Celtic women were afforded social opportunities that were typically denied to women in other societies. This article focuses on women's roles in the Celtic world.
Many conventions from historical, Western societies have been patriarchal in nature. However, while Celtic society was certainly still male-dominated, Celtic women—depending on the social class they were born into—were often afforded access to wealth and even training as warriors. They were figureheads, leaders, mothers, and healers. Additionally, many of the most important figures in Celtic mythology were female goddesses.
Celtic goddesses were often associated with fertility, childbirth, and the cycles of nature. Many goddesses presided over natural resources, such as rivers and forests. The natural world was incredibly significant to Celtic peoples, who revered their surrounding landscape and often integrated it into their ritual practices. As such, women—both real and mythological—were incredibly important in the Celtic world.
