Celtic Gods: The Gaulish goddess, Damona (Divine Cow)

Damona
A Gaulish Goddess: Divine Cow

Damona is a Gaulish goddess known from a number of inscriptions in the Burgundy region of France were she is typically named with Apollo and Borvo. Alise-Sainte-Reine represents the centre of her cult, where sehe presided over a sacred healing spring. She was certainly a goddess of healing, though there also seems to have been a fertility aspect asociated with her cult.



Synonyms:
Gaul: Divine Cow

Damona was a Gaulish goddess known from a number of Burgundian inscriptions where she is generally partnered with Apollo and Borvo. At Alise-Sainte-Reine (AE 195, 181) she is associated with Apollo Moritasgus, at Bourbonne-les-Baines (CIL XIII 05911, 05914 to 05921, inclusive) she is associated with Apollo and Borvo, whereas at Bourbon-Lancy (CIL XIII 02805 to 02808, inclusive( she is associated with Borvo and Bormo. Both Apollo and Borvo are associated with healing spring sanctuaries and Damona may have been the goddess of the waters. She is also known from inscriptions at Aignay-le-Duc (CIL XIII 11233) and Saintes (AE 1919, 49), where she is invoked as deae Damonae Matubergini (*matu- [bear] and *ber-e/o- [flow] -i- [deitic particle] — goddess of the bear-flow).

Alise-Sainte-Reine, ancient Alesia the centre of her cult. Here a spring shrine was dedicated to Apollo and Damona who presided over the restorative powers of a pool in which pilgrims bathed in the hope of curing their ailments. All that remains of Damona's image at this shrine is a stone head crowned with ears of corn and a hand with a serpent coiled around it. At Bourbonne-Lancy the inscription to Damona directly associates her with the curative sleep undergone by pilgrims to her shrine; in the hope that within the dream they would be visited by the goddess and be cured.

The association of Damona with the cow and the presence of corn ears on her statue strongly suggest a fertility component to her cult. The serpent may be symbolic of her function as a healer; rebirth being associated with the sloughing of the snake's skin.

Unusually, at Aignay-le-Duc Damona was associated with an indigenous deity, Albius. Within the votive pit in which the inscription was found there was a fragment of sculpture depicting the head of a serpent and a human arm entwined within its coils. Very similar imagery to that found at Alise-Sainte-Raine. Other inscriptions found at Bourbonne-les-Baines and Rivières, Charente show that Damona could be invoked alone, in the absence of a male consort.



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