Celtic Gods: The Gaulish goddess, Naria (Lady)

Naria
A Gaulish Goddess: Lady

Naria is a Gaulish goddess known from two inscriptions, both from Switzerland. She is the female equivalent of the god Narius and she probably represents a pastoral goddess.



Synonyms:
Gaul: Lady

Naria is a deity known from two Gaulish inscriptions, the first of which was discovered at Muri, Switzerland (CIL XIII 05161) where a bronze statuette of the goddess was found. The second inscription was found at La Neuveville (CIL XIII 05151), again in Switzerland and reads: NORIAE NOVSANTIAE T FRONTIN HIBERNVS VSLM (To the Goddesses Norias Nousantias. Titus Frontinus Hibernius willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow). In this inscription she is given the epithet Nousantia. In common with other Romano-Celtic inscriptions we may have two deities represented here who were conflated with one another. Though both seem localized to the Muri region of Switzerland.

Her name is the female equivalent of the deity, Narius. By analogy with Narius, who is equated with the Roman deity, Faunus, Naria can be considered to be a pastoral goddess, who may have oracular properties. It should also be noted that in the La Nouveville inscription Naria is invoked in the plural indicating that she was probably considered as a triple goddess. The individual aspects may well have possessed separate but related aspects.

Naria's name can be derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic lexical elements *nāro- (lord) and the feminine ending -a. She is therefore the 'Lady' to Narius' 'Lord'.



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