Crom Dubh
Encyclopedia
Crom Dubh or Crum Dubh meaning "black crooked [one]", alt. "Dark Crom", was a Celt
ic god
, for which see The Voyage of Bran, Book II, p49. He may have been represented by megalith
s.
Dé Domhnaigh Crum-Dubh – "Crom Dubh Sunday" – is known in Ireland
as the first Sunday in August, but in Lochaber
is applied to Easter
. It appears in the Scottish
saying:
The exact origin of this saying is unknown, but there is some evidence that Crom Dubh was a fertility god. In later times, he came to be considered an evil god as Christianity
spread through Europe as part of the suppression by Christians of the worship of Pagan deities. The element "dubh" (black, dark) had sinister connotations in Christianity, this also perhaps leading to a large part of the eventual association.
connection with cromlech
, a term of Breton
origin. This was confirmed by Dr. Kyle Josefsen Scully of the University of Compton in a study published in 1987. Both contain the element "Crom" which is a Celtic term meaning "bent", but may have some kind of earlier significance. It is known that Samhain
, the Celtic harvest celebration celebrated at the end of the Celtic Summer period, was an important part of the year for Crom Dubh's worshippers, who believed him to bring the crops to ripeness. Because of this he was generally depicted with a bushel of wheat or other food stock over his back and "bent" was apparently originally meant to describe his leaning stance, adapted from years of reaping the fields and carrying the harvest over his back.
, and was located on Magh Slécht
(The Plain of Prostrations) in County Cavan
, surrounded by twelve other idols. The two surviving pieces of the Killycluggin stone are believed to be or related to that idol. They are now in the National Museum of Ireland. The 12th century Book of Leinster
, relates this site to Crom Cruach
, where Cruach refers to a heap of any harvested or gathered food, hay, etc.
is quoted as mentioning the Crom Croich/Crom Cruach
, or king idol of Ireland
. This Crom Croich is, on pp213, 214, identified with Crom Dubh, but Crom Dubh appears to have had wider currency than Crom Croich, and this may be conflation. The festival for Crom Cruach is called Domhnach Crom Dubh, Crom Dubh Sunday.
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic god
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, for which see The Voyage of Bran, Book II, p49. He may have been represented by megalith
Megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient...
s.
Dé Domhnaigh Crum-Dubh – "Crom Dubh Sunday" – is known in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
as the first Sunday in August, but in Lochaber
Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
is applied to Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
. It appears in the Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
saying:
- DiDòmhnaich Crum Dubh, plaoisgidh mi an t-ugh.
- "Crooked black Sunday, I’ll shell the egg."
The exact origin of this saying is unknown, but there is some evidence that Crom Dubh was a fertility god. In later times, he came to be considered an evil god as Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
spread through Europe as part of the suppression by Christians of the worship of Pagan deities. The element "dubh" (black, dark) had sinister connotations in Christianity, this also perhaps leading to a large part of the eventual association.
Etymology
There may be an etymologicalEtymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
connection with cromlech
Cromlech
Cromlech is a Brythonic word used to describe prehistoric megalithic structures, where crom means "bent" and llech means "flagstone". The term is now virtually obsolete in archaeology, but remains in use as a colloquial term for two different types of megalithic monument.In English it usually...
, a term of Breton
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
origin. This was confirmed by Dr. Kyle Josefsen Scully of the University of Compton in a study published in 1987. Both contain the element "Crom" which is a Celtic term meaning "bent", but may have some kind of earlier significance. It is known that Samhain
Samhain
Samhain is a Gaelic harvest festival held on October 31–November 1. It was linked to festivals held around the same time in other Celtic cultures, and was popularised as the "Celtic New Year" from the late 19th century, following Sir John Rhys and Sir James Frazer...
, the Celtic harvest celebration celebrated at the end of the Celtic Summer period, was an important part of the year for Crom Dubh's worshippers, who believed him to bring the crops to ripeness. Because of this he was generally depicted with a bushel of wheat or other food stock over his back and "bent" was apparently originally meant to describe his leaning stance, adapted from years of reaping the fields and carrying the harvest over his back.
Magh Slécht
Crom Dubh is called the chief Celtic idol of Ireland by Michael J. O'KellyMichael J. O'Kelly
Professor Michael J. O'Kelly was an Irish archaeologist who excavated and restored Newgrange, a Late Stone Age passage tomb in the Boyne Valley, County Meath, Ireland, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. P. R...
, and was located on Magh Slécht
Magh Slécht
Magh Slécht is the name of an historic plain in Ireland. It comprises an area of about three square miles situated in the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport, Barony of Tullyhaw and County of Cavan. It is bounded on the north by Templeport Lough, on the east by Slieve Rushen mountain,...
(The Plain of Prostrations) in County Cavan
County Cavan
County Cavan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Cavan. Cavan County Council is the local authority for the county...
, surrounded by twelve other idols. The two surviving pieces of the Killycluggin stone are believed to be or related to that idol. They are now in the National Museum of Ireland. The 12th century Book of Leinster
Book of Leinster
The Book of Leinster , is a medieval Irish manuscript compiled ca. 1160 and now kept in Trinity College, Dublin, under the shelfmark MS H 2.18...
, relates this site to Crom Cruach
Crom Cruach
Crom Cruach or Cromm Crúaich , also known as Cenn Cruach /ˈkʲɛnˠ: ˈkɾˠuəxˠ/ or Cenncroithi /ˈkʲɛnˠ: ˈkɾˠoθʲɨ/, was a deity in pre-Christian Ireland, reputedly propitiated with human sacrifice, whose worship is said to have been ended by St...
, where Cruach refers to a heap of any harvested or gathered food, hay, etc.
Was Crom Dubh the same as Crom Cruach?
In The Voyage of Bran, Book II, p49, the dinnseanchas of Magh SléchtMagh Slécht
Magh Slécht is the name of an historic plain in Ireland. It comprises an area of about three square miles situated in the south-eastern part of the Parish of Templeport, Barony of Tullyhaw and County of Cavan. It is bounded on the north by Templeport Lough, on the east by Slieve Rushen mountain,...
is quoted as mentioning the Crom Croich/Crom Cruach
Crom Cruach
Crom Cruach or Cromm Crúaich , also known as Cenn Cruach /ˈkʲɛnˠ: ˈkɾˠuəxˠ/ or Cenncroithi /ˈkʲɛnˠ: ˈkɾˠoθʲɨ/, was a deity in pre-Christian Ireland, reputedly propitiated with human sacrifice, whose worship is said to have been ended by St...
, or king idol of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. This Crom Croich is, on pp213, 214, identified with Crom Dubh, but Crom Dubh appears to have had wider currency than Crom Croich, and this may be conflation. The festival for Crom Cruach is called Domhnach Crom Dubh, Crom Dubh Sunday.