Arianrhod

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Arianrhod [ ar'janṛod ], older version of the name Aranrod , is a figure in the Celtic mythology of Wales . She is a daughter of Don and mother of Llew Llaw Gyffes and Dylan Eil Ton . Her brothers or cousins ​​are Gilfaethwy and Gwydyon . It is believed that it can be traced back to an ancient Celtic deity. Her spinning wheel (or her lock) is said to be Caer Arianrhod , the Northern Crown . Caer Arianrhod is also localized in Arfon , namely as the rock Trega'r Anthrag opposite Dinas Dinlleu , an Iron Age hill castle a few kilometers south of Caernarfon .

mythology

According to the fourth branch of the Mabinogi , Math fab Mathonwy ("Math, the son of Mathonwys"), Arianrhod lives at the court of her uncle Math , the king of Gwynedd . His feet always had to rest in a virgin's lap, unless he went to war. When Goewin , the maiden who usually did this service, is raped by Gilfaethwy by a trick by Math's nephew Gwydion, Arianrhod is supposed to take her place.

The girl came in. "Girl," said he [Math] , "are you a virgin?" "I don't know that I wouldn't be one." Then he took the magic rod and bent it. "Take a step above it," he said, "and if you are a virgin I will see it."

Arianrhod obeys orders, but at the same moment she gives birth to Dylan and Llew and immediately escapes, leaving her children behind.

Dylan disappears into the sea while Llew is raised and trained by Gwydion. In revenge for her embarrassment, Arianrhod Llew gives three gessi (taboos, prohibitions), namely that only they give him a name and weapons and that he may never have an earthly wife. Gwydion uses cunning to lure her out of a name for her son and to get him weapons from her hand. But she does not want to give up the third geis .

“Well,” said the [Gwydion] , “you have always been an angry woman and no one should support you. But he should still have a wife. "

Together with Math he conjures up a woman for Llew, namely Blodeuwedd , out of flower petals , so that Arianrhod is left behind here too.

In some medieval poets references to Arianrhod can be found, which suggest that it was also present in other sagas.

In the Trioedd Ynys Prydein ("Triads of the Isle of Britain") she is mentioned as the daughter of King Beli Mawr .

Etymological origin and meaning

Arianrhod is sometimes (as "Silver Wheel" ARGANTO Rota to welsh arian , "silver" and rhod , irish red , both "Wheel") translated, although the first part of the name is seen by some as translators not secured. Some Celtologists see it as a lunar deity , but the Celts usually consider the moon to be male, so this is unlikely. The wheel also always represents a symbol of the sun . A linguistic relationship with late ancient Celtic deities such as Argenta and Rotona , attested by inscriptions, cannot be completely dismissed. In the Irish legend, her function as mother of the "sun god" corresponds roughly to the figure of Ethniu .

literature

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bernhard Maier: The legend book of the Welsh Celts. P. 144, note 83.15, p. 146, note 85.28.
  2. ↑ Bernhard Maier: The legend book of the Welsh Celts. P. 72 ff.
  3. ↑ Bernhard Maier: The legend book of the Welsh Celts. P. 82.
  4. ↑ Bernhard Maier: The legend book of the Welsh Celts. P. 87.
  5. ^ Bernhard Maier: Lexicon of the Celtic religion and culture . P. 24.
  6. ↑ Bernhard Maier: The legend book of the Welsh Celts. P. 143, note 82.1.
  7. ↑ Because of the Celtic gender dimorphism, the moon is intended to be masculine in contrast to the sun for deities, see Irish lúan , éisce (masc.), But Kymrisch lleuad , lloer (fem.); Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. Pp. 577, 581.