Today, I wanted to write about Sheela na gig, a fertility, protection, or lust spirit of Celtic origin whose imagery has been used throughout Ireland, Great Britain, France, and the Iberian peninsula. The oldest carvings of Sheela na gig date back to the Middle Ages, when she was often carved into cathedrals as a feminineContinue reading “Sheela Na Gig”
Category Archives: Gaulish deities
Smertrios
Today I wanted to write about Smertrios, a Gaulish god of agriculture. He is closely associated with Rosmerta. Smertrios was often synchronized with Mars and to a lesser extent Hercules. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smertrios?wprov=sfla1
Lugus
Today I wanted to write about Lugus, a Gaulish and Celtiberian god of trade, merchants, and shoemakers. An inscription found near Paris implies that Lugus is the king of the Gaulish pantheon. He is thought to share a common pan-celtic root with Lugh and Lleu Llaw Gyffes. He was later synchronized with Mercury/Hermes. In celtiberianContinue reading “Lugus”
Coventina
Today I wanted to write about Coventina, a Romano-British and Gaulish goddess of wells and springs. Coventina was mainly worshipped in Carrawburgh, where votive offerings were left by the well for her. She was mainly worshipped alongside Mithra, Minerva, and the Nymphs. Her worship remained popular until 388, when Theodosius I created anti-pagan laws. Sources:Continue reading “Coventina”
Vesunna
Today, for Spooky Season, I wanted to write about Vesunna, a Roman-Gaulish goddess of abundance, prosperity, protection, destruction, and death. She was synchronized with Hestia/Vesta and Tutela. She was once the patron goddess of Périgueux, France. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesunna?wprov=sfla1
Peluda
Today, for Dragon Month, I wanted to write about Peluda (La Velue), a French-Spanish river dragon. The Peluda lived in the Huisne. It is described as having green fur and poisonous spines. The only way to kill La Velue was to stab its tail. The Peluda survived the great flood by adaptating to aquatic life,Continue reading “Peluda”
Tarasque
Today for Dragon month I wanted to write about the Tarasque, a protective French Dragon, likely of Celtic origin. The Tarasque is almost exclusively known as a draconic monster killed by Saint Martha in southern France, after it’s death images of the Tarasque were used for protection. The Tarasque is the son of Leviathan. ThisContinue reading “Tarasque”
Rhenus Pater
Today, I wanted to write about Rhenus Pater, a Roman/Germano–Celtic river god of the Rhine. As one of the Potamoi, he’s a son of Oceanus. The Romans documented sacrifices by the Celtic and Germanic peoples living around the Rhine and later incorporated this God as Rhenus Pater into Religio Romana. The name Rhenus or RhenusContinue reading “Rhenus Pater”
Ritona
Today I wanted to write about Ritona, a Celtic mother goddess of rivers and protection. Although there’s no written sources of her myths there is one Roman source suggesting she was either worshipped alongside or as an aspect of Minerva. From what sources survived we know she was given written votive offerings. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritona?wprov=sfla1
Moccus
Today I wanted to write about Moccus, a Gaulish god of hunting, warriors, and the sun. Moccus is heavily related to pigs and boars. Moccus was synchronized with Mercury/Hermes and Lugh/Lugus. Some modern druid groups venerate Moccus more heavily during the Winter solstice while other groups place his festival day around the fall equinox. DuringContinue reading “Moccus”
Toutatis
Today I wanted to write about Toutatis, a Gaulish god of protection; and possibly war. Toutatis is often mentioned alongside two other Gaulish gods, Esus and Taranis, likely his brothers. He was primarily synchronized with Mercury but at least one source synchronized him with Mars. The asteroid Toutatis is named after him. Numerous rings withContinue reading “Toutatis”
Caturix
Today I wanted to write about Caturix, a Gaulish/Helvetii war god. Caturix was synchronized with the Roman god Mars along with some other Gaulish gods such as Toutatis, who he may have originated as an epithet of. He had a temple located in Aventicum in Roman Switzerland. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caturix?wprov=sfla1
Esus
Today I wanted to write about Esus, a Gaulish god often called the divine woodman/lumberjack. All though no myths remain he is closely associated with associated with Tarvos Trigaranus, Toutatis, and Taranis. He was historically synchronized with Mars. Later scholars compared him to Odin and by extention Mercury. In neodruidry he is sometimes synchronized withContinue reading “Esus”
Cissonius
Today I wanted to write about Cissonius, a Gaulish god of travelers, merchants, and trade. The goddess Cissonia is likely his sister and/or wife. He was synchronized with Mercury and Matutinus. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cissonius?wprov=sfla1
Intarabus
Today I wanted to write about Intarabus, a Gaulish god often thought to be a tutelary deity of the area now consisting of Belgium, Luxembourg, as well as parts and France, and Germany; he may have more specifically been connected to a singular spring in the area. One writing by a Roman author suggests heContinue reading “Intarabus”
Nehalennia
Today I wanted to write about Nehalennia a Germanic or Celtic goddess attested throughout the Zeeland coast in what is now the Netherlands, through the entomology of her name she is often thought to be a goddess of the sea, through the symbolism found of reliefs of her many scholars have guessed an association withContinue reading “Nehalennia”
Dea Matrona
Today I wanted to write about Dea Matrona, a Gaulish mother goddess who is also connected to the Marne river. She’s likely the mother of Maponos. She’s connected to the Brythonic goddess Modron. Numerous terracotta sculptures representing her have been found suggesting that she was commonly worshipped in households. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dea_Matrona?wprov=sfla1
Jean de l’Ours/Juan Artz
Today I wanted to write about Jean de l’Ours (also called Juan Artz, Juan del Oso, Joan de l’Os, Giovanni dell’Orso, Iann he vaz Houarn, John Bear, and a few other variations) who is a folk hero believed to originate as a Basque, Gaulish, Celtiberian, or even a paleolithic celtic figure associated with bears. HeContinue reading “Jean de l’Ours/Juan Artz”
Sucellus
Today I wanted to write about Sucellus, a Gaulish god of agriculture and wine. He’s likely married to Nantosuelta. He was synchronized with Silvanus. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucellus?wprov=sfla1
Artio
Today I wanted to write about Artio, a Gaulish goddess of fertility and the harvest associated with bears. Not much is know about Artio other than that she was worshipped in Gaul around modern Switzerland and has a statuette found alongside other Roman and Gaulish deities. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artio?wprov=sfla1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muri_statuette_group?wprov=sfla1
Erecura
Continuing with spooky season I wanted to write about Erecura, a celtic goddess thought to be connected to death and rebirth. Like many celtic deities her original myths do not survive but she was somewhat incorporated into Roman belief where she was closely associated with the god Dis Pater. She was sometimes combined with Proserpina.Continue reading “Erecura”
Cernunnos
Continuing with spooky season I wanted to write about Cernunnos, a Gaulish celtic god with a somewhat mysterious domain, many wiccans see him as an aspect of their horned god who is connected with nature and fertility as he is heavily based upon Pan, however in Roman writings about Cernunnos he is described as aContinue reading “Cernunnos”
Ganymedes' guide. 