The Celts admired the fearsome aggressive qualities of the boar and its ability to defend itself to death. This symbolized the courage, bravery, and ferocity that the Celts were famous for.
The wild boar was an object of reverence all over the Celtic world. Boars were a dark, vicious force and a magical and wondrous entity.
Many Celtic stories refer to the wild boar and demonstrate its significance, reflecting the animism featured in Celtic belief. Some of the symbolism associated with the Celtic boar include:
- Fearlessness
- Wealth
- Fertility
- Stubbornness
- Abundance
- Good Health
- Courage
- Danger
- Strength
- Warriors
- Transformation
- Otherworldly Activity
The boar represented holy war, funerary rites, and great feasting sanctioned by the gods. Many artifacts of boars found on standards, coins, altars, burials, statues, and other images attest to this. Some were temple treasures.
Statues of boars often accompanied images of armed warriors and depictions of boars adorned with swords, shields, and helmets. Many warriors would wear boar skins when going into battle. Boars’ heads were also decorated with Carnyx, a long bronze trumpet played as a war cry.
