Celtic Gods: The Gaulish god, Carpantus (The Charioteer)

Carpantus
A Gaulish God, also known as Carpentus: The Charioteer

Carpantus (Carpentus) is a Gaulish god known from several inscriptions found in France. He may be a deity of battle heroes, the same heores who would originally have ridden to war on Celtic chariots.



Synonyms: Carpentus
Gaul: The Charioteer

Carpantus is known from an inscription (CIL XII 0248) found at La Farlède Var, France which reads L(ucius) Valerius Quartus Carpanto v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito). As Carpentus he is is known from inscriptions at Huos (CI XIII 0093 which reads Deo Carp[e]nto), Péguilhan (AE 1953, 1 which reads Carpendo deo) and Sarrecave (AE 1969/70, 389 which reads: Carpento deo Titullus Publi f(ilius) v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)), each in the Haut-Garonne region of France.

The name Carpantus is derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic form *karbanto- ([war] chariot), which gives the Gaulish carpento- as attested by Livius and gives us a name like 'The Charioteer'. However, any futher information regarding this deity and his aspects has been lost and none of the inscriptions give any more information than the god's name. However, if he was a deity of the war chariot then this would indicate that he was a warrior god of some kind. Possibly a god of the heores who rode to battle on Celtic chariots.



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