Exploring the Celtic Influence in South Caspian Sea Folklore Among Galeshi and Gilaki Peoples

The Galeshi and Gilaki people, inhabitants of the northern regions of Iran adjacent to the Caspian Sea, trace their origins to an Iranian lineage, but have a rich cultural heritage influenced by various historical interactions. Their folklore and social structures share similarities with other Indo-European cultures, including Celtic ones. However, their distinct linguistic and cultural identities remain deeply rooted in their geographic and historical contexts.

Celtic Influence: An Underlying Current

Despite the lack of direct evidence linking these communities to ancient Celtic culture, elements of Celtic practices and festivals can be observed in their traditions. This article delves into the potential Celtic influences observed in the region, particularly through the celebration of Beltane and the Gilaki festival of Bal.

Beltane: The Celtic Midsummer Festival

Beltane, a midsummer festival from Celtic times, is marked by the lighting of bonfires, herding cattle through the smoke for purification, and traditionally, young couples marrying to seek fertility. This festival, traditionally observed as the first day of summer, mirrors the Gilaki and Galeshi traditions in significant ways:

Fires: Gaels called it belen, which is similar to balo-tanos in proto-Celtic, both referring to bonfires. Cattle Rituals: Cattle were driven through the smoke to ward off parasites. Marriage and Fertility: Young couples were often married on this day to ensure fertility. Fertility Symbols: A phallic symbol, called a maypole, was used to raise power for fertilization of both the land and the people.

Gilaki Bal Nowrooz: A Local Midsummer Festival

Bal Nowrooz, celebrated in the north of Iran, marks the first day of the Gilaki New Year. This festival, coinciding with the harvesting season, includes lighting fires to thank God for blessings and crops. Newly wed couples are given white horses and a yellow cow is set free to symbolize happiness and abundance:

Fires: Like Beltane, Bal Nowrooz involves lighting fires, though not with phallic symbolism. Horse Goddess: The festival's association with horses, including a white horse symbol, may be linked to horse worship in Celtic mythology. Welcome New Life: The release of the cow is a ritual of welcoming new life, akin to the fertility symbolism in Celtic cultures.

Phallic Symbols and Ancient Cultures

The Golestan province, particularly the Khalid Nabi Cemetery, is rich in ancient phallic symbols, often misinterpreted as evidence of pre-Islamic fertility cults. These symbols, often cylindrical in shape, have been the subject of popular media and tourist interest, though their true significance remains obscure:

"Touristic visitors often have perceived the cylindrical shafts with the thicker top as depictions of male phalli. This gave rise to popular guesses about pre-Islamic fertility cults as background to such perceived depictions."

Conclusion

While remnants of various ancient cultures, including pre-Islamic and local traditions, exist in the region, the direct link to Celtic culture remains tenuous and not well-documented. The cultural heritage of the Galeshi and Gilaki peoples is richly rooted in their Iranian identity, with possible Celtic influences emerging through folklore and social practices.

Keywords: Celtic culture, Galeshi people, Gilaki people