DruidWisdom.org

Ancient Druid Civilization from Archaeological Texts

(Work in progress by David Olmsted, Illinois, USA)

(January 20, 2025) This site collects diverse strings of evidence involving the pre-empire and non-empire culture of Europe. Together these strings of evidence are painting a picture of a vibrant, complex Pagan culture suppressed by the latter Roman and Hellenistic empires and then by the Christian church. Today it continues to be suppressed by nationalists and dogmatic religions of all kinds who prefer the standard local nationalistic model of ancient history instead of the pan-European, trade connected model that is emerging from this evidence.

The past is Pagan yet Pagan history has been defined by those antagonistic towards it. All ancient texts until now have been translated by Non-Pagans and translated without standards. This has allowed bias and fraud to corrupt those translations. Without standards, peer review does not exist but only group-think. Those who control ancient text translations define history and that control has been exercised by both nationalists and dogmatic, faith based religions to suppress the universalist Pagan past in Europe ... until now.

Ancient Druid Civilization is defined as the Akkadian speaking Neolithic farmer civilization which swept out of Mesopotamia and into Europe and around the Mediterranean starting around 8500 BCE. They are the ones who built Stonehenge and other megalithic monuments. The last holdouts of this pre Indo-European civilization were the Minoans, Phoenicians, Aegean Islanders, Etruscans, Carthaginians, Nordic/Germanic, and Israelites. All their archaeological texts are in Akkadian. All Akkadian Translations are by David Olmsted.

Druid civilization began in the Neolithic with the first farmers. Image shows the spread of farming from Mesopotamia and Levant through Anatolia and into Europe as determined by archaeology. These farmers started to migrate starting around 9600 BCE and reached Britain by 4100 BCE. Akkadian is the native language of northern Mesopotamia. The 2 branches of migration is often reflected in the differing etymologies of the same word (example "cinder"). Map from Gronenborn, D., & Horejs, B. (2023). Online at: https://www.academia.edu/9424525/Map_Expansion_of_farming_in_western_Eurasia_9600_4000_cal_BC_update_vers_2023_1_?email_work_card=title

Image above shows the spread of the Indo-Europeans and their language who originated on the northern steppes. These invasions of Europe began around 3500 BCE. The Indo-European Bell Beaker culture did not reach Britain until around 2400 BCE just after the building of the last phase of Stonehenge was built. Were they settled they replaced 90% to 60% of the farmer genetics. (Image from: (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Indo-European_expansions.jpg)

(updated Jan. 15, 2025) Chart showing calculated population replacement percentages in Britain. From David Reich: "Origins of Humans and Culture" below. BUT! Such extreme levels of replacement likely involve some sample bias because DNA from the poorly buried and cremations cannot be sampled. Contradicting this extreme replacement of the first farmers is archaeological evidence showing that a substantial amount of Neolithic farmer material traditions continued into the Indo-European era (see Booth and all 2021). Also the Neolithic Akkadian language continued. Yet some murder did happen (see Otzi the Iceman). What is certain is that DNA from the Indo-Europeans was introduced into the area around 4500 BCE. The Neolithic farmer (6000 BP) and Indo-European (4500 BP) replacements also involved increased economic productivity leading to population swamping.

David Reich – How One Small Tribe Conquered the World 70,000 Years Ago

(September 2, 2024) Dwarkesh Patel interviews David Riech about his latest thoughts on ancient genetic history. Humans exhibit 4 time scale levels of change: genetics, epigenetics, culture, and reason. Epigenetics is the new concept in which a very small section of genes code for the expression strength of all other sections. Epigenetics seems to have changed the vocal tract and hence language abilities.

Prior to the Neolithic people existed as small isolated tribes with ever decreasing genetic variations. Only once in a while did a few mix changing their culture and once again increasing their genetic density. Of these only a few were groups able to outcompete other groups and quickly spread over Eurasian and north Africa. The group which did this at the dawn of history were the Neolithic farmers who were then followed by the Indo-Europeans.

He has some new insights on the Indo-European expansion. It started with the Yamnaya people who were only adapted to steppe living so could not and did not expand into the forests of Europe. Instead, over a period of time, they mixed with the people at the forest edge represented by the Corded-Ware material tradition (3000 BC – 2350 BCE). It was the males of this new mixed culture who then conquered the rest of Europe.

