The
appearance of the Druid is known to us from two main sources: Greco-Roman
writings and medieval Irish tradition. There is also some evidence from Irish
and Scottish folklore. Druids wore white tunics, which in early Ireland were
knee-length. The concept of their wearing full white robes was formed from
misunderstandings of the English translations of Pliny, who mentioned candida
vesta, "white garments," in reference to gathering mistletoe. He did not,
however, say white robes, but white garments or white clothing. He was probably
describing a tunic and perhaps also a cloak. This formed a part of the clothing
worn by the chief bard in Highland Scottish inaugurations of clan chiefs. Records
of both Irish and Scot traditions also
mention a rod or scepter of straight white wood gilded with metal, and this has
been confirmed by archaeology. The rod or scepter was carried as a badge of
office.
Records of
Irish tradition also speak of bird-feather cloaks of the filídh, cloaks of grey
or white bull-hide of the Druids, and bards wearing plaited or braided hair.
Druids were often described as bald (many had the nickname Mael—Old
Irish for "bald"). The bald head was probably a Druidic tonsure, presumably the
same kind of partially-shaven head used by later Irish clerics and condemned by
the Roman church as non-conformist. This kind of tonsure is made by shaving the
hair from ear to ear, along to the front hairline. This gives the appearance of
a receding hairline or of a very high forehead. It is interesting to note that
Indian Brahmans have a very similar tonsure!
One Druid
named Mogh Ruith was described as wearing a speckled bird headdress; perhaps it
was a sort of bird-hat or helmet with fluttering wings. It is true that Druids
used gilded bronze sickles for cutting
sacred healing herbs (e.g. Pliny’s report of the mistletoe gathering),
but there is no tradition of them carrying the sickles around as emblem of
their office.
There is no mention
of Druids going either bearded, moustached or clean-shaven. It was a typical
Gaulish fashion in ancient times for men to sport a moustache. Gallo-Roman men
appear in sculptural portraits with moustaches and long sideburns, which were
considered barbaric by Roman tastes. Early Celts preferred longer hair to the
Roman styles; later the Roman fashion prevailed in Gaul for a few centuries,
until Germanic fashions came with the invasions of Burgundians, Franks and
Goths.
Celtic women
dressed in ankle-length, pleated frocks or pleated ankle-length skirts with
tunics. Often an attractive white apron was tied to the shoulders and covered
the entire outfit. A cloak or tartan shawl has been the Celtic fashion from
ancient times to the present day. A red skirt was traditionally worn by women
in the Gaeltachts. One description of Druids fighting the Romans at
Anglesey mentions priestesses wearing black. Presumably this was because they
were cursing the enemy, but it could also have been a representational image of
the war-goddess Catubodua or Badb Catha, the "war-crow." The
cloak/shawl of the bendrvi or ueleda was drawn over the head when
practicing ceremonies or offerings. Celtic women wore plaited or braided hair
in many different styles—pigtails, rings, buns, etc.
Both Celtic
men and women wore shoes of rough hide and the breccan, or tartan wool
fabrics. Breccan style fabric was worn all over the Celtic world, though today
it is associated chiefly with Scotland.
All Celtic
nobility wore the maniacis (mah-nyah-kiss), or collar, which was often
an open-front neckring made of tubing or twisted silver, bronze or gold. The
maniacis collar, or "torque," was associated with one’s touta or sliocht
(tribe).
The tricoros
or "triskele," an ancient solar symbol representing the divine presence of
Nemos, or heaven, has been found on a pre-Christian bracteate (medallion) in
Ireland.
