Niskus is a Romano-British river god, mentioned one time from a lead curse tablet inscription. The theonym is related to a local river

deity A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greate ...

linked to the

River Hamble The River Hamble is located in south Hampshire, England. It rises near Bishop's Waltham and flows for through Botley, Bursledon, and Lower Swanwick before entering Southampton Water between Hamble Common and Warsash. The Hamble is tidal fo ...

. It is possible that the origin of the theonym is connected with the ancient Greek word νῆξις - floating. Found on Creek Badnam in Southampton in 1982, this curse tablet from the

Greco-Roman world The Greco-Roman civilization (; also Greco-Roman culture; spelled Graeco-Roman in the Commonwealth), as understood by modern scholars and writers, includes the geographical regions and countries that culturally—and so historically—were di ...

was created in about 350 or 400 AD by Muconius, a man angry at the mystery thief who stole his gold and silver coins. Latin Text: Translation: Lord

Neptune Neptune is the eighth planet from the Sun and the farthest known planet in the Solar System. It is the fourth-largest planet in the Solar System by diameter, the third-most-massive planet, and the densest giant planet. It is 17 times ...

, I give you the man who has stolen the solidus and six argentioli of Muconius. So I give the names who took them away, whether male or female, whether boy or girl. So I give you, Niskus, and to Neptune the life, health, blood of him who has been privy to that taking-away. The mind which stole this and which has been privy to it, may you take it away. The thief who stole this, may you consume his blood and take it away, Lord Neptune. T. Mikhailova's "British and Roman Names from the Sulis -Minerva Temple: Two Solutions to an Old Problem" (31–46) represents the name of god Niskus from the lead curse tablet.T. Mikhailova,"British and Roman names from The Sulis-Minerva Temple

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Sources

A Corpus of Writing-Tablets from Roman BritainCurse Tablets from Roman BritainLexicon of the Worlds of the Celtic Gods

References

{{Reflist Celtic gods Sea and river gods Celtic mythology