Tuesday 30 September 2014

Occult London: Naming the Fourth Goddess


Here is a little goddess-related mystery.

This sculpture showing four mother goddesses is in the Museum of London and dates from Roman times.

A notice beside it at the museum says that it was found reused as building material in the wall of the river Thames near Blackfriars. The sculpture is a limestone relief of three women holding holding bread, fruit and a dog and also suckling a baby. The notice says: "They are probably portraying the three native mother goddesses although the fourth figure cannot be explained."

I was reminded of this plaque because of book that I contributed to, called Naming the Goddess,has just been launched. It made me wonder if anyone could think of a name for the fourth goddess.

If you think you might have any suggestions as to who the fourth goddess could possibly be, do leave a comment.

Previous related posts:
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/09/extract-naming-goddess-eris.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/07/occult-london-goddess-hygia-and-nine.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2013/09/pagan-eye-roman-goddess-luna-at-bath.html
http://www.badwitch.co.uk/2014/07/meditation-from-goddess-calling.html



8 comments:

Unknown said...

Does it give names for the three native goddesses?

Badwitch said...

The notice beside the sculpture says" "They are probably portraying the three native mother goddesses although the fourth figure cannot be explained." As far as I understand it, the three mothers, or the Matres, are relatively common in iconography in Celtic/Roman Britain. Not quite sure what their actual names are - I have just heard of them as the the three mothers.

Unknown said...

The three that come to mind are Mab, Breda and Mathonwy. However there
are probably loads of regional variations and the triptych of the
three as Youth Maturity and Old Age (as in The Morrigan) would have
many interpretations.
As this is Roman I would imagine the fourth would be a Roman goddess
as a means of tying the local and the establishment religions
together.

vivienne said...

how do they know there were only 3 goddess's?

I shall name her Tamesis the ancient name for the River Thames, as the sculpture was found near Thames and the Romans established themselves on her banks xx

Badwitch said...

Mab, Breda, Mathonwy and Tamesis sound like good suggestions.

chris street said...

maybe they are simply all aspects of Bride, one of our oldest goddesses, with many diverse associations, as I am sure you all know.She's my main goddess anyway.

Badwitch said...

Aspects of Bride is a really good idea. She is certainly a goddess honoured in London and one with many different aspects.

Unknown said...

Breda is the same as Bride