Stonehenge People (Druid Culture) Spoke Akkadian

(July 19, 2022) "Druid Civilization" or Druid Culture" is the term I use for the long lost European/Mediterranean culture which existed prior to the invasion of the Indo-Europeans. These were the Neolithic farmers who built megalithic monuments and whose culture survived until 500 CE as an Akkadian speaking priestly class as evidenced by the Elder Futhark Runestones. Yet only now is their Akkadian speaking culture being recovered from their archeological texts.

Genetic evidence shows that these Neolithic farmers migrated out of Mesopotamia starting around 8500 BCE (see images). The Indo-European invasion began around 3500 BCE. This means the builders of Stonehenge spoke Akkadian .

The earliest European/Mediterranean Akkadian writing is the 1800 BCE Minoan Phaistos Disk and the 1700 BCE Minoan Linear A tablets and these are in Akkadian. All later alphabetic writing derives from these Minoan texts. Writing formally labeled as Celtic, Tartessian, Etruscan, Phoenician, Punic, Paleo-Hebrew, Archaic-Greek, and Aramaic are all really an alphabetic form of Akkadian. These texts show Druid culture was the source for both classical philosophy and the authentic teachings of Jesus.

The word "Druid" is Akkadian and its means "Eternal Form - Channeler" which derives from the Akkadian words DR-ID (duru-id) (Olmsted 2022). Eternal forms are the invisible "platonic" forms into which amorphous matter (dust) flows to manifest itself as a physical object.

The word "Ovate or Vate" associated with "Druid" in Roman texts is another Akkadian word meaning "Motion-Magic.Crafter" from from 'W.T (’û-tû or a'u.tu). This word has the letter ayin as its first letter which does not exist in Latin or Greek so it tends to be either ignored or replaced with the letter "O" in Europe and "A" in the near east. This division between life priests who deal with the creation and growth of life, and magic crafters who deal with translational motions is a common one in ancient Druidic texts.

The Neolithic Druidry revealed by the archaeological texts is not exactly the same as the Druidry described 2000 years later by the Romans. Iron Age Druidry like all cultures had been corrupted by the lordification process from political centralization and by the dualism from the Persian Empire. This led to forced personification and feminine suppression of divine powers (deities) and their division into good and evil. This in turn lead to deity appeasement and worship with sacrifices and submission.

The Indo-European people from the eastern steppe started invading Europe about 3,500 BCE. They were initially illiterate and had no native stone building traditions so they adopted much of the culture of the Druids. What they did bring was a more militant, godfather type culture with more intensive farming practices using crop/animal rotation to keep the farmlands fertile away from the flooding river valleys.

References

Spread of Farminghttps://scholar.princeton.edu/sites/default/files/bogucki_1996_spread_farming_europe_american_scientist.pdf
Genetics of Early Farmers at: https://www.eupedia.com/europe/origins_haplogroups_europe.shtml
Booth TJ, Brück J, Brace S, Barnes I. (2021) Tales from the Supplementary Information: Ancestry Change in Chalcolithic–Early Bronze Age Britain Was Gradual with Varied Kinship Organization. Cambridge Archaeological Journal. 31(3):379-400. https://doi:10.1017/S0959774321000019
Curry, Andrew (August 25, 2022) ‘Phenomenal’ ancient DNA data set provides clues to origin of farming and early languages. Online at: https://www.science.org/content/article/phenomenal-ancient-dna-data-set-provides-clues-origin-farming-early-languages
Gronenborn, Detlef and Horejs, Barbara (2021) Expansion of farming in western Eurasia, 9600 - 4000 cal BC (update vers. 2021.2. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/9424525/Map_Expansion_of_farming_in_western_Eurasia_9600_4000_cal_BC_update_vers_2021_1_
Haak, Wolfgang and all (2010) Ancient DNA from European Early Neolithic Farmers Reveals Their Near Eastern Affinities. Online at: https://journals.plos.org/plosbiology/article?id=10.1371/journal.pbio.1000536)
Hamon, C. and Manen, C. (2021) The Mechanisms of Neolithisation of Western Europe: Beyond a South/North Approach. Open Archaeology Volume 7 Issue 1. Online at: https://doi.org/10.1515/opar-2020-0164
Olmsted, David D (2022) Mediterranean Akkadian Lexicon 3rd Edition -2022. Online at: https://www.academia.edu/66851810/Mediterranean_Akkadian_Lexicon_3rd_Edition_2022

