Sacred Animals.....

[kern]

to the Brythonic Peoples:
Can any one tell me something about what animals where sacred to them and why?

Pob Bendith!
Bran yr Onnen

[Brochfael]

Most of all horses!
especially white ones. Sacred to the mother of the foals. Epona, Rhiannon, Macha, Brigantia, Brittania, rigantona.

Running a close second dogs. Sacred to Cunomaglos and Nodens. Attributes include hunting and healing.

Stags, sacred to the antlered one. but may be eaten.

Hares also sacred to the mother. Boudica released a hare before going into battle with the Romans. She misread the omens....... catastophically!

Cranes, sacred to manawyddan perhaps?

Owls sacred to Blodeuwedd perhaps?

It is also probable that other birds were sacred, in particular water birds since they inhabited that liminal space between the worlds.

Animals dwelling underground (Like Badgers for example) may also have been considered to have a link to the otherworld.

[siaron]

Brochfael said:

Most of all horses!
especially white ones. Sacred to the mother of the foals. Epona, Rhiannon, Macha, Brigantia, Brittania, rigantona.

I had such an amazing moment last September when I was in North Wales at a spot called Tal y Fan--we were walking along an old Roman road (previously a drover's trail) that cuts across there, and looked up at the peak above us to see two white horses! They appeared to be wild, and stayed for just a moment before disappearing behind the ridge. I tell you, it took my breath away.

[Blackbird]

That must have been amazing! I too have had some... very otherworldly experiences with horses throughout my life.

We are also lucky to have two white stags in a park not so far from me.

I would go along with all of the above - but also add swans and geese. I would certainly not eat either of these birds. In the old tales, geese and swans are often inhabited by human souls - or are transformed humans. For that reason, I would not eat one.

Of course, animals can be sacred in different ways. I wouldn't eat horse or dog meat. To eat horse would be like eating family, the kinship is too strong.

But I also hold salmon and deer to be sacred - yet I would eat these animals with no problem.

I think kinship is the key here. There are some animals that have a close link with us, who share their lives - or their souls - with us in some way, and it is not right that these should be eaten.

[siaron]

Let's not forget the boar....and the pig as well.

The boar plays a huge part in the mythology...and of course the map of Wales does look like the profile of a boar.

The pig was instrumental to the survival of the tribes, and was an important domesticated animal. They also pop up in the stories.

I don't think there was a prohibition on eating boar, was there? I can't remember.....

[kern]

Wow such great info!

I am not sure about the Brythonic peoples,but as far as the Irish people,they use to have great feasts which included pig/boar.

[kern]

Ive never owned a horse or even riden one,but for some reason I have always loved them,especially the white ones.

What about Ravens...I know some tales include them,but that about Welsh or other Brythonic tales?

[Brochfael]

How could I forget swans.
I must have had a Homer Simpson Moment (Doh!!!)

Pigs were definately eaten in great quantity and pork was even placed in graves as meat for the departed.

Hence my sharing a grave with a rancid bit of jaw whilst filming prehistoric burial practices for Time Team. A highly surreal experience if ever there was one!

Interesting isn't it that Horses, swans and dogs have maintained their non-food status right up to the present.

[branynos]

One thing worth remembering is that the Brythonic world view differed so that to some extent all animals were sacred (depending on time frame obviously) and were used to represent qualities that people aspired to.
It didn't automatically mean a prohibition on hunting or eating them, the Welsh myths indicate that the animals of the hunt (stag & boar) were seen as messengers of or guides to the Otherworld. Pwyll Head of Annwn is a good example.

Swans used to be on the menu in Britain, they just fell out of favour (or it may be something to do with them belong to the Crown - will dig around)

Grey horses. I used to ride and this little bit of folklore is common within the riding community. The Horse Goddess is a White Horse. Normal horses are always called grey (however white they might appear) so as to distinguish them from the superantural ones. Have to admit this distinction seems to be dying out and more scientific reasons being put forward. I always liked it though.

There does seem to be a trend in the Brythonic myths that white animals are somehow supernatural.

[branynos]

Here we go the ancient tradition of "swan upping"
www.thamesweb.co.uk/swans/upping2.html

It looks like swan was considered food from at least the 12thC to the 19thC in England, until replaced by turkey

[siaron]

There does seem to be a trend in the Brythonic myths that white animals are somehow supernatural.

Well, red and white seems to be a variation: like the hounds in the story "Pwll"...white with red ears.

Funny story: when I was in Wales on my pilrimage, I tried to stop in at the National Library on my way through Aberystwyth. As I walked up to the front entrance, sitting there was a white pigeon with red eyes and red legs and feet. Now technically, I wasn't supposed to be making this stop and I knew it...and that bird was surely giving me the eyeball! Well, I was trying to see the Black Book (it had been on display), and wouldn't you know when I got inside they had the exhibit closed due to some construction on the library.

I walked back out, and the bird was still there, still eye-ballin', and as I walked by I think I said something like "OK, OK, I get it. On my way then...." and got back in my car and continued on. I couldn't help but think of the whole Celtic white/red animal tradition!

[Blackbird]

If you go into the Arthurnet archives, there has recently been a fascinating discussion on otherworldly animal colours, and comparisons with ancient breeds etc.

I'm a very horsey person, and would never call a grey horse 'white' ;D As you say, no matter how pale the horse, it is always 'a grey'.

How far these things survived in Britain doubtless depends to what extent these animals were also considered sacred by the Scandinavian and Germanic peoples who arrived here. I think many of these sacred animals are quite cross-cultural. The swan obviously isn't, hence they were fine for eating once the Germanic culture predominated.

The other thing is use. Sacred or not, both horses and dogs are more use alive than dead It wouldn't make sense to eat animals that could work for you.

[Brochfael]

"The other thing is use. Sacred or not, both horses and dogs are more use alive than dead It wouldn't make sense to eat animals that could work for you."

The same could be said of cattle and oxen but these were eaten. However this meat was, I think, seen as a bit special.

[siaron]

Brochfael said:

"The other thing is use. Sacred or not, both horses and dogs are more use alive than dead It wouldn't make sense to eat animals that could work for you."

The same could be said of cattle and oxen but these were eaten. However this meat was, I think, seen as a bit special.

I might be wrong about this, but from what I know of the Irish stories, it would seem that cattle/oxen were more a sign of wealth. I mean the whole saga about Queen Medb...cattle theft seems to have been a very common practice, and may have been a way to humiliate a rival tribe without declaring all-out war.

And then there is the whole mystique about bulls...the ritual aspects surrounding them, using their hides as a means to prophecy ('bull dreaming'). I have always been fascinated by that (in other cultures as well--particularly in the Mediterranean).

[Midori]

The Seal- the tales of the selkie women.

BBmidori

[Blackbird]

And the Selkie men ;D

There's a beautiful song called 'The Selkie of Sule Skerrie' about a Selkie and his reluctant human lover. But then, that's really a Scandinavian influenced song...

[goldenhand]

I sing that one ;D Maddy Prior does a nice version too.