Corleck artifacts reveal ancient Irish sacrificial rituals

The three-faced sculpture is considered a powerful spiritual symbol, revealing dark secrets about the gruesome sacrificial rituals that once existed in this land.

Discovered in 1855 in the Irish town of Drumeague, the Corleck Head is a three-faced stone sculpture, also known as the Three-Faced Head. It was probably created by the Celts in the first century to commemorate a pagan ritual. Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Sailko, CC BY 3.0).

According to the National Museum of Ireland, which houses the sculpture, the Corleck head is 33cm tall and is “the finest of its kind”. The faces are meticulously carved with thick eyebrows, a wide nose and a small mouth. The bottom of the head has a small hole, possibly to fix it to the pedestal. Photo: wikimedia.

In a 1960 study of the Corleck head, archaeologist Anne Ross said that the practice of "head worship" was a long-standing tradition in Celtic society, associated with concepts of divinity and supernatural power. Photo: wikipedia.

The practice is said to have originated with the ancient Greek historian Diodorus Siculus, who wrote in the first century BC that the Celts liked to decapitate their enemies and hang them on the necks of horses. Photo: bailieborough.com.

However, the meaning of the Corleck head remains unclear. In 2023, historian Jonathan Smyth proposed several possible meanings for the Celts' purpose in creating this mysterious sculpture. Photo: instagram.

According to Mr. Jonathan, this artifact may depict the image of the Celtic god Lugh, displayed on a pillar as a symbol of fertility. Lugh was a master craftsman with three faces that could represent different professions. Photo: an.co.uk.

Historian Jonathan speculates that the Corleck head may have been used in Lughnasa – a Celtic harvest festival – or to signal “destruction”. Photo: irisharchaeology.ie/Facebook.

The artifact was found at Drumeague (which means “Hill of the Dead” in Irish), and the body of a sacrificed Iron Age man was unearthed nearby, so it may be related to human sacrifice. Photo: National Museum of Ireland/X.

Some archaeologists even believe that the Corleck head may have been buried by medieval Irish people who believed the sculpture was cursed sometime between the 10th and 13th centuries. Photo: National Museum of Ireland/X.

Readers are invited to watch the video : Revealing lost civilizations through archaeological remains.

Source: https://khoahocdoisong.vn/hien-vat-corleck-he-lo-nghi-le-hien-te-ireland-co-dai-post2149064267.html