Avalon, The Sacred Island

by BluSphere in Folklore, March 17, 2010

Avalon is a sacred island in Celtic mythology.

Avalon The Sacred Island

Avalon is a sacred island in Celtic mythology, described in the legend of King Arthur’s circle. Avalon means apple. Therefore it is also called “Island Of Apples” or “The Happy Island”.

The island is ruled by Afallach, the underworld god, and his nine daughters, of whom Modron is the oldest. Modron is the Celtic mother-goddess. Both Afallach and Avalon is derived from the word for apple.

Apple-gardens are also very known from Greek mythology, where the nine muses live in Hesperus’s garden, and in Norwegian mythology, where Idun guards the Apples Of Youth.

We also know this fruit from the Christian story about Adam and Eve in the Garden of Paradise. In this story, no one is guarding the apple tree of youth. Instead a snake, trying to entice Adam and Eve to eat an apple.