Moritasgus is a

Celtic Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to: Language and ethnicity *pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia **Celts (modern) *Celtic languages **Proto-Celtic language *Celtic music *Celtic nations Sports Foo ...

epithet An epithet (, ), also byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) known for accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, di ...

for a healing god found in four inscriptions at Alesia. In two inscriptions, he is identified with the Greco-Roman god

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

. His

consort __NOTOC__ Consort may refer to: Music * "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses'' * Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles * Consort song (musical), a characteristic English song form, late 16th–earl ...

was the goddess

Damona In Gallo-Roman religion, Damona was a goddess worshipped in Gaul as the consort of Apollo Borvo and of Apollo Moritasgus. Name The theonym ''Damona'' is a derivative of the Proto-Celtic stem ''*damo-'', meaning 'bull' or 'deer' (cf. Old Iris ...

Etymology

The name ''Moritasgus'', shared by a 1st-century BC ruler of the Senones, has been analyzed variously. It probably means "Great Badger" or "Sea Badger." The

European badger The European badger (''Meles meles''), also known as the Eurasian badger, is a badger species in the family Mustelidae native to almost all of Europe. It is classified as least concern on the IUCN Red List as it has a wide range and a large stab ...

produced a secretion used in Gaulish medicaments, hence a possible connection with a healing god.

Shrine in Alesia

Alesia was an

oppidum An ''oppidum'' (plural ''oppida'') is a large fortified Iron Age settlement or town. ''Oppida'' are primarily associated with the Celtic late La Tène culture, emerging during the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, spread across Europe, stretchi ...

of the

Mandubii The Mandubii (Gaulish: *''Mandubioi'') were a small Gallic tribe dwelling near their chief town Alesia, in modern Côte-d'Or, during the Iron Age and the Roman period. Name An ''oppidum Mandubiorum'' is mentioned by Caesar (mid-1st c. BC), a ...

in present-day

Burgundy Burgundy (; french: link=no, Bourgogne ) is a historical territory and former administrative region and province of east-central France. The province was once home to the Dukes of Burgundy from the early 11th until the late 15th century. The ...

. A dedication to the gods alludes to the presence of a shrine at the curative spring, where sick pilgrims could bathe in a sacred pool. The sanctuary itself, located near the eastern gate of the town just outside the city wall, was impressive, with baths and a temple. In addition, there were

portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cul ...

es, where the sick possibly slept, hoping for divine visions and cures. Numerous

votive A votive offering or votive deposit is one or more objects displayed or deposited, without the intention of recovery or use, in a sacred place for religious purposes. Such items are a feature of modern and ancient societies and are generally ...

objects were dedicated to Moritasgus. These were models of the pilgrims and the afflicted parts of their bodies: these included limbs, internal organs, genitals, breasts, and eyes. Surgeons' tools have also been found, suggesting that the priestsThe

druids A druid was a member of the high-ranking class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids were religious leaders as well as legal authorities, adjudicators, lorekeepers, medical professionals and political advisors. Druids left no written accounts. Whi ...

were the priesthood of the ancient Celts. also acted as surgeons.

Selected bibliography

* ''Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend.'' Miranda Green. Thames and Hudson Ltd. London. 1997.

References

{{Celtic mythology (ancient) Gaulish gods