Celt warriors. Celts worshipped a boar as a lunar animal. They also believed in its connections to the spirit world. The sagas and Celt stories include numerous supernatural and magic boars coming from the spirit world. The monuments of these animals were placed in necropolies probably to make them perform the function of a psychopomp. Some tribes worshipped a boar because of its connections with fertility cults and the so called annual cycle. The very animals accompanied many gods and goddesses, as well as played a role of sacrificial animals. The cases of boar burials similar to human burials are also known. Unquestionably, boars, irrespective of gender, were one of the most important animals in Celt beliefs and traditions.