#cletic history

[alpaca-clouds]

Stone Circles in France

Something I have wanted to talk about more ever since the first trailer dropped about a month ago, is the stone circle near Machecoul, that seems to play somewhat a big role in Maria's life.

We first meet Richter and Maria at the stone circle, and in season 2 we learn that she learned magic there. This is why Tera takes her there to try to control her magic once more.

So, obviously you might ask: "Why are there old stones in a circle somewhere in France?"

As a European of course, I have grown up with the Asterix comics, and hence my mind just went: "Oh, yeah, they are there because of the Galls. Duh." Though then I did some google-fu and found out that it is not quite that easy.

So, let's talk about Celts and stones.

As I spoke about yesterday: We have sadly super little information about the celts and their precursors, because the colonialization within Europe (partly through the Romans, partly through other groups) has mostly just erased most what was once known of this mostly oral culture. We know a bit about the Gaels in Ireland and Scotland (mind you: We also know that the Gaels in Ireland were not exactly the same as those in Scotland), but for everyone else we know a couple of legends that survived as oral history for long enough that someone who thought it important to record it. Part of the reason in fact that the Gaels managed to hold onto more than anyone else is that they had secret Bard Colleges until into the 18th century, where they literally taught people their oral traditions, despite it being forbidden.

Back to the stone circles.

Celts definitely loved to build structures that are made up of aesthetically aranged stones. Think Stonehenge, which is probably one of those structures everyone kinda knows. But Stonehenge is by far not the only of these sides. And in fact they are scattered all over the former celtic areas.

These two are both from Ireland, where we have the best preserved of those stone circles. But there are also several of them in France.

The best known stones in France are actually not in a circle formation, though. Those are the Carnac stones in Western France.

Those are located about 160km northwest of Machecoul. So a good bit, but still in the same general area. Another fairly well known stone formation - in this case once more a circle - is the Kergonan Cromlech. Which is again about 160km away from Machecoul.

And here is the thing: We actually do not know what is actually up with those stone formations. We know that some of them were created to commemorade the grave of a king or another important burial. We also know that some of them are aligned with certain celestial events (like the solstices). So the general idea is that those stone structures, that are mainly between neolithic and mesolithic. Which is one of the biggest problems.

See, the celts existed with their own culture throughout these areas (mainy the British Islands, France, the Iberian Peninsula and at times also in the area of todays Belgium) at times until about 1000CE. However, those stone structures were build generally speaking between 4500BC and 1500BC. So even those Celts that later were around might not even have known why those structures have been build.

The general consensus between archeologists and anthropologists is, that they were ritual sites related to religious practice. But you should also know that generally speaking archeologists and anthropologists will usually just go "ritual!" whenever we find something and are not certain what it was for. (See also the many things that might have well been dildos, which makes archeologists go: "Eh, probably some ritual practice about worshipping male fertility?!")

Though to be fair: The fact that we know some of those structures are definitely used in terms of graves - and to celebrate certain celestial events - makes it quite likely that there was a ritual component to it.

This is a map of the stone structures we know to be located in France. You might note that none of them is really close to Machecoul. Though given that Machecoul is still fairly close to the Southwestern cluster, it would not to be too off to say: "Oh, yeah, actually there was one but that got destroyed before we found it."

My big question is, what this means about Maria's powers - especially as I was informed that the fact that this is a stone circle of this kind was made very clear in the scripts from the very beginning on.

Especially given that it is called out twice that she might draw the creatures from the Otherworld...

[letuspublish]

Be Inventive for Fun and Entertainment with Halloween Outfit Ideas

We Indians understand only two words; festival and celebrations. We Indians rarely care for the details of the festivals as long we get the chance to enjoy. It is, therefore, not many really know about the Halloween in India, but the craze of Halloween parties are increasing. Halloween History Cletic Samhain? What the hell that…

Be Inventive for Fun and Entertainment with Halloween Outfit Ideas was originally published on Let Us Publish

[wildcardrenegade]

Wales has always been, and will always be, a place of love. A place of spirit. A place of openness. The hundred and thousands of souls that have journeyed through here over the tides of time have always been welcome if they came bearing no ill will.

Cleticness does not equal whiteness. We have been bleeding iron from our veins for over a thousand years, since the Romans and Angles ruined us, and we welcome those who bleed with open arms. Cymru is not the water of the womb, nor the hate that so hurts. It is the blood of the siblings, the bond of the soul, it is standing in solidarity with your fellow person against those who would hurt us.

Welshness does not equal whiteness. It is the feeling in your heart that makes you proud to be from here. It is the march in your veins that loves this land.

As long as you love the land, and the people, and you weep for the history of our land, you are Welsh. You are welcome here.

Cymru Am Byth.

I think it's just the idea that it takes away the history of always being here, the idea that our culture is just the culture of somewhere else, diluted. I also don't like the idea we're POC or have it in our roots because it sure does make the whole Colonised by the English thing feel worse, as well as those people that say Irish people are POC. I'm proud of my country and I don't want to be racist, but I don't want to find out that all our stories are diluted from elsewhere...

I don't believe that at all! our history is still our history. our culture is still welsh, regardless of the colour of our ancestors skin. it doesn't make us less celtic. our stories are still welsh. we're still welsh. we're not lesser or diluted because of our ancestry, and poc don't dilute us, they enrich us. and honestly, history and ancestry is convoluted, nobody is pure, 100% anything. our stories aren't from anywhere else. they're welsh.

and honestly, the iberians didn't come to us, it was the other way round. some celts settled in iberia in like 6th century BC. other sources say its the other way round but its generally accepted we went to them. it was much earlier than 1500 years ago. we all came from other places.

I think researching into it properly would help you. you may not want to be racist, but ignoring it won't make it not real. whatever you decide to do with the information is up to you.

I know this was pretty rambly, for which I apologise, im tired and my face hurts. but I hope I made sense.