What did Celtic burial customs suggest about beliefs in life after death?

Celtic burial customs provide significant evidence that the Celts believed in a life after death. This belief is primarily suggested by the practice of interring the deceased with grave goods, such as food, weapons, and ornaments, which were likely intended for use in the afterlife.1

Beyond these material offerings, Celtic religious thought—as taught by the druids—included a doctrine of transmigration of souls. Furthermore, mythological traditions describe an "otherworld," often envisioned as an underground realm or as islands in the sea. This destination was frequently depicted as a blissful land free from sickness, aging, and death, where happiness was eternal. While this "delightful plain" was a central concept in their eschatology, it was not necessarily accessible to everyone, as some traditions held that the majority of people returned to the god of the dead, Donn.1