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Pritona
A Gaulish Goddess, also known as Pritiona, Pritonia: Ford
Pritona (Pritiona, Pritonia) is a Gaulish goddess known from three inscriptions froun in the lands of the Treveri tribe, Germany. In one inscription she is invoked as the consort of Bormo, indicating that she was a goddess of healing springs though she may also have been an augury and a psychopomp. |
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Gaul: Ford
Pritona is a goddess known from Pachten, Germany (AE 1959, 6) in the lands of the Treveri tribe where she is named as the consort of Bormo. She is also invoked as Pritonia in Trier, Germany (AE 1928, 185), where she is invoked as Ritona Pritona, indicating that Ritona is a separate entity rather than a synonym for Pritona, as is often assumed. The goddess invoked as Pritiona in Trier (AE 1989, 547) also probably represents the same deity.
In common with Bormo she was probably a goddess of hot springs and 'healing' in its broadest sense. The goddess' name can be interpreted as being derived from the reconstructed proto-Celtic root *ϕritu- (ford) but it also contains the root *kwrito- (poetry, possibly in the sense of one who can pierce the veil between realms). If she has a healing aspect then Pritona may have a role as a psychopomp one who takes souls on their journey between the realms (with the passage into death being one of the functions of a healer). Though her association with fords or river crossings could also have to do with her association with healing waters.
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