Celtic Gods: The Gaulish Goddess Divona (Divine Source, Sacred Well)

Divona
A Gaulish Goddess: Divine Source, Sacred Well

Divona is a Gaulish goddess, known from the thermal springs of Cahors, France (originally known as Divona Cadurcorum). She is the goddess of the thermal springs and represents the 'Divine Source' of the waters.



Synonyms:
Gaul: Divine Source, Sacred Well

Divona was a Gaulish goddess associated chiefly with the thermal springs of Cahors, Quercy, France, which was originally called Divona Cadurcorum

Though there were thermal baths in the area, it seems as if Divona was a 'goddess of the watersource', associated with the spring that now drives the 'fountain of the Carthusian Monks', where in 1989 thousands of coins and a number of jewels were discovered, as well as an inscription dedicated to Divona, indicating that this was a votive site.

Indications that Divona was a goddess are given is such sources as the 10th century Tironiennes Notes, the 12th Century Table of Peutinger (a copy of a far older map, perhaps 200CE depicting the entire Roman Empire and all the known world at the time, as well as Ptolemy's Geography. A poem by Ausone also mentions the worship of Divona during the forurth century CE, as do the writings of the Carthusian monks.

The name of the goddess Divona is also captured within the place-names Divonne-les-Bains (Ain); Dionne (Cíte-d'Or) and Dions (Gard) in France.

The name 'Divona' probably means 'Divine Source' though in Cornish the word divona means 'sacred well' and may indicate that the worship of Divona was not restricted to Gaul.



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