THE CELTIC PANTHEON: GODS AND GODDESSES

The Celts, also called the Megalithic people, because they use to build large monuments of carve stone, did not imagine their deities under concrete personal form. Stones, rivers, trees and other natural objects, were to them the adequate symbols, or were half symbols, half actual embodiments of the supernatural forces which they venerated. The existence of personal gods with distinct titles and attributes is reported to us by Caesar, who equates them with various figures in the Roman pantheon-Mercury, Apollo, Mars Because the Celts lived in tribes, certain local or regional deities had greater popularity within their spheres than supra-regional deities. For example, in east-central Gaul, the local Burundian healing g goddess Sequoya, was probably more influential in the minds of her local devotes than the Matres, who were worshiped all over Britain, Gaul and the Rhineland. Among the divinities, transconding tribal boundaries were the Matres, the sky-god and Epona, the horse goddess, who was invoked by devotees living as far apart Britain, Rome and Bulgaria. Many Celtic divinities were extremely localized, sometimes occurring in just one shrine. In Gaul, over 400 different Celtic gad-names are recorded, of which al least 300 occur just once. Sequana, the healing goddess, was confined to her spring shrine near Dijon, the divine couple Acuities and Bergusia were worshiped solely al Alesia and Burgundy. One notable feature of Gaulish and Romano-Celtic sculpture is the frequent appearance of male and female deities in pairs, such as Rosmerta and Mercury,Nantosuelta and Sucelles,Sirona and Apollo Grannus,Mars Loucentius and Nemetona. The horse, an instrument of indo-European expansion, plays a part in all the mythologies of the various Celtic cultures. The cult of the Gaulish horse goddess Epona was widespread. She seems to be the embodiment of horse power or horsemanship, which was likely perceived as a power vital for the success and protection of the tribe. Mother goddesses are a recurrent feature in Celtic religion. Ichnographically, Celtic mothers may appear singly or quite often triply.

Another important god in the Celtic mythology is Laugh. Lugh seems to function as a god of sovereignty .The Celtic god Lugh is associated with Mercury, from the Roman mythology. In Gaulish monuments and inscriptions, Mercury is often accompanied by Rosmerta, the goddess of fertility and prosperity. Taranis,the Gaulish Jupiter,is often depicted with thunderbold in one hand and a distinctive wheel in the other. Teutates,also spelled Toutatis,is known as the god of the tribe and it is associated with the Roman Mars.