Aerfen is a Celtic goddess of fate and warfare, and the personification of
River Dee in Wales.
The name ''Aerfen'' is the modern Welsh form of
Common Celtic
Common may refer to:
Places
* Common, a townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
* Boston Common, a central public park in Boston, Massachusetts
* Cambridge Common, common land area in Cambridge, Massachusetts
* Clapham Common, originally com ...
''Aerten'', which was derived from ''agro-'', "carnage", and ''tan-nu'', "to broaden" or "to spread", or ''ten-n-do-'', "to break" or "to cut".
Together, ''Aerfen'' probably means "renowned in battle".
''Aerfen'' had also been used as an alternate name for the River Dee.
Aerfen had a shrine in
Glyndyfrdwy
Glyndyfrdwy (), or sometimes Glyn Dyfrdwy, is a village in the modern county of Denbighshire, Wales. It is situated on the A5 road halfway between Corwen and Llangollen in the Dee Valley (the river Dee is ''Afon Dyfrdwy'' in Welsh).
History
A ...
on River Dee. Local legend states that three human sacrifices had to be drowned in the river, to ensure success in battle.
During
Anglo-Welsh wars, the river Dee, which is situated on the English-Welsh border, was said to be the arbiter of victory and defeat.
It was said that if the Dee ate away its eastern bank, it was a sign of English victory, and vice versa.
Aerfen could be compared to
Morrígan in Irish mythology.
References
{{Celt-myth-stub
Welsh goddesses
War goddesses
Time and fate goddesses
Sea and river goddesses