Taliesin, Chief Bard of Britain and a Celtic shaman, was a historical figure who lived in Wales during the second half of the sixth century. Embedded in his works are the ancestral beliefs of the Celtic and pre-Celtic peoples. Furthermore, his poetry is considered a direct precursor to the Arthurian Legends, with Taliesin himself, as a shaman and shape-shifter, regarded as the direct ancestor of Merlin. Although the bard’s work is deeply rooted in the rich traditions of druidic practice, few have explored the revelations of his writings—the secret poetic language of the bards, insights into divination, the ancient mysteries of the Druids, and the cosmological ceremonies central to Celtic worship. John Matthews, one of today’s leading scholars of Celtic tradition, sheds new light on Taliesin’s poems and the extensive body of references, myths, and stories derived from his work and shamanic practice. With the help of fellow scholar Caitlín Matthews, the author presents entirely new translations of Taliesin’s principal poems in their entirety, revealing the meanings behind these great works for the first time.
Manufacturer
- Author
- John Matthews
- Publisher
- Inner Traditions Bear and Company
- Cover
- Soft
- Number of Pages
- 376
- Language
- English
- Publication Date
- 2002
- Dimensions
- 15.2x22.9 cm
- Pocket Size
- No
- ISBN-13
- 9780892818693
Important information
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