While researching information on the Tuatha de Danaan, I discovered a wealth of references to the life and times of the Druids; sources include The Wurzburg Codex, The White Goddess, Lost Cities, Ireland's Fairy Lore, The Religion of the Ancient Celts, Mythology of the British Druids (Edward Davies, 1809), and the Horizon Book of Lost Cities.
The true origin of the Druids is shrouded deep in the mists of time, and although romanticists have associated them wrongly with the builders of the stone megaliths, they appeared sometime after the disappearance of the "Stone Followers", that mystical race of mathematicians and astronomers responsible for Stone Henge and the like. They did, however, have the knowledge to utilize the great stone monuments, but more of that later.
Historians and archaeologists loosely agree on a rough time of appearance of the Druids in Britain between 1600 and 1400 B.C. From my research, I would lean toward the earlier figure, as historical references place them in Ireland in 1472 B.C., when the Tuatha de Danaan arrived there, and were well established as seers for the court of the King of the Firbolgs. The cult appears to have originated in the British Isles, as the earliest mention of the movement in Europe occurs in Gaul about 200 B.C., and according to the Bards of that time, in order to be properly trained, an Acolyte had to travel to Britain to be "properly ordained", what-ever that means. They also referred to Britain as the seat of the Druid Heirachy.
When the Danaans displaced the Firbolgs as the ruling race of Ireland, the Druids flourished under their guidance. After the fall of the Danaans at the hands of the Milesians (who would later evolve into the Celts), they were adopted by the peoples who came afterwards. Even though the Celts maintained temples to their own Gods, they celebrated the religious rites of the Druids as well. We know this due to the Celtic references to Druids, as well as "Gutuatri", which were priests of the Celtic temples, which were built of wood, and more rarely, stone.
Druidism appears to be a clannish cult, as they lived in small groups, or "communes" with their wives and children, separate from what-ever race ruled the land, indifferent to the politics of the day. Their communities were generally placed deep in the woods, with their dwellings generally being wood huts with thatched roofs, with a communal cook/ritual-fire in the center of a ring of dwellings. Their Hierarchy was based on levels of knowledge, beginning with youths of either sex, at the level of Aspirant. As the youths developed, they attained the next level, referred to as "Ovate". Once these youths reached their majority (adulthood, as deemed by their respective clans), they became Novitiates. There were twelve stages of Novitiate, from the first cycle to the twelfth cycle. Thus, at the end of a twelve year Novitiate, they came to the rank of Druid, abandoning the colored robes of lesser rank to don the Black or gray robe of the Druid. After a period of highly specialized training, generally lasting from three to five years, depending on the individual, the Druid became a High Druid, wearing an all white robe, and specializing as an instructor in Arts, General Teaching, Councilors, Arbitrators, judges, etc.
Apparently, positions above High Druid were elected, on a special day each year called the Day of Renewal. We shall delve more thusly into that concept later on, as we examine their calendar. It is their New Years Day, December 23.
The next level that a Druid could attain was that of "Chief Druid", ruling over a group of clans and wearing white robes with scarlet trim. Trim design was governed by the group of clans, and many different symbols were used, from trees to animals, to eventually, Celtic knotwork and designs. Above this level came the Arch-Druids, who wore white robes with gold trim; this post governed geographical regions, with several Chief Druids under them. They general had their own retainers, and administered the great Druid Colleges, which they would locate in sacred woods or groves. There was a college dedicated to the Poets, the Bards, the Historians, the Healers, Herb and Spell Lore, Seers (Derwydd, from which the word "Druid" is derived, means "Oak Seer"), Magic Use, Astronomy and Astrology. To reach the rank of Druid, a Novitiate had to "graduate" from each of these colleges, requiring the pupil to travel all through the country and meet and get to know all of the ranking Druids of his day. This would in turn, aide him at his time of election.
Above the rank of Arch-Druid came the legendary rank of "Great Druid", who wore a white robe with intricate trim of scarlet and gold, along with necklates of gold and bracelets of gold to mark his exhaulted rank. The Great Druid ruled the entire cult, and presided over all of the great rituals on the major holidays.
There is a special rank that existed, although the duties of the position has been lost in time, and that is of the "Hierophant" or "Priest-King". One can well imagine what his position might entail.
Of the Druids who served Kings, their attire seems to have been more unique. The Chief Druid of the King of Erin, for example, wore purple robes, while the Chief Druid of Northern Albany wore a bull's hide, with a white, speckled bird head-piece, complete with fluttering feathers.
