Matunos

Matunus, Latinized form of Matun ( n ) os, is the name of a Celtic ( Bear? ) God who was worshiped in Britain and Gaul.

Etymology

Its name comes from the urkeltische word * matu - " good, cheap " or "bear" (see Old Irish math, "bear", but also Old-Celtic * mati, Old Irish maith, "good", synonymous with welsh mad ) back and is also on behalf of the city lingonischen Andematunum (now Langres, France) included. The transition from * matu -to math can be with the use of a naming of the bear taboo explain (see German " Bear" - actually " the brown one "). An interpretation of Matunus as " (God of ) good days " is therefore also possible. The competing i strains ( * mati - ) and u - stems (* matu - ) were later divided in such a way that the former came to mean "bear " means " good" and the latter.

Consecration inscription and mythology

A military unit of the Roman army, the Cohors Primae Lingonum equitata, which consisted mainly of Lingones was also stationed in Bremenium (High Rochester, Northumberland ). Here it was found in 1715 a shrine with an inscription.

It is assumed that Matunus was mainly worshiped by the Lingones as God. Since Matunus " (large ) bear" can mean a function as a bear God, just as at Artaios to accept. He is also counted with the goddess Artio and Andarta common to the Celtic deities bear.

In the medieval Welsh tales of the fourth branch of the Mabinogi in appearance and in the Irish Lebor Gabála Érenn occurs Math fab Mathonwy ( " Bear, son of Little Bear " ) as one of the main characters ( "The Book of acquisitions of land in Ireland " ) is of the people of the part of the Tuatha De Danann ( " people of the Goddess Danu " ) talk to his entourage, a magician named Mathgen ( " son of the bear "). Whether and to what extent there is here a connection between these two figures and the ancient Celtic Bear God Matunus is not clear safely.