When the word Celtic is used, people inevitably think Irish. However, that is too limiting. The Ancient Celtic people were Indo-European. The Celtic people were not bound together by a central government, but rather each tribe was divided into clans. They were nomadic, but also territorial at times, where natural resources abounded. The Celts’ last stronghold after the appearance of the Roman Empire was in England, Scotland and Ireland. They were never completely subdued by the Romans in Ireland. Hence, through Roman writing about their campaigns in Ireland, we have come to consider Celtic as Irish. That is doing the Celtic people a vast disservice. The peak of Celtic influence was the 2^nd Century B.C. It spread from Ireland to Spain, into Turkey, Italy and even Western Russia. The famous cities of London, Geneva, Vienna, Budapest, Belgrade, Paris and Ankara all started out as Celtic cities named for their tribes. The Celts introduced the use of iron to northern Europe, established the first common market and the first international court of arbitration. They also gave us the art of mummery from which most drama and acting can trace their roots. Theatrical performance emerged during the Middle Ages first in the form of mumming plays, or plays done in mummer costumes. It had evolved from a ceremony and ritual into a play format.

Because mumming was essentially a secret ritual, it was passed down orally, so much was lost. Performers didn’t want to set down their texts because of a superstitious belief that to do so would break their luck. Although Mummer plays still survive in scattered places and are eagerly anticipated by their audiences, their newer Christian nature has totally transformed their pagan beginning.

Costumes were traditionally made of natural fibers, and frequently had bells. It was important that the face was totally disguised. It was considered bad luck to be recognized, for then evil spirits could identify you. It was common to disguise oneself as a tree or a sheaf of wheat, or to dress in animal skins. The face was usually blackened or whitened and covered. A common feature was a group of dancing men with bells and camouflage. The bells brought luck by scaring away the evil spirits that abounded in pagan beliefs. The headdress was often tall and again covered with strips of fibers or material hanging down. Frequently there was a fringed or tiered effect. A feeling that the dances have magic powers or bring luck persists wherever they are traditionally performed. The disguise was not only to provide safety from spirits, but also to mark the dancers as beings set apart from their community.

Picture below from "Folk Figures of the Village Society" by Markus Bullik. Due to be published later this year in conjunction with the Hamburg museum of Ethnology 

These mumming customs are widespread throughout Europe and extend into the Middle East, India and Russia. Notable examples are the Perchten of Austria, the Moriscas or Morrisen dances, the Calusari of Romania, the Matachinas of the Mediterranean and the Santiagos of Spain. The Sword Dances of Russia are another form that evolved from mummery.

Contemporary references to mummery or mummers did not appear until the late 16^th century. The earliest surviving written example of a mummers’ play is from 1596. Most scholars accept that the roots of the actions are paganistic. The plays had lost most of their pagan message aspects by then and shifted to more Christian themes, notably passion plays, but the basic rules remained.

Mummery crossed the Atlantic with the colonists. Immigrants and travelers brought these customs with them to America. Even during the Revolutionary War, New Year’s Day was celebrated as Carnival with parades and friendly calls upon neighbors while in disguise. British General Howe and his redcoats, while occupying the town of Wharton, New Jersey staged the "Meschianza" in the Wharton Mansion. George Washington continued the tradition after he was inaugurated in New York and moved to Philadelphia, (while Philadelphia was the Nation’s first capital) for the seven years he lived there. The tradition exists today in Philadelphia, though the form is greatly changed.