Celtiberian and Pre-Roman Iberian Beliefs: Spirit Communication, Mediumship, and Spiritual Dimensions
Introduction
Before the Roman conquest of the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal), the Celtiberian and Iberian peoplespracticed rich spiritual traditions that blended indigenous Iberian beliefs with Celtic influences. Their worldview was profoundly animistic, where spirits, ancestors, and gods inhabited natural landscapes, sacred times, and ritual spaces. Mediumship, divination, and spirit communication were central for maintaining harmony between the human world and the unseen dimensions.
Cosmology of the Celtiberians and Iberians
Pre-Roman Iberian spirituality described a universe structured around interconnected realms:
The World of the Living: Human communities tied closely to land, rivers, and mountains.
The Ancestral Realm: Spirits of the dead remained near the living, guiding or troubling families.
The Divine and Spirit World: Populated by deities, nature spirits, and other beings inhabiting groves, caves, and rivers.
This cosmology was cyclical and relational, emphasizing reciprocity between humans, nature, and spirits.
Ancestor Veneration and the Afterlife
1. Funerary Rites and Ancestors
Archaeological finds, including elaborate burial sites, show the importance of ancestor veneration.
Cremation and burial practices reflected belief in the ongoing presence of the dead, who influenced the living.
Offerings of food, weapons, and ornaments were placed in graves to support the spirits in their journey.
2. Household and Clan Spirits
Families likely honored protective household spirits, similar to other Indo-European traditions.
Ancestors were invoked for fertility, protection, and guidance, particularly during seasonal festivals.
Mediumship and Spiritual Specialists
1. Seers and Diviners
The Celtiberians had sacerdotes (priests) and augurs, who interpreted omens, animal behavior, and celestial signs.
These specialists acted as mediums between gods, spirits, and humans, guiding communities in war, agriculture, and justice.
2. Trance and Prophecy
Spirit communication often took place in trance states, likely induced by chanting, drumming, or ritual intoxication.
Prophets, especially women, were recorded by Roman sources as entering states of possession to deliver messages from gods or spirits.
Spiritual Beings and Deities of the Iberian World
Nature Spirits: Groves, rivers, caves, and mountains were inhabited by guardian beings.
Lug, Bandua, Nabia: Celtic deities worshipped in Iberia, linked with sovereignty, war, and waters.
Ataecina: A goddess of the underworld and rebirth, associated with healing and seasonal cycles.
Epona: The horse goddess, protector of fertility and travel, worshipped across Celtic Iberia.
Ancestral Heroes: Warrior ancestors were honored as continuing protectors of tribes and clans.
Rituals and Spirit Communication
Divination by Augury: Reading bird flight, animal entrails, and celestial signs to receive spiritual guidance.
Sacred Groves and Springs: Natural sanctuaries where offerings were made to deities and spirits.
Seasonal Festivals: Likely connected to agricultural cycles, when spirits and ancestors were honored.
Offerings and Sacrifices: Ritual gifts of food, animals, and objects created channels for communication.
Dreams and Vision Quests: Contact with spirits and gods often occurred in dreams or visionary states.
Comparisons with Western Mediumship
Similarities: Trance states, divination, ancestor communication, and oracular prophecy.
Differences: Celtiberian and Iberian practices were tribal and communal, focused on warfare, fertility, and natural cycles, rather than private séances or evidential spirit messages. Spirit communication was integrated into daily survival and tribal identity.
Continuity and Legacy
Though Roman conquest suppressed and assimilated many indigenous traditions, elements persisted:
Local folk saints and shrines often replaced earlier deities.
Seasonal ancestor rituals survived in Christianized festivals such as All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day.
Folk healing, dream interpretation, and divination in rural Iberia reflect ancient continuities.
Modern Celtic revival and Iberian neopagan movements are reconstructing pre-Roman spirit practices.
Conclusion
Celtiberian and Pre-Roman Iberian beliefs in spirit communication, mediumship, and multidimensional realms reveal a culture deeply connected to ancestors, deities, and the natural world. Through trance prophecy, augury, ancestor veneration, and rituals in sacred landscapes, these peoples sustained dialogue with the unseen.
Unlike Western Spiritualism, their traditions emphasized communal duty, tribal identity, and cosmic cycles, embedding spirit communication into war, agriculture, and survival.