Celtic mythology and Ukrainian legends: about the legend of Makitryna ravine

Abstract

The question of the presence of the Celts in Ukraine is still debated, despite the discovery of typically Celtic objects and sites on Ukrainian territory. However, it is possible to add to the file the vestiges of Celtic mythology that can be noticed within the rich corpus of Ukrainian legends. Several attempts of this type have already been made in the past. However, we must add that of the legend of the Makitryna ravine, in southern Ukraine, in an area where, a priori, there have never been Celts. The legend in question was collected very late, and some of what it contains offers interesting parallels with Greek mythology. However, its very structure finds an exact parallel in an Irish mythological text. Since there is no known historical connection between Ireland and this part of Ukraine, the source of this story can only be a possible Gallic population, perhaps Galatians in the service of a king of Pontus.