Europedia Correlates Material Traditions and Genetics Of The Neolithic Farmers

https://www.eupedia.com/genetics/haplogroups_of_neolithic_farmers.shtml

Starčevo–Kőrös–Criș Material Traditions (c. 6200-4500 BCE)

(May 26, 2024) This tradition represents the advance of Early Neolithic farmers from Anatolia to south-east Europe. Material traditions are not culture which can only be discovered from ancient texts but which can be hinted at from burial customs. Material traditions only show the range of a people's interconnection by the trade links which is affected by geography, technology level, and politics.
Very few graves have found in the Starčevo culture, and those were generally single graves. Most burials identified belonged to women or children. They were inhumed under the floors of personal residences as they were in Anatolia, a practice that continued until 4000 BCE. Graves rarely contained goods. When they did, it was pottery, grinding stones, flint tools or jewelry.
DNA tests show these people had fair skin, brown eyes and dark hair, while Mesolithic Europeans had darker skin, dark hair, but blue eyes.
More information at: https://www.eupedia.com/genetics/haplogroups_of_neolithic_farmers.shtml

Linear Pottery (LBK) Material Traditions (c. 5600-4250 BCE)

(May 26, 2024) Represents the northwestern advance of Early Neolithic farmers from the Starčevo-Körös culture across central Europe, starting from what is now Hungary and spreading northwest.
Burial customs began to change during this time. Cemeteries containing from 20 to 200 graves make their appearance from 5000 BCE and included both male and female skeletons, apparently arranged in groups based on kinship.
DNA tests show these people had fair skin, brown eyes and dark hair.
More information at: https://www.eupedia.com/genetics/haplogroups_of_neolithic_farmers.shtml

Megalithic Material Traditions (c. 4800-2000 BCE)

(May 26, 2024) The origins of the Megalithic material traditions in Europe remains controversial and incomplete. At this time the remaining Mesolithic people were interbreeding with the Near Eastern farmers. Later the Indo-European invaders started doing the same. DNA testing of remains from burials around Megalithic sites shows that paternal ancestry was overwhelmingly Mesolithic European, while maternal ancestry was predominantly East Mediterranean. Why this is the case is unknown.
Ancient DNA tests have shown that Atlantic Megalithic people had a variety of skin tones ranging from pale-intermediate to dark. Almost all had brown or black hair. The majority had brown eyes. They like the earlier Neolithic farmers were lactose intolerant.
This map is incomplete as Megalithic structures are also found as far east as the Caucuses. Again, material traditions do not define culture.
More information at: https://www.eupedia.com/genetics/haplogroups_of_neolithic_farmers.shtml

(May 27, 2024) The most recent and detailed genetic study of Otzi the iceman shows he had darker and he was mostly bald. Consequently, he was likely a mix of Mesolithic hunter-gatherer and Neolithic farmer. This also means his language was Akkadian. (Some of the latest genetic analysis is now indicating that dark skin came from Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. Image from: https://www.trendradars.com/uk/article-643683-is-this-what-otzi-the-iceman-really-looked-like-scientists-say-europes-oldest-mummy-was-dark-and-bald-when-he-roamed-the-alps-5300-years-ago-and-not-fair-and-hairy-as-previously-thought-2

Latest Genetic Info Shows Ötzi the Iceman Had Neolithic Farmer Genetics. He Must Have Been Speaking Druid Akkadian in 3300 BCE

(November 9, 2023) Ötzi was found murdered in 1991 on the Southern slopes of the eastern Italian (Ötztal) Alps. He is the world's oldest glacier mummy. Radiocarbon dating and stable isotope analysis date him to between 3350–3120 BCE. Based on the dating he could have been killed by some Indo-European invaders. Here is a quote from the Max Plank Institute Press Release dated August 16, 2023:

