Genius cucullatus
The Genius cucullatus (plural Genii cucullati ) is a dwarf Celtic hood demon and guardian spirit . The veneration of the Genius cucullatus can be proven by inscriptions and images in Gaul, Britain, Germania and Noricum.
etymology
The name of the Genius cucullatus is derived from the cloak ( Celtic sagum ) with a hood (Celtic cucullus , cuculla , also bardocucullus - " bard hood"), the classic travel clothing of the Gauls. It is uncertain whether there is a connection to Fionn mac Cumhaill's magical hooded coat.
Tradition and worship
His name can be found on two consecration inscriptions from a sanctuary in Wabelsdorf near Klagenfurt in Carinthia (Roman province of Noricum ), on some consecration stones in Augusta Treverorum ( Trier , Roman province of Gallia Belgica ), but also in Britain , e.g. B. in Corinium Dobunnorum ( Cirencester , Roman province Britannia prima - here together with a mother goddess) the name Genius cucullatus can be found. The reliefs show them partly as bearded dwarfs (Trier), partly as adults the size of children (Cirencester). They sometimes hold swords or scrolls, but more often they hold eggs as symbols of fertility and can be found near healing springs as cone-shaped stone statuettes.
In the garrisons along Hadrian's Wall , they were evidently worshiped as guardian spirits in battle, whose consecration stones had been donated by legionaries . Their function as emergency helpers can be seen in their clothing - they are always ready to go to help. A rather cheerful scene shows Genii cucullati flying as hunting helpers on ceramic fragments from Camulodunum ( Colchester , Roman province of Britannia ).
The Genii cucullati are shown both individually and in groups of three, sometimes together with a seated goddess.
Cultural influence and aftermath
The genius cucullatus is probably related to the healing god Telesphoros ("finisher") from Asia Minor, who also wore a hooded cloak and was a companion of Asklepios and Hygieia . The connection is possibly established by the Celtic Galatians , in whose world of gods he had taken with him from his Gallic homeland to Asia Minor.
The Genii cucullati could live on in popular notions of dwarfish, pointed demons and helpers - ultimately embodied in our garden gnomes .
literature
- Rudolf Egger : Genius cucullatus. In: Wiener prehistorische Zeitschrift. Vol. 19, 1932, pp. 311-323.
- Fritz Moritz Heichelheim : Genius cucullatus. In: Archaeologica Aeliana. Vol. 4, 12, 1935, pp. 187-194.
- JMC Toynbee : Genii Cucullati in Roman Britain. In: Hommages à Waldemar Deonna . Brussels 1957, pp. 456–469.
- Hedwig Kenner : To nameless gods of Austria romana, 2nd Genius Cucullatus. In: Roman Austria. Vol. 4, 1976, pp. 147-161.
- Bernhard Maier : Lexicon of Celtic Religion and Culture (= Kröner's pocket edition . Volume 466). Kröner, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-520-46601-5 , pp. 139f.
- Helmut Birkhan : Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. Publishing house of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna 1997, ISBN 3-7001-2609-3 , p.
- Susanne Sievers , Otto H. Urban , Peter C. Ramsl: Lexicon for Celtic Archeology (= communications of the prehistoric commission vol. 73). Publishing house of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna 2012, ISBN 978-3-7001-6765-5 , Vol. A – K, pp. 625–626.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 936.
- ↑ a b c d Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. Pp. 747-748.
- ↑ Ubi Erat Lupa No. 5763 : genio cu / cullato sa [crum] ; Ubi Erat Lupa No. 8998 : genio cu / cu [llat] o .
- ^ Bernhard Maier: Lexicon of the Celtic religion and culture . P. 139.
- ↑ Helmut Birkhan: Celts. Attempt at a complete representation of their culture. P. 146.