Celtic Gods: The Brythonic Goddess, Ancasta, The Very Swift One
Ancasta
A Brythonic goddess: The Very Swift One

This deity is known from a single inscription found at Clavsentvm (Bitterne) in Hampshire, England and is probably the embodiment of the river Itchen.
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Synonyms:
Bryth: Very Swift One

Ancasta is a rather obscure Romano-Brython goddess. She is mentioned on a single inscription from Clavsentvm (Bitterne) in Hampshire. The altar inscription dedicated to her reads: DEAE ANCASTAE GEMINVS MANI VSLM (To the goddess Ancasta, Geminus Mani[lius] willingly and deservedly fulfils his vow), which represents the only known dedication to this goddess.

Ancasta is known because of the inscription above and as such was probably a local deity. However, by comparison with the re-construction of proto-Celtic (see references) the goddess' name can be broken down into the components *an-kast-ā (very swift one). It may be that she was a river goddess, associated with the nearby River Itchen (which would certainly fit with the interpretation of her name) though this is merely speculative.



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