Beltane, meaning “bright fire” in Old Irish, thrived in Celtic Ireland and Britain from the 1st millennium BCE. Held midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice, it was a sacred pivot, ushering in warmth and abundance. Celtic communities lit massive bonfires, driving cattle between flames for purification and dancing to invoke divine favor. Excavations uncover Beltane’s tangible past. Archaeologists found charred wood and ash layers at Tara Hill in Ireland, dated to 800–100 BCE, suggesting ritual bonfires. Burnt animal bones and bronze offerings, unearthed in Scotland’s Highlands, hint at sacrifices to ensure fertile harvests. Circular stone alignments, like those…