The Witch's and Druids Den

The Nemeton

As we have journeyed to awaken our minds at the different elements of a Gaulish rite, we now come to a point of great importance: the demarcation and circumambulation of sacred space. These are ritual activities involving the marking of sacred space and moving in a circular motion around that space, deeply rooted in many Indo-European religious traditions. These rites help to define the sacred boundaries of ritual space and invoke divine protection, creating a clear distinction between the mundane and sacred realms. In constructing a Gaulish hearth rite, the use of demarcation and circumambulation can be supported by comparative Indo-European evidence, archaeological findings, and academic interpretations.

One way to understand the significance of this process is through the concept of the axis mundi, as described by Mircea Eliade in The Sacred and the Profane. The axis mundi, or cosmic axis, serves as the central point that connects the heavens, the earth, and the underworld. In many ancient religions, sacred spaces were microcosms of the larger universe, with the ritual space acting as a symbolic axis mundi. For the Gauls, this cosmic structure was often represented by Drus, the World Tree, whose roots and branches connected the three realms of existence.

Drus spanned the entirety of the Gaulish cosmology, uniting Dubnos (the Underworld), Bitus (the Middle World), and Albios (the Upperworld). In Gaulish ritual practice, the nemeton (sacred grove) could be seen as a reflection of Drus itself, a place where all three realms intersect. The process of demarcating and circumambulating a sacred space not only marked the boundary between the sacred and profane but also established a connection with the cosmic structure of the universe.

At the center of all these realms lies Antumnos—the Otherworld. This is the place where all things meet, the true heart of Drus. Here, all are none, and none are all. It is a liminal domain, the crossing point between Drus and the three realms, where material and immaterial worlds overlap. As participants circle the ritual space, they not only walk between the physical realms of Dubnos, Bitus, and Albios but also touch the boundaries of Antumnos, the inverted mirror of the material world. In Antumnos, the laws of the physical world dissolve, and one enters a space where all boundaries blur.

This inversion of the material realms, where what is solid becomes fluid and what is known becomes unknowable, reflects the spiritual journey that occurs through circumambulation. As participants walk in a circle, they are symbolically crossing between these worlds, invoking the presence of Antumnos and the divine beings who dwell there. Through this act, the sacred space is consecrated, the realms of Drus and Antumnos are invoked, and the sacred is made manifest in the physical world.

Thus, in a Gaulish hearth rite, circumambulation and demarcation not only create sacred space but also invoke Drus, the three realms, and Antumnos. This ritual act serves to consecrate the nemeton, marking it as a liminal space where gods, ancestors, and spirits may be called, and where the boundaries of the physical and spiritual worlds meet and dissolve.

Greek Religion: Temenos and Ritual Boundaries
In ancient Greek religion, sacred spaces such as the Temenos were marked with clear boundaries, symbolizing the separation between the mortal and divine realms. Before entering these sacred enclosures, participants would undergo purification rituals, often involving the sprinkling of water and the burning of incense to cleanse both themselves and the space (Burkert, 1985). These boundaries could be natural, such as trees or rivers, or constructed, such as stones or stakes. Circumambulation was a common ritual within these spaces, particularly around altars, and involved walking in a circular direction, typically clockwise (dexios), to honor the gods and purify the area.

As Pausanias describes in his Description of Greece, worshippers often circled sacred enclosures and altars as part of their devotional practice, symbolically creating a boundary between the sacred and profane realms. This demarcation ensured that the space was ritually ‘sealed’ and protected, allowing participants to engage fully with the divine forces within.

Roman Religion: Lustratio and Temple Consecration
The Romans, too, practiced circumambulation in many of their rites, especially in the construction and consecration of temples. During rituals like the sacra privata and the lustration (lustratio), individuals or animals were led around the perimeter of a sacred space in a circular motion, purifying it and marking the boundaries (Beard, North, Price, 1998). The act of circumambulation was essential for ‘sealing’ the space, invoking divine favor, and ensuring that the temple or altar was properly protected.

The Roman founding myth of the pomerium—the sacred boundary of the city of Rome—provides a striking example of ritualized demarcation. According to Livy, the city’s founders would plow a furrow in a circular motion, defining the city’s sacred limits. This act of boundary-setting reflects the Roman understanding of space as a vital aspect of religious practice, ensuring that the city remained under divine protection and order (Livy, Ab Urbe Condita).

Vedic Religion: Agnihotra and Parikrama
In Vedic religion, the practice of circumambulation played a key role in the Agnihotra (fire offering) and Soma rituals. Participants walked around the fire altar, usually in a clockwise direction, symbolically bringing auspiciousness and divine favor to the rite. The sacred fire was central to Vedic rituals, and the act of walking around it in a circular motion reinforced the boundary between the sacred ritual space and the outside world (Staal, 1983).

Similarly, the concept of parikrama—the act of circumambulating temples or sacred shrines—was a continuation of Vedic tradition in Hinduism. These practices ensured the protection of the sacred fire from malevolent influences, while also demarcating a space that was set apart from the mundane (Gonda, 1980).

