The model boats discovered in Celtic hoardes not only give us an idea of how barbarian vessels may have looked, they also reveal the important role played by the sea in Celtic mythology. Bodies of water were seen as pathways to the Otherworld, and any islands found there were viewed as places of mystery and magic. The inhabitants of the British coast believed that a series of small islands in the Bristol Channel were Otherworldly realms. The magic of these islands can be explained, in part, by the sea mists that still obscure them from time to time, making them completely disappear.
