Artio

Artio is a Gallic hunting and bear-goddess who was worshiped at the Helvetii and Treviri. Your name is of artos, the Gallic word for "bear " ( altir. art; Cymric arth. ) Derived. In the interpretatio romana Artio Diana is equated.

Archaeological finds

A found in Muri bei Bern about 20 cm high bronze statue is a seated goddess with fruit basket dar. front of her stands a huge bear, which they obviously offer the fruits. On the base of the sculpture is the inscription: DEAE ARTIONI Licinia SABINELLA, translated in German, " The goddess Artio. Licina Sabinella ( donated it). " This sculpture is now in the Historical Museum Bern.

A second inscription is located in a ravine at Weil Erbach in the Sauer valley. It was carved into the rock and reads: ARTIONI BEAVER.

It is unclear whether Ertae, a name that is present on the rune box of Auzon, is an anglicized form of the goddess.

More Celtic deities bear

In the French department of Drôme several inscriptions of the goddess Andarta were found ( "Big Bear " ) and near Grenoble a male bear Artaios God was worshiped. The Lingones worshiped a God bears Matunus.