Sucellus: a Gaulish God, Sucellus (The Good Striker)

Synonyms: Sucaelus, Suecelus
Gaul: The Good Striker

sucellus standing with hammer in one hand and cup in the other

sucellus as silvanus standing with hammer in one hand and cup in the other

Sucellus is a god known from at least eleven inscriptions (mostly from Gaul) and an equivalent number of statues. The region of Sucellus' worship covers most of northern Gaul, with inscriptions having been discovered at: Worms in Germany (CIL XIII 06224) where he is assimilated by Interpetrato Romana as Silvanus Sucellus; at Vichy in Allier (ILTG 497), Ancey-Mâlain in the Côte d'Or (AE 1990, 768), Metz (ILTG 565) and Sarrenbourg (CIL XIII 04542) in the Moselle valley (where he is invoked with his consort Nantosuelta and Lyon in the Rhône [AE 1990, 768] (all of these in France). He is also invoked at Yverdon in Switzerland (CIL XIII 05057) as well as Augst in Switzerland [AE 1925, 5] (where once more he is invoked as Sucellus Silvanus) [The full inscription reads In honor(em) d(omus) d(ivinae) deo Sucello Silv(ano) Spart(us) l(ocus) d(atus) d(ecreto) d(ecurionum) (in honour of the temple of the god Sucellus Silvanus, Spartus [erected this] on the site provided by a decree of the decurions)]. There is also a single inscription on a ring found at York, England (RIB 2 2422).

Iconographically, (as in the exemplar, above left based on a bronze statue from Prémeaux, France) Sucellus is depicted as a bearded middle-aged man wearing a tunic and holding a hammer in one hand and olla (a pot or jar) in the other. Almost identical representations have been found at Geneva, Pouzin in France (though in both instances the mallet is missing). A very similar statue has also been discovered in Sunderland (this has previously been ascribed as a 'smith god' but the hands clearly indicate that the figurine originally bore a mallet and an olla). A further depiction of Sucellus, as exemplified by a bas-relief from Sarrebourg where he is depicted alongside his consort, Nantosuelta shows a bearded Sucellus wearing a tunic and with a cloak over his right shoulder. In his left hand he holds a square-faced hammer and in his right hand there lies an olla. A similar depiction is also seen at Saint-Romain-en-Gal and a bust depicting a similar figure has also been discovered at Javols in the Lozere region of France. Similar figures have also been discovered at Kinheim-Kindel and Wallerfangen, Germany. The final form of Sucellus, as exemplified from the example from Glanum, Provence, (above right) depicts Sucellus as the forest hunter deity, Silvanus with a laurel wreath, a square-headed hammer and a cloak draped about him.

Sucellus' iconography is complex; however, when depicted in conjunction with his consort, Nantosuelta, the couple are generally accompanied by symbols associated with prosperity and domesticity. Even the meaning of Sucellus' ubiquitous hammer/mallet is a matter of debate. It could be an implement of war, an agricultural tool or a symbol of Sucellus' power. Part of the deity's iconography indicated that he was associated with agriculture though his association with Roman Silolvanus suggests that he was also considered as a hunter/forest deity. The pot or barrel which is invariably held in the deity's other hand associates him with brewing and both the grape and wheat harvests. Thus Sucellus may also be a deity of various alcoholic drinks. In this respect he shares some properties with Gofannon/Goibnu brewer of an drink that bestowed immortality and health upon the imbiber.

An inscription found at Mainz in Germany and dedicated to Sucaelus (who is assimilated into the cult of Jupiter Optimus Maximus and invoked along with the Genius Locus of the site) probably represents an invocation of the same deity, as does an inscription from the source of the river Arroux in France which indicates that the site was presided over by Suecelus; a further variant on this deity's name. Using the reconstructed proto-Celtic lexicon Suecellus' name has been interpreted as being derived from the components: *su- (good/very) and *keld- (strike) which is also related to the reconstructed proto-Indo-European *kelh₂- (strike) along with the Latinied masculine particle -us. Thus Sucellus can be interpreted as 'The Good Striker'.

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