MUNDURUCU
Across ancient Europe, communities speaking Celtic languages develop distinctive traditions of art and belief. They do not form one unified nation. In metalwork and other objects, flowing curves, spirals and three-armed triskeles turn familiar shapes into intricate decoration.
Roman writers describe druids as religious specialists with important roles in ritual and learning. Julius Caesar gives a chilling account of sacrifice in Gaul: immense figures woven from branches are filled with living people and set on fire. This is the origin of the famous wicker man image. It remains a Roman author’s report, whose perspective and claims require care, rather than proof of a practice shared by every Celtic community.
Centuries later, Christian manuscript makers in Ireland and Britain create another extraordinary world of ornament. Knotted ribbons, interlaced animals and elaborate initials fill gospel pages. This Insular art draws on several traditions, bringing intricate decoration into the service of the written sacred text.
The Lindisfarne Gospels, made around AD 700 in Northumbria, and the Book of Kells, created around AD 800 and associated with Iona and Kells, are celebrated examples. Their pages turn letters into images and animals into patterns. Historical publications sometimes call the Lindisfarne manuscript the ‘Durham Book’, reflecting its later connection with Durham.