About the Order
The Order of Antiquarian Druids is a sovereign social fraternal group of researchers who are devoted to the study of fraternal societies, and organizations.
We are not a religious order or neo-druid group.
We conduct original research, curate reference materials, and maintain a digital repository and archive for the fraternal bodies we study.
Our aim is to preserve artifacts, regalia, rituals, and records; to make knowledge accessible to researchers and members; and to foster community around shared heritage.
Our Research Methodology
At the Order of Antiquarian Druids, we believe that understanding and preserving the history of fraternal traditions requires careful work and diligence. That is why members of the OAD prioritizes a strict, source-disciplined methodology.
We categorize historical data into three distinct tiers:
1. Primary Sources (Our Standard)
A primary source is an immediate, first-hand account of a topic from people who had a direct connection with it. For our research, this means we rely on:
Official Proceedings: Bound annual journals and transactions of Grand Bodies.
Committee Reports: Original, unaltered reports.
Archival Documents: Original charter applications, meeting minutes, and official correspondence.
Contemporary Periodicals: Fraternal journals, newspapers, and gazettes published during the era under study.
By analyzing these records, we capture history exactly as it was recorded by the individuals and officers who wrote it, free from modern reinterpretation.
2. Secondary Sources (Used with Caution)
A secondary source is one step removed from the event. It is an authorization, critique, or synthesis written by someone who did not experience the events first-hand, usually after the fact.
Examples: Modern academic textbooks, historical biographies written years or decades later, or analytical articles about fraternal history.
Our Stance: While these can offer helpful context or point us toward forgotten archives, we treat them as signposts rather than absolute facts.
3. Tertiary Sources (Avoided)
A tertiary source is a collection or distillation of primary and secondary sources. It does not provide any new analysis; it merely packages existing information.
Examples: Encyclopedias, almanacs, general Wikipedia entries, and casual blog posts.
Our Stance: We actively avoid using tertiary sources in our published research. Because they generalize complex histories, they can frequently repeat old myths, transcription errors, and debunked rumors as fact.
Our Promise
Every historical narrative, timeline, and lineage published by the Order is traced back to verified, primary archival records. We do not guess, and we do not rely on hearsay. If the primary documents do not support a claim, we do not print it.
We have chosen the Fraternal Chronicle to serve as our newspaper of record. Visit the Fraternal Chronicle ISSN: 3069-535X by clicking HERE
Do you have questions or want to donate books or artifacts?
Use the Contact page and we will email you.
We typically respond within 48 hours.