Ötzi's genome was decoded for the first time more than ten years ago. This was also the first time the genome of a mummy had been sequenced. The results provided important insights into the genetic makeup of prehistoric Europeans. Advances in sequencing technology have now enabled a research team from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology and Eurac Research to reconstruct Ötzi’s genome more accurately. The results of this recent analysis refine the Iceman’s genetic picture: compared to other contemporary Europeans, Ötzi’s genome has an unusually high proportion of genes in common with those of early farmers from Anatolia. And, contrary to previous findings, at the time of his death, Ötzi had advanced hair loss and may have even been bald. Furthermore, his skin was darker than previously thought. Ötzi’s genes also show a predisposition to diabetes and obesity.

This is interesting linguistically because the Alpine region and Eturia just south of the Alps continued to speak and write Akkadian until conquered by the Romans.

References

Max Plank Institute Press Release dated August 16, 2023: https://www.mpg.de/20711365/0804-evan-dark-skin-bald-head-anatolian-ancestry-150495-x

Ke Wang, Kay Prüfer, Ben Krause-Kyora, Ainash Childebayeva, Verena J. Schuenemann, Valentina Coia, Frank Maixner, Albert Zink, Stephan Schiffels, Johannes Krause. (1923) High-coverage genome of the Tyrolean Iceman reveals unusually high Anatolian farmer ancestry. Cell Genomics, 2023; 100377 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2023.100377

The problem of archaeology today is that it has no overarching theory to guide the interpretation of archaeological finds. This started to change with the first Book by Marija Gimbutas (1921-1994) published in 1982 in which she presented the Goddess Theory of European civilization to challenge the nationalist and patriarchal orthodoxy of Greek and Hebrew Source priority. At the time she was professor Emeritus of Archaeology at UCLA.
When the Goddess theory was later discredited what remained was the old nationalistic Greek and Hebrew Source Theory. This combined with the competitive nature of Academia these day is leading to a segmentation of archaeology and linguistics into narrow nationalist specialties pandering to nationalist funding sources. The result is fake history from academic linguists whose "translations" end up being mostly names representing their own nations language. Another result of this is the rise of pseudoarcheology from people who realize the old nationalist models are not valid and so are grasping at any alternative.

Reference

https://www.opusarchives.org/marija-gimbutas-collection/

Druid Civilization Theory Supersedes European Goddess Theory

(Feb. 6, 2023) Before there was this Druid theory of European cultural origins there was the Goddess Theory by Marija Gimbutas (1921-1994). She was the first to realize that the archaeological evidence pointed to an earlier and different civilization existing prior to the traditional Greek and Hebrew sources of European civilization.

Yet she failed in defining this earlier civilization for these reasons:

This was before the earliest European archaeological texts were translated so she was going in blind using only archaeological finds which can be interpreted many different ways.
She was mentally trapped and viewed deities in the Biblical way as lord gods, that is, only as people and not also as powers.
She was monotheistic postulating a single Goddess instead of goddesses.
She was caught up in the feminist movement of the era so she simply ignored any evidence contrary to her Goddess superiority concept. In her magnum opus book in which she presented her views (“The Language of the Goddess from 1989) she even turned the masculine icon of the bull into a feminine “regeneration” icon (page 188).

In Gimbutas’ last book The Civilization of the Goddess, which synthesizes the work and theses of her previous books (Goddesses and Gods of Old Europe 1974/1982 and The Language of the Goddess 1989/1991), she wrote,

“The primordial deity for our Paleolithic and Neolithic ancestors was female, reflecting the sovereignty of motherhood. In fact, there are no images that have been found of a Father God throughout the prehistoric record. Paleolithic and Neolithic symbols and images cluster around a self-generating Goddess and her basic functions as Giver-of-Life, Wielder-of-Death, and as Regeneratrix.”

Further in Civilization of the Goddess Gimbutas outlines the symbolic understanding Old European societies had of the universe and the divine. She wrote,

“The multiple categories, functions, and symbols used by prehistoric peoples to express the Great Mystery are all aspects of the unbroken unity of one deity, a Goddess who is ultimately Nature herself.”

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