Editing Death by burning (section)

====Celtic traditions====
[[File:The Wicker Man of the Druids crop.jpg|thumb|right|267px|An 18th-century illustration of a wicker man. Engraving from ''A Tour in Wales'' written by [[Thomas Pennant]]]]
According to [[Julius Caesar]], the ancient [[Celts]] practised the burning alive of humans in a number of settings. In Book 6, chapter 16, he writes of the [[Druid]]ic sacrifice of criminals within huge [[Wicker man|wicker frames shaped as men]]:
{{blockquote|Others have figures of vast size, the limbs of which formed of [[Salix viminalis|osiers]] they fill with living men, which being set on fire, the men perish enveloped in the flames. They consider that the [[oblation]] of such as have been taken in theft, or in robbery, or any other offence, is more acceptable to the immortal gods; but when a supply of that class is wanting, they have recourse to the oblation of even the innocent.}}

Slightly later, in Book 6, chapter 19, Caesar also says the Celts perform, on the occasion of death of great men, the funeral sacrifice on the pyre of living slaves and dependents ascertained to have been "beloved by them". Earlier on, in Book 1, chapter 4, he relates of the conspiracy of the nobleman [[Orgetorix]], charged by the Celts for having planned a ''coup d'état'', for which the customary penalty would be burning to death. It is said Orgetorix committed suicide to avoid that fate.<ref>''Julius Caesar, McDevitt, Bohn'' (1851) '''On penalty for conspiracy''', [https://books.google.com/books?id=7FsIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA4 p. 4] '''On criminals in large wicker frames''', [https://books.google.com/books?id=7FsIAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA149 p. 149] '''On funeral human sacrifice''', [https://books.google.com/books?id=7FsIAAAAQAAJ&pg=P150 pp.&nbsp;150–151]</ref>