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In [[:Category:Celtic mythology]] '''Taranis''' was the god of thunder worshipped in Gaul and Britain and mentioned, along with [[Essus]] and [[Toutatis]], by the Roman poet Lucan in his epic poem ''Pharsalia'' as a Celtic deity to whom sacrificial offerings were made. [http://worldwideschool.org/library/books/lit/poetry/Pharsalia/chap1.html Book I]. | |||
He was associated, as was the [[cyclops]] [[Brontes]] (‘thunder’) in [[:Category:Greek mythology]], with the wheel and may have received human sacrifices. Many representations of a bearded god with a thunderbolt in one hand and a wheel in the other have been recovered from Gaul, where this deity apparently came to be syncretised with [[Jupiter]]. He is likely connected with the Anglo-Saxon god Þunor, the [[:Category:Norse mythology|Norse]] [[Thor]], [[Ambisagrus]], the [[:Category:Irish mythology|Irish]] [[Tuireann]] and the Culdee saint Taran. The name Taranis has not yet been recovered from Gaulish inscriptions, but similar variants have, such as '''Taranucno-''', '''Taranuo-''', and '''Taraino-'''. | |||
==Etymology== | |||
The reconstructed lexis of the Proto-Celtic language as collated by the University of Wales [http://www.wales.ac.uk/documents/external/cawcs/pcl-moe.pdf] suggests that the name is likely to be ultimately derived from the Proto-Celtic *''Toranos''. This Proto-Celtic word means ‘thunder.’ In present day Welsh ''Taranu'' means 'to thunder'. | |||
Taranis, as a personification of thunder, is often identified with similar deities found in other Indo-European pantheons. | |||
Of these, [[Thor]] and the Hittite god ''Tarhun'' (see also [[Teshub]]) contain a comparable ''tor-'' element. | |||
The Thracian deity names ''Zbel-thurdos'', ''Zbel-Thiurdos'' also contain this element Thracian ''- thurd(a)'' "to push, to crash down"). | |||
Others have different etymologies, e.g. [[Perkwunos]], [[Brontes]] and [[Indra]]. | |||
==References== | |||
*Ellis, Peter Berresford, ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology'' (Oxford Paperback Reference), Oxford University Press, (1994): ISBN 0-19-508961-8 | |||
*MacKillop, James. ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-280120-1. | |||
*Wood, Juliette, ''The Celts: Life, Myth, and Art'', Thorsons Publishers (2002): ISBN 0-00-764059-5 | |||
===External links=== | |||
*[http://www.mythome.org/celtic.html Celtic Gods and Associates] | |||
*[http://www.paralumun.com/celticgod.htm Celtic Gods] | |||
*[http://www.daire.org/names/deities.html Some Major Celtic Gods and Goddesses] | |||
{{wikipedia}} | |||
[[Category:Celtic mythology]] |
Latest revision as of 17:31, 18 April 2007
In Category:Celtic mythology Taranis was the god of thunder worshipped in Gaul and Britain and mentioned, along with Essus and Toutatis, by the Roman poet Lucan in his epic poem Pharsalia as a Celtic deity to whom sacrificial offerings were made. Book I. He was associated, as was the cyclops Brontes (‘thunder’) in Category:Greek mythology, with the wheel and may have received human sacrifices. Many representations of a bearded god with a thunderbolt in one hand and a wheel in the other have been recovered from Gaul, where this deity apparently came to be syncretised with Jupiter. He is likely connected with the Anglo-Saxon god Þunor, the Norse Thor, Ambisagrus, the Irish Tuireann and the Culdee saint Taran. The name Taranis has not yet been recovered from Gaulish inscriptions, but similar variants have, such as Taranucno-, Taranuo-, and Taraino-.
Etymology
The reconstructed lexis of the Proto-Celtic language as collated by the University of Wales [1] suggests that the name is likely to be ultimately derived from the Proto-Celtic *Toranos. This Proto-Celtic word means ‘thunder.’ In present day Welsh Taranu means 'to thunder'.
Taranis, as a personification of thunder, is often identified with similar deities found in other Indo-European pantheons. Of these, Thor and the Hittite god Tarhun (see also Teshub) contain a comparable tor- element. The Thracian deity names Zbel-thurdos, Zbel-Thiurdos also contain this element Thracian - thurd(a) "to push, to crash down"). Others have different etymologies, e.g. Perkwunos, Brontes and Indra.
References
- Ellis, Peter Berresford, Dictionary of Celtic Mythology (Oxford Paperback Reference), Oxford University Press, (1994): ISBN 0-19-508961-8
- MacKillop, James. Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1998. ISBN 0-19-280120-1.
- Wood, Juliette, The Celts: Life, Myth, and Art, Thorsons Publishers (2002): ISBN 0-00-764059-5