Bormanus

Borvo or Bormo (Gaulish: *''Borwō'', ''Bormō'') was an ancient Celtic god of healing springs worshipped in Gauls and Gallaecia., s.v. ''Borvo''. He was sometimes identified with the Graeco-Roman god Apollo, although his cult had preserved a high degree of autonomy during the Roman period.

Name

The Gaulish theonym ''Boruō'' means 'hot spring', 'warm source'. It stems from the Proto-Celtic verbal root *''berw''- ('boil, brew'; cf. Old Irish ''berbaid'', Middle Welsh ''berwi''), itself from Proto-Indo-European *''bʰerw''- ('boil, brew'; cf. Latin ''ferueō'' 'to be intensely hot, boil', Sanskrit ''bhurváni'' 'agitated, wild'). The ''Bhearú'' river (River Barrow) in Ireland has also been linked to this Celtic root. An apophonic variant *''bʰreh₁w''- gave rise to various Indo-European words for 'source, spring', including the Greek ''phréar'' (φρέαρ), Armenian ''ałbiwr'', Germanic *''brunnōn'', and Latin ''Furrina'' (''*Frūrina'').

The variant ''Bormō'' could have emerged from lenition, a difference in suffixes, or from dissimilation. Known derivates include ''Bormanicus'' ( Caldas de Vizela), from an earlier *''Borwānicos'', and ''Bormanus'' or ''Borbanus'' (Aix-en-Diois, Aix-en-Provence), from an earlier *''Borwānos''. A goddess named ''Boruoboendoa'', perhaps reflecting the Gaulish theonym *''Buruo-bouinduā'' or *''Buruo-bō-uinduā'', has also been found in Utrecht.

The toponyms Bourbon-l'Archambault, Bourbon-Lancy, Bourbonne-les-Bains, Boulbon, Bormes, Bourbriac, La Bourboule and Worms are derived from ''Borvo'' or from its variant ''Bormo''. The names of various small rivers in France, such as ''Bourbouillon'', ''Bourban'', and ''Bourbière'', also stem from the theonym.

Centres of worship

In Gaul, he was particularly worshipped at Bourbonne-les-Bains, in the territory of the Lingones, where ten inscriptions are recorded. Two other inscriptions are recorded, one (CIL 13, 02901) from Entrains-sur-NohainCorpus Inscriptionum Latinarum (CIL), 13: ''Tres Galliae et Germanae''. and the other (CIL 12, 02443) from Aix-en-Savoie in Gallia Narbonensis. Votive tablets inscribed ‘Borvo’ show that the offerers desired healing for themselves or others. Many of the sites where offerings to Borvo have been found are in Gaul: inscriptions to him have been found in Drôme at Aix-en-Diois, Bouches-du-Rhône at Aix-en-Provence, Gers at Auch, Allier at Bourbon-l'Archambault, Savoie at Aix-les-Bains, Saône-et-Loire at Bourbon-Lancy, in Savoie at Aix-les-Bains, Haute-Marne and in Nièvre.

Findings have also been uncovered in the Netherlands at Utrecht, where he is called Boruoboendua Vabusoa Labbonus, and in Portugal at Vizela and at Idanha-a-Velha, where he is called Borus and identified with Mars. At Aix-en-Provence, he was referred to as Borbanus and Bormanus but at Vizela in Portugal, he was hailed as Bormanicus, and at Burtscheid and at Worms in Germany as Borbetomagus.

Divine entourage

Borvo was frequently associated with a divine consort, usually Damona (Bourbonne, Bourbon-Lancy), but sometimes also Bormana when he was worshipped by the name Bormanus (Die, Aix-en-Diois)., s.v. ''Borvo''. Bormana was in some areas worshipped independently of her male counterpart, such as at Saint-Vulbas.Borvo bore similarities to the goddess Sirona, who was also a healing deity associated with mineral springs. According to some scholars, Sirona may have been his mother.

In other areas, Borvo's partner is the goddess Bormana. Bormana was, in some areas, worshipped independently of her male counterpart.Miranda Green. ''Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend.'' Thames and Hudson Ltd. London. 1997 Gods like Borvo, and others, equated with Apollo, presided over healing springs, and they are usually associated with goddesses, as their husbands or sons.The Religion of the Ancient Celts: Chapter XII. River and Well Worship
/ref> He is found in Drôme at Aix-en-Diois with Bormana and in Saône-et-Loire at Bourbon-Lancy and in Haute-Marne with Damona but he is accompanied by the ‘candid spirit’ Candidus in Nièvre. In the Netherlands at Utrecht as Boruoboendua Vabusoa Lobbonus, he is found in the company of a Celtic Hercules, Macusanus and Baldruus.

References

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{{Celtic mythology (ancient)

Gaulish gods
Health gods
Water gods
Lusitanian gods
Gallaecian gods