Ritona (also known as Pritona) is a Celtic goddess chiefly venerated in the land of the Treveri in what is now Germany. Her cult is attested at Pachten and at Trier, where she "had a carefully built little temple" in the Altbachtal complex.[1] Ritona's temple was one of several in the Altbachtal to include exedrae and courtyards that may have been used to prepare ritual banquets and/or to place offerings.[2] At Pachten her temple also had a theatre, presumably used for performances of a religious nature.[1]
The Contiomagus stone from Pachten. O.D. T.PRIITONAE. DI VINAE SIVE CA... IONI PRO SALVTE VICANORVM CONTI OMAGUS ENSIVMTER TINIUS MODESTVS F.C.V.S.
Nameedit
The theonymRitona is generally interpreted as meaning 'that of the ford', stemming from the Gaulish root ritu- ('ford'; cf. Old Irish Humar-rith, Welsh rhyd 'ford').[3][4] This suggests that she was a goddess of fords;[5] Jean-Marie Pailler remarks that, "Water crossings required religious precautions that were written into the landscape, toponymy, and ritual: Ritona is thus well at home among the 'crossers' who were the Treveri".[6] The translation 'that of the course [of the river]' is also possible, by deriving Ritona from the homonym root ritu-, rito- ('course'; cf. Old Irish riuth, Welsh rhed 'course'), although the name Trēveri is also generally seen as meaning 'those crossing the river', that is to say the 'ferrymen'.[3]
The variant Pritona is directly attested twice: on the goddess's only inscription at Pachten (PRITONAE DIVINAE SIVE CA[...]IONI),[7] and in conjunction with ‘Ritona’ on an inscription from Trier (DEA RITONA PRITONA).[8]Pritona is also restored in a further, more fragmentary inscription from Trier (RITO/[NAE] SIVE EX IV[SSV PR]/ITONI[AE?]).[9] A single inscription also honours her at Uzès in southern France.[10]
Roleedit
Lothar Schwinden characterizes Ritona as a mother goddess on the basis of the statue of a seated goddess found at Pachten, which he connects with the well-known local type of seated mother goddesses with dogs or babies on their laps (cf. Aveta).[11]
The Pachten inscription specifies that the goddess was invoked by an individual "for the well-being of the townsfolk of Contiomagium" (PRO SALVTE / [V]IKANORVM CONTI/OMAGIENSIVM).[7] A votive sculpture from Crain, depicting a male figure holding an offering-dish and pouring out liquid from a vessel, is dedicated to Minerva and Ritona.[12] On two of the inscriptions from Trier, Ritona is invoked in conjunction either with the numina of the Augusti (see imperial cult)[13] or in honour of the divine house (the imperial family).[14]
Referencesedit
^ abEdith Mary Wightman (1970). Roman Trier and the Treveri. Rupert Hart-Davis, London. p. 217.
^John Scheid (1995). "Les temples de l'Altbachtal à Trèves : un "sanctuaire national"?". Cahiers du Centre Gustave Glotz. 6. Editions de Boccard: 236.
^The Celtic root *ritu- is thought to derive from the same Indo-European root *pr̻tu- that gives Latin portus 'port' and English 'ford'. Lenka Dočkalová; Václav Blažek (2011). "On Indo-European Roads". The Journal of Indo-European Studies. 39 (3 & 4): 312.
^Miranda Green (1997). Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend. Thames and Hudson Ltd. London.
^Jean-Marie Pailler (2013). "Mères, Fils et confréries à l'écoute de la Source : témoignages antiques et approche par la toponymie, l'archéologie et l'épigraphie gauloises". AFEAF: 321. Original quote: Les passages de cours d’eau nécessitaient des précautions religieuses inscrites dans le paysage, la toponymie, le rituel : Ritona est ainsi bien à sa place chez les “passeurs” que sont les Trévires.
^ abAE 1959, 00076, retrieved from the Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss / Slaby 2008-04-09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008.
^AE 1928, 00185, retrieved from the Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss / Slaby 2008-04-09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008.
^AE 1989, 00547, retrieved from the Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss / Slaby 2008-04-09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008.
^CIL XII, 02927, retrieved from the Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss / Slaby 2008-04-09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008.
^Lothar Schwinden. "Muttergöttin der Treverer: Ritona". In Sabine Faust et al. (1996) Religio Romana: Wege zu den Göttern im antiken Trier. Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier.
^AE 1989, 00547, retrieved from the Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss / Slaby 2008-04-09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008.
^Finke 00030, retrieved from the Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss / Slaby 2008-04-09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008.
Bibliography
Delamarre, Xavier (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental. Errance. ISBN9782877723695.
