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Nemetona
A Gaulish and Brythonic Goddess: She of the Sacred Grove
Nemetona is a Gaulish and Brythonic goddess known from six inscriptions found in Germany and Bath in the UK. She is also known from the name of the Nemetes tribe ad represents the protective goddess of the sacred grove. |
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Gaul, Bryth: She of the Sacred Grove
As a deity, Nemetona is known directly from inscriptions found at Klein Winternheim (CIL XIII 07253), Altripp (where she is invoked with Mercury [CIL XIII 06131]), Trier (where she is invoked with Mercury [F 324; N 12]) and Eisenberg (where she is invoked with Mars Loucetious), all in Germany. She is also invoked at Bath, Avon, UK (RIB 0140) with this inscription: PEREGRINVS SECVNDI FIL CIVIS TREVER LOVCETIO MARTI ET NEMETONA VSLM (Eregrinus, son of Secundus, citizen of the Treveri, for Loucetius Mars and Nemetona, willingly and deservedly fulfilled his vow) which would indicate that this goddess was also known in the Moselle valley in Gaul, where the Treveri originated.
The goddess' name is also found in the tribal name of the Celto-Germanic tribe, the Nemetes (people of the Sacred Grove). Though whether they considered Nemetona their tutelary goddess or whether they were related to the sacred grove in general may never be known.
Though inscriptions to Nemetona herself are rare, Nemeton (sacred groves) are known throughout the Celtic world. Lucan refers to a Nemeton near the ancient Greek colony of Massilia, now Marseilles en Provence in South France, wherein were several simulacra or 'graven images of the gods' (Pharsalia III.412). Other Gaulish Nemeton being: Augustonemeton, Clermont-Ferrand in the Auvergne region of Central France; Nemetacum or Nemetocerna Atrebatum, Arras in the Artois region of Northern France; Nemetobriga Nemetatarum a city of the Bracaraugustanus district of Hispania Tarraconensis; Nemetodurum modern-day Nanterre in the Vallée de la Seine; Nemossus modern-day Nemours on the Plaine de la Beauce and Vernemetum, modern Vernantes on the Loire. The name is also preserved in the name of the Nemetatae, a tribe from the modern Val de Nebro in Northern Spain, mentioned by Ptolemy.
In Britain, Nemeton place names occurred at: Nemetostatio, North Tawton, Devon; Vernemetum, Willoughby, Nottinghamshire and Medionemeton, a location on the Antonine Wall in Strathclyde described in the Ravenna Cosmography (which may be Bar Hill or Croy Hill). There are other 'nemeton' groves both in Britain and Gaul but these are linked to their own specific deities and are described separately on this website.
The significance of the association of Mars with Nemetona also requires some consideration. In this respect it should be noted that Celtic Mars is a deity of agriculture, protection and healing as well as being a god of war. Though he may just as easily be invoked as the martial protector of the sacred grove. She is also invoked with Loucetious the Celtic lightning god equated with Mars. This association may have to do with the association of lightning with sacred trees, particularly oak. Thus Loucetious may be particularly associated with the drunemeton (sacred oak grove).
The root of the goddess' name, the reconstructed proto-Celtic lexeme *nemeto- (sacred place, sanctuary) survives in the Old Irish Nemed, the eponymous leader of the Nemedians, the third mythic invaders of early Ireland, supposedly originating in Scythia. They settled northern Ireland and thus began the difference between the north and the south. The Old Cymric equivalent, Nyfed (sacred grove) has fallen out of usage an the modern Cymric form is Llannerch (wooded enclosure) from which the name for a church enclosure Llan (found as the root of many Cymric place names) is derived. Thus each church enclosure is related to the ancient woodland enclosure of the druids and to the goddess Nemetona, their protector.
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If you would like to try the foods of the time of the ancient Celts, then why not have a look at the ancient recipes section of this site. For the foods of the time when some of these tales were written down, take a look at the Medieval recipes section of the site and, in particular, the recipes from The Forme of Cury.
