Celtic Gods: The Brythonic God, Abandinus, Defender of the Waters
Abnova
A Gaulish/Brythonic goddess, also known as Avnova, Abna and Abnoba: She of River Wetness

This deity is known from a a range of inscriptions found in Germany and possibly from the town name of Abonae at the mouth of the Avon, England is probably a hunter aspect of the Celtic triple mother goddesses.

Synonyms: Avnova, Abna, Abnoba
Gaul/Bryth: She of River Wetness

A goddess from the Black Forest region. Her name is derived from Brythonic root for river (Afon or Abon) which can be further broken-down to the proto-Celtic components *abo-. (river) *nō- (wetness, from which the Cymric 'nofio' [to swim] originates) with the feminine ending ā. Thus the name can be rendered as: 'She of River Wetness'.

According to Tacitus's Germania, Abnoba was the name of a mountain in the Black Forest which was the source of the River Danube and as such she may have been a goddess of river sources, which would be entirely compatible with the etymology of her name. As Abna she is known from inscriptions at S. Martinho do Campo and Santo Tirso, Portugal.

Some have suggested that the name of the river Avon in south-western England was derived from this goddess. However, as Afon is the Brythonic (and modern Cymric) word for river it may be that she was the patroness of all waterways. Indeed the naming of the river Avon is probably an Anglo-Saxon error occurring when an Anglo-Saxon asked someone 'what's that', pointing to the river. The local Brython replied 'afon' (simply meaning river) so the Anglo-Saxon said 'ah, so it's the river Avon!'. And thus it became known as the river River (compounding the Anglo-Saxon and the Brythonic). However, the Romano-Celtic town of Abonae at the mouth of the Avon may have been dedicated to this goddess.

It should also be noted that Abnova is also known from Alprisbach, Cannstatt, Pforzhein and Valdmössingen, Germany. She is also known from Badenweiler, Mühlburg, Mühlenbach and Stettfeld in Germany where she is equated with the Roman goddess Diana. At the Roman baths at Badenweiler, there is an altar that refers to her as Dianae Abnobae (Abnovas the Dianas). Use of the multiple form in Latin is interesting, indicating that she may have been a multiple goddess. Possibly a triple goddess with a huntress aspect (equivalent to Diana), a water aspect (hence the water element in her name). It can also be inferred (in common with other Celtic triple-goddesses) that there was a 'mother' aspect to her nature though nothing remains of this aspect of her cult.



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