Celtic Gods: The Gaulish god, Matutinus (Back of the Bear)

Matutinus
A Gaulish: Back of the Bear

Matutinus is a Gaulish god known from three inscriptions found in Switzerland, where he is associated with Roman Mercury. He may have been a protective deity of travellers.



Synonyms:
Gaul: Back of the Bear

Matutinus is a deity known from three inscriptions all found in modern-day Switzerland. In the first of these (AE 1992, 1300) from Promontogno, Switzerland, which reads: Mercurio [Ci]ssonio [M]a[t]utino [V]alerius [Ge]rmani [ (to Mercury Cissonius Matutinus, Valerius Germani[us] [). Here Matutinus is associated with the Roman deity Mercury by Interpretato Romano and with the Celtic deity Cissonius. The next inscription (CIL XIII 34c), dedicated to Mercurio Ma[tut(ino)] was discovered at Wettingen, Switzerland. The final inscription (CIL XIII 05235) was found at Baden, Switzerland and reads: Mercurio Matutino IV[3]ris ex voto [s(olvit)] l(ibens) m(erito) (To Mercury Matutinus, IV[...]ris as a result of a vow willingly and deservedly fulfilled). In all three cases Matutinus is equated with Roman Mercury the god of trade, profit and commerce.

Matutinus' name is derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic element *matu- (bear) and possible *tɜ¢knƒ (back, bottom). Thus Matutinus is the 'back of the bear' with the sense of 'seeing the back of'. As such Matutinus may well have been a protective deity of travellers, which explains his conflation with Roman Mercury.

As one of the Celtic bear gods, along with Artaius, Artio and Arthur, there is an ancient Celtic legnd which says that the bear-gods will arise from hibernation and come to the aid of their people when called. . Matutinus' name is also very similar to the figure of Math fab Mathonwy, one of the main figures in the Mabinogi of Math fab Mathonwy. The similarity between the two names may well imply a shared etymology and may indicate a link between the bear and the mage-god.



Couldn't find what you were looking for? Search the web:



stefan and zogo small One Million People Campaign
If 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!