Ancasta was a Celtic goddess worshipped in Roman Britain. She is known from a single dedicatory inscription found in the United Kingdom at the Roman settlement of Clausentum (Bitterne, near Southampton).[1] Ancasta may be taken to be a local goddess, possibly associated with the nearby River Itchen.
The votive dedication to Ancasta reads:
- DEAE ANCASTAE GEMINVS MANI VSLM
- "To the goddess Ancasta, Geminus Mani[lius] willingly and deservedly fulfills his vow."
It may be possible that the name 'Ancasta' is related to Proto-Celtic *kasto- meaning 'swift'.[2]
The inscription is now in the SeaCity Museum.[3]
References
- ^ Jufer, Nicole & Thierry Luginbühl (2001). Les dieux gaulois : répertoire des noms de divinités celtiques connus par l'épigraphie, les textes antiques et la toponymie. Paris: Editions Errance. ISBN 2-87772-200-7. p.21.
- ^ Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, University of Wales. "Proto-Celtic—English lexicon." (See also this page for background and disclaimers.)
- ^ Clausentum, Pastscape, retrieved 13 January 2012