Germanic Religion: Sacred Boundaries and Ritual Circling
In Germanic religious practices, circumambulation was a key aspect of rites that involved land-taking or the establishment of sacred boundaries. Sacred groves, burial mounds, or ritual sites were often circled in a clockwise motion to invoke divine protection or establish sanctity. The boundary between the sacred and mundane was emphasized by the act of walking around the space, symbolically protecting it from negative forces (Davidson, 1964). Tacitus also notes how sacred groves in Germanic lands were separated from the everyday world by clear demarcations, often created through natural boundaries (Tacitus, Germania).

Sacred Spaces (Nemetons)

The nemeton, or sacred space, was central to Gaulish and wider Celtic ritual practice. Archaeological sites such as the sanctuary at Ribemont-sur-Ancre in France reveal evidence of demarcation through enclosures and carefully arranged standing stones. These features suggest that the boundary between sacred and profane spaces was clearly marked, likely using wooden posts or stone markers creating an enclosed sacred area where rituals could take place (Cunliffe,1997). Processions or circumambulatory rituals may have occurred within these spaces as part of the opening or closing of rites dedicated to the gods of the grove (Green,2012). Several Iron Age and early Roman-period Celtic religious sites include evidence of circular enclosures, which may have been used for circumambulatory rituals. At sites like Corent, a large circular sanctuary, the evidence suggests that circumambulatory rituals were likely a part of Gaulish religious practice. Worshippers may have walked around the sacred area to open and close rituals, invoking the gods and marking the space as holy (Fichtl, 2008). This practice, common across Indo-European traditions, reinforced the cosmic separation between the ordered world (Samos) and the chaotic, primordial world (Giamos), which are constantly in tension. Other sites feature stone markers or boundary ditches, emphasizing the importance of defining sacred areas suggesting that these stones were used to mark sacred areas and were often circled during rituals to invoke divine protection (Krappe, 1954).

Circumambulation in Creating Sacred Space

Scholars such as Mircea Eliade and Victor Turner have explored the concept of liminality, emphasizing the role of ritual activities in transitioning from mundane to sacred space. Circumambulation, in particular, is seen as a way of reaffirming the boundaries of sacred space and ritually ‘sealing’ it and making it holy (Eliade, 1957). The act of walking in a circle can be understood as creating a spiritual boundary, separating participants from the ordinary world and bringing them into closer contact with the divine. Circumambulation is a common feature of rites of passage, where participants symbolically move from one state of being to another by walking through a sacred boundary (Turner 1969).

In the context of Gaulish rites, circumambulation around the nemeton serves as a powerful ritual action, reaffirming the boundary between the sacred and profane. This act of walking the perimeter creates a spiritual boundary that allows the worshippers to move closer to the divine, invoking the protection of deities like Nemetona, the goddess of sacred spaces.

Demarcation in Indo-European Cosmology

In many Indo-European cosmologies, demarcation reflects the division of the cosmos into zones of order and chaos, or sacred and profane with rituals like circumambulation used to create or reinforce these boundaries during religious ceremonies (Puhvel 1987). This cosmological division can be seen in the physical ritual spaces that were marked off for religious practices, and circumambulation reflects the larger cosmological framework that separated the sacred from the mundane (Dumézil 1973). For the Gauls, the Nemeton likely served as both a physical and cosmological boundary, where sacred and profane worlds met.

By marking off ritual space with stones, wood, or fire, and performing circumambulation, Gaulish worshippers could ensure that the boundary between worlds was properly honored. This act not only secured divine protection but also reaffirmed the cosmic balance between the three realms and Samos and Giamos.

Demarcation and circumambulation were central to Indo-European religious practice and can be meaningfully incorporated into Gaulish hearth rites. Drawing on comparative evidence from Greek, Roman, Vedic, and Germanic traditions, we see that these acts served to protect, purify, and honor sacred spaces. In Gaul, the nemeton stood as the ultimate liminal space, where the divine and mortal worlds met. By circling these spaces and marking their boundaries, we reaffirm our connection to the gods and the cosmic forces of order and chaos that shape our world.

---

Sources

Burkert, W. (1985). Greek Religion. Harvard University Press.
Beard, M., North, J., & Price, S. (1998). Religions of Rome: Volume 1: A History. Cambridge University Press.
Eliade, M. (1957). The Sacred and the Profane: The Nature of Religion. Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Davidson, H. R. E. (1964). Gods and Myths of Northern Europe. Penguin.
Aldhouse-Green, M. (2012). Celtic Sacred Groves: The Archaeology and Mythology of Trees, Woodlands and Groves. Routledge.
Cunliffe, B. (1997). The Ancient Celts. Oxford University Press
Frits Staal, Agni: The Vedic Ritual of the Fire Altar (1983)
Stephan Fichtl, La Gaule: Histoire, Civilisation et Archéologie (2008)
Jan Gonda, Vedic Ritual: The Non-Solemn Rites (1980)
Hilda Ellis Davidson, Gods and Myths of Northern Europe (1964)
Alexander Haggerty Krappe, The Sacred Stones of the Celtic Lands (1954)
Victor Turner, The Ritual Process (1969)
Georges Dumézil, Gods of the Ancient Northmen (1973)
Jaan Puhvel. (1987). Comparative Mythology. Johns Hopkins University Press.

---