January 01, 1970
ritona, also, known, pritona, celtic, goddess, chiefly, venerated, land, treveri, what, germany, cult, attested, pachten, trier, where, carefully, built, little, temple, altbachtal, complex, temple, several, altbachtal, include, exedrae, courtyards, that, have. Ritona also known as Pritona is a Celtic goddess chiefly venerated in the land of the Treveri in what is now Germany Her cult is attested at Pachten and at Trier where she had a carefully built little temple in the Altbachtal complex 1 Ritona s temple was one of several in the Altbachtal to include exedrae and courtyards that may have been used to prepare ritual banquets and or to place offerings 2 At Pachten her temple also had a theatre presumably used for performances of a religious nature 1 The Contiomagus stone from Pachten O D T PRIITONAE DI VINAE SIVE CA IONI PRO SALVTE VICANORVM CONTI OMAGUS ENSIVMTER TINIUS MODESTVS F C V S Name editThe theonym Ritona is generally interpreted as meaning that of the ford stemming from the Gaulish root ritu ford cf Old Irish Humar rith Welsh rhyd ford 3 4 This suggests that she was a goddess of fords 5 Jean Marie Pailler remarks that Water crossings required religious precautions that were written into the landscape toponymy and ritual Ritona is thus well at home among the crossers who were the Treveri 6 The translation that of the course of the river is also possible by deriving Ritona from the homonym root ritu rito course cf Old Irish riuth Welsh rhed course although the name Treveri is also generally seen as meaning those crossing the river that is to say the ferrymen 3 The variant Pritona is directly attested twice on the goddess s only inscription at Pachten PRITONAE DIVINAE SIVE CA IONI 7 and in conjunction with Ritona on an inscription from Trier DEA RITONA PRITONA 8 Pritona is also restored in a further more fragmentary inscription from Trier RITO NAE SIVE EX IV SSV PR ITONI AE 9 A single inscription also honours her at Uzes in southern France 10 Role editLothar Schwinden characterizes Ritona as a mother goddess on the basis of the statue of a seated goddess found at Pachten which he connects with the well known local type of seated mother goddesses with dogs or babies on their laps cf Aveta 11 nbsp Stele from Crain The Pachten inscription specifies that the goddess was invoked by an individual for the well being of the townsfolk of Contiomagium PRO SALVTE V IKANORVM CONTI OMAGIENSIVM 7 A votive sculpture from Crain depicting a male figure holding an offering dish and pouring out liquid from a vessel is dedicated to Minerva and Ritona 12 On two of the inscriptions from Trier Ritona is invoked in conjunction either with the numina of the Augusti see imperial cult 13 or in honour of the divine house the imperial family 14 References edit a b Edith Mary Wightman 1970 Roman Trier and the Treveri Rupert Hart Davis London p 217 John Scheid 1995 Les temples de l Altbachtal a Treves un sanctuaire national Cahiers du Centre Gustave Glotz 6 Editions de Boccard 236 a b Delamarre 2003 pp 259 260 The Celtic root ritu is thought to derive from the same Indo European root pr tu that gives Latin portus port and English ford Lenka Dockalova Vaclav Blazek 2011 On Indo European Roads The Journal of Indo European Studies 39 3 amp 4 312 Miranda Green 1997 Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend Thames and Hudson Ltd London Jean Marie Pailler 2013 Meres Fils et confreries a l ecoute de la Source temoignages antiques et approche par la toponymie l archeologie et l epigraphie gauloises AFEAF 321 Original quote Les passages de cours d eau necessitaient des precautions religieuses inscrites dans le paysage la toponymie le rituel Ritona est ainsi bien a sa place chez les passeurs que sont les Trevires a b AE 1959 00076 retrieved from the Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss Slaby Archived 2008 04 09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008 AE 1928 00185 retrieved from the Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss Slaby Archived 2008 04 09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008 AE 1989 00547 retrieved from the Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss Slaby Archived 2008 04 09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008 CIL XII 02927 retrieved from the Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss Slaby Archived 2008 04 09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008 Lothar Schwinden Muttergottin der Treverer Ritona In Sabine Faust et al 1996 Religio Romana Wege zu den Gottern im antiken Trier Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier CIL XIII 02892 retrieved 3 May 2016 AE 1989 00547 retrieved from the Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss Slaby Archived 2008 04 09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008 Finke 00030 retrieved from the Epigraphik Datenbank Clauss Slaby Archived 2008 04 09 at the Wayback Machine on 29 March 2008 Bibliography Delamarre Xavier 2003 Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise Une approche linguistique du vieux celtique continental Errance ISBN 9782877723695 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ritona amp oldid 1153667066, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
