Ancasta

The Ancasta Altar

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). 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'.

The inscription is now in the SeaCity Museum. It was previously in the museum at God's House Tower.

References

  1. ↑ 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.
  2. ↑ Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies, University of Wales. "Proto-Celtic—English lexicon." (See also this page for background and disclaimers.)
  3. ↑ Clausentum, Pastscape, retrieved 13 January 2012
  4. ↑ Douch, Robert (1968). Monuments and memorials in Southampton (Southampton papers, no.6). City of Southampton. p. 39.