Spår av Druider - En jämförelse av antika texter och arkeologiskt material

Sammanfattning: The purpose of the thesis is to examine the evidence for druids and their actions in classical texts and archaeological finds. Initially the materiality and description of druids in the classical sources will be analysed. It will be followed by an analysis of a selection of archaeological finds that researchers have connected to druids. Finally, the archaeological material will be discussed in order to determine which finds can be connected to druids with support of the classical texts, and in what cases the researchers have made interpretations that cannot be confirmed. The conclusion of the thesis is that several factors can be associated with druids with the support of both archaeological material and the classical texts. The sources indicate that sacrifices, sanctuaries and religious and medicinal artefacts can be linked to druids. However, inscriptions cannot be connected to druids based on the literary evidence, and there is no support for the existence of depictions of druids. On the other hand, the archaeological material is less limited than the classical texts, which can provide a broader and more versatile image of druids and Celtic rituals.