Celtic Gods: The Gaulish and Brythonic Goddess, Alauna, Harmony
Alauna
A Gaulish and Brythonic goddess, also known as Alauda, Alaunia and Alouna: Harmony

This deity is known from a single inscription found at Pantenburg, Germany and from several inscriptions found in France and place names in Britain. She is a goddess of place; a deity of the harmony of the environment and where the tribe lives.
Synonyms: Alauda, Alaunia, Alouna
Gaul, Bryth: ?Harmony

A goddess known from an inscription in Pantenburg, Germany where he is associated with Boudina and Voroius.

She is the tutelary deity of the Alauduni, a tribe centred around the city of Laon, Picardy, France. Originally Laon was known as Bibrax, capital of the Alauduni. Later it became Alaudanum (city of Alauda) before becoming Lugdunum Clavatum, dedicated to the god Lug. This has led some to associate Alauda with Lug though it is probably a false association. As Alouna she is known from Chieming and Seeon (where she is invoked as Alounis sacr(um) [sacred Alouna]) in the Bayern region of Germany.

The name probably derives from the same root as the Cymric alaw (song, tune) but with the older meaning of 'harmony'. The name is also seen in Britain in the Romano-Celtic place names of Alauna (now Watercrook, Lancashire), Alauna (now Learchild, Northumberland), Alauna (the Roman fort at Maryport, Cumbria) and the river Alaunus (originally probably Alaunia and now Aln, Northumberland). The name may also be a component of the Pictish tribe the Otalini which might be rendered as the 'People of Alauni', hence the 'People of Harmony'.

Given the interpretation of her name, and the occurence in many tribal and place names it's likely that Alauna was a 'goddess of place' a deity invoked to bring about the harmony of where the people lived and dwelled.



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