![]()
|
Mattiaca
A Gaulish Goddess: Bear of the [fast-flowing] Waters
Mattiaca is a Gaulish goddess known from East Wiesbaden in Germany where she is associated with Roman Diana. She was the tutelary deity of the town and her association with Diana give her associations with chastity, divine waters and childbirth. |
![]()
|
Mattiaca is a goddess known from a singl inscription found at East Wiesbaden in Germany (which in Roman times was known as Aquae Mattiacae) where she is invoked as Dianae Mat[ti]acae. The Roman name for the site indicates that Mattiaca was probably considered a triple goddess and a tutelary deity both of the sacred waters associated with her cult and the tribe of the region, the Mattiacii. Her name is also preserved in the ancient name for Marburg, Germany (Mattium) and Wiesbaden (Mattiacum). Her name is derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic element *matu- (bear) and possibly *āku- (fast) or akwā- (water) thus she is the 'Bear of the (fast-flowing) Waters'. Some have proposed that she is cognate with the deity Artio. However, from her statue it would seem that Artio was a harvest and fertility daity whilst Marriaca seems to be a water deity; thus the association is made in terms of the names only.
Couldn't find what you were looking for? Search the web:
One Million People CampaignIf you can spare $1 then help support this site and change someone's life forever? Learn how and why on the One Million People campaign page. Or donate $10 and get my Guide to Spices or The Recipes of Africa eBooks as a gift for your donation! |