Wicker Man
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The Wicker Man was a large wicker statue of a man used by the ancient Druids for human sacrifice, according to Julius Caesar in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico (Commentary on the Gallic Wars). Modern neopagan groups have adopted the figure, without the human sacrifice element.
While other Roman writers of the time described human sacrifice among the Celts, there is no other evidence for the use of the wicker man beyond Caesar's account. He mentions it as only one way the Druids of Gaul performed sacrifices, and does not claim to have witnessed it for himself. He says some of the Gauls build the effigies out of sticks and place living men inside, then set them on fire to pay tribute to the gods. Though the Druids generally used thieves and criminals, says Caesar (they please the gods more), they sometimes used innocent men when no delinquents could be found. Caesar's words are looked on with skepticism by modern scholars, who note the lack of corroborating evidence and point out that the general, as the leader of the Gaul's enemies, may have just been repeating a senationalistic rumor as propaganda to encourage his supporters back home.
The Wicker Man today
Today, a wicker man is burned as part of neopagan festivities, especially Bealtaine, a rite of spring. Wicker men are tall, anthropomorphic wooden structures, woven from flexible sticks such as those of willow as used in wicker furniture and fencing.The notorious effigy lends its name to the 1973 British cult film The Wicker Man, a horror/thriller directed by Robin Hardy and written by Anthony Shaffer. In that film, a stately Scottish detective investigates a murder on a remote island, and uncovers the increasingly malevolent secrets of a pagan cult that resides there. A remake of the film starring Nicholas Cage is due for release in 2006
References in popular culture
- In Anne Rice's famous book The Vampire Lestat (1984), Marius, one of the main characters, mentions the horrifying practice of the burning of the wickerman, complete with bodies inside it, when he lived in Roman times.
- The heavy metal group Iron Maiden released a song called "The Wicker Man", presumably inspired by the film. Bruce Dickinson, singer of the group Iron Maiden, also released a different song, similarly titled "Wicker Man".
- In the film When a Stranger Calls many of the students attend a bonfire party. During the party scenes, a burning Wicker Man can be seen in the background.
See also
References
- Caesar's Gallic War- De Bello Gallico, English translation by W. A. McDevitte and W. S. Bohn (1869); Latin text edition, from the Perseus Project [link]
External links
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