Sequana
| Sequana | |
|---|---|
Goddess of the Seine and of healing | |
 Modern sculpture of Sequana executed by Paul Auban in 1934 | |
| Venerated in | Northern France by Gaulish tribes and Gallo-Romans after the Conquest of Gaul |
| Symbol | Water |
| Temple | Northern Burgundy at the source of the Seine River |
In Gallo-Roman religion, Sequana is the goddess of the river Seine, particularly the springs at the source of the Seine. Although the origins of the goddess are Celtic, Sequana was subsequently integrated into a Gallo-Roman regional cult of worship after the Roman conquest of Gaul. The main sites dedicated to her are found in northern Burgundy, especially at the source of the Seine, where archeological excavations have unearthed a temple complex and over a thousand votive offerings.
Cult, religion and oracles
[edit]The cult of Sequana is closely linked to a primary element: water. Indeed, the sacredness of water is central to the veneration of Sequana, who was also a goddess of healing. [1][2][3] The main sanctuary was located at the source of the Seine River, north-west of Dijon in the Burgundy region. These springs, are called the Fontes Sequanae (the Springs of Sequana). It was here, in the 2nd or 1st century BCE, that a healing shrine was built by Celts. After the conquest of Gaul, the sanctuary was taken over by the Romans, who built two temples, a colonnaded precinct and other related structures centred on the spring and pool.
A study of the Gallo-Roman religious sanctuaries in the region states that they "were the object of considerable investments despite their generally remote locations relative to the main urban/political centres."[4] Sequana's sanctuary in what is now northern Burgundy was a rural region, with a fairly dense farming population. Because of this relative remoteness and based on evidence found during excavations, archeologists posit that devotees went on pilgrimages to this sanctuary in order to solicit Sequana's help to restore health or to thank her for past assistance. The study notes that it has been possible to identify from inscriptions the social roles of a few of the visitors to the sanctuary. They include a slave, a male 'citizen' and several women (including four 'pilgrims' and a female 'citizen').[4]
The concrete expression of devotees' belief in Sequana's divine power was their presence at the sanctuary and the tribute they offered there.[2] Excavations conducted from 1836 to 1967 at the site of the sanctuary unearthed a temple complex and some 1,500 stone, bronze, and wood votive offerings.[3] Notably, archeologists found a large pot inscribed with Sequana's name and filled with bronze and silver sculptures of human body parts. Wooden images were also found nearby as well as stone images of limbs, internal organs, heads, and complete bodies. Archeologists hypothesize that these votive offerings depicted injuries or illnesses that would hopefully be healed or cured through the divine intervention of the goddess.[5] Based on the offerings, respiratory illnesses and eye diseases appear to have been common. Also found were numerous coins and items of jewellery. Pilgrims were frequently depicted in the small sculptures as carrying offerings to the goddess, including money, fruit, or a favourite pet dog or bird.[5] The large number of votive offerings found at the site suggests that pilgrims must have been numerous.[4]
Archeologists also believe, based on an inscription that mentions the goddess, that oracular practices were offered at the site, either by Sequana herself or by invoking her (like at the Temple of Clitumnus, a sanctuary dedicated to another river god in northern Italy).[6]
Representations
[edit]
A bronze statue of a woman, draped in a long gown and with a diadem on her head, represents Sequana.[7] She stands on a boat, the prow of which is in the form of the head of a duck with a ball in its mouth. The approximately 1 foot (30 cm) tall statue is now in the Musée archéologique de Dijon. The statue was found with that of a faun in 1933 by Henri Corot.[8]
Inscriptions
[edit]Researchers have found three dedications to Sequana in the vicinity of Alesia and at the sources of the Seine: two are anatomical ex-votos and one is from a woman dedicating it pro salute nepotis (for the safety of my grandson). All three each of these dedications is linked to the emperor Augustus. In addition, several inscriptions were found (9 of which directly name Sequana), dedications to Sequana. These shed some light on religious practices. In addition, it would seem that some pilgrims were not well educated or spoke imperfect Latin because some of the inscriptions are incorrectly spelled.[4]
Eight inscriptions to Sequana are known, all from the Sources of the Seine. The following are typical (CIL 13, 02858):
- Au(gusto) sac(rum) d(eae) Sequan(ae) e[x] / moni[tu]
and (CIL 13, 02862):
- Aug(usto) sac(rum) / d(e)ae Seq(uanae) / Fl(avius) Flav(i)n(us) / pro sal(ute) / Fl(avi) Luna(ris) / nep(otis) sui / ex voto / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)/ San(tos) Mi(chaelle)
Some inscriptions contain spelling errors that may give a clue to the pronunciation of Sequana in Gaulish (CIL 13, 02863):
- Aug(usto) sac(rum) d<e=O>a(e?) / <p=B>ro(!) / Se<q=C>uan(ae) / pro(!) / C(aius) M[...] / v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)
As Gaulish is in the P-Celtic classification, q cannot represent the Indo-European kw. Something like Sek-ooana is more likely, unless the local dialect was Q-Celtic (which is not impossible).
References
[edit]- ^ Vurpillot, D. (2016). Les sanctuaires des eaux en Gaule de l'est : origine, organisation et évolution (Ier siècle av. J.-C. - IVe siècle après J.-C.). Vol. 1. p. 342.
- ^ a b Vurpillot (2016). Les sanctuaires des eaux en Gaule de l'est : origine, organisation et évolution (Ier siècle av. J.-C. - IVe siècle après J.-C.). Vol. 1. p. 188.
- ^ a b "Le sanctuaire des Sources de la Seine | Musée Archéologique". archeologie.dijon.fr. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ a b c d Raepsaet-Charlier, Marie-Thérèse (2013). "Alésia et ses dieux : du culte d'Apollon Moritasgos à l'appartenance civique des Mandubiens à l'époque gallo-romaine". L'Antiquité Classique. 82 (1): 165–194. doi:10.3406/antiq.2013.3831.
- ^ a b "Meet the ancient goddess of the Seine River: Sequana". History. 2024-09-21. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ Vurpillot, D. (2013). Les sanctuaires des eaux en Gaule de l'est : origine, organisation et évolution (Ier siècle av. J.-C. - IVe siècle après J.-C.). Vol. 1. p. 392.
- ^ Deyts, Simone (1992). Images des Dieux de la Gaule. Paris: Editions Errance. p. 74. ISBN 2-87772-067-5.
- ^ Corot, H. (1933). Fouilles du temple de la dea Sequana, Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres. Vol. 77. pp. 290–292.
Further reading
[edit]- Corot, Henry (1933). "Fouilles du temple de la dea Sequana". Comptes rendus des séances de l'Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres. 77 (2): 289–292. doi:10.3406/crai.1933.76351.
- Deyts, Simone-Antoinette (1971). "The Sacred Source of the Seine". Scientific American. 225 (1): 65–73. Bibcode:1971SciAm.225a..65D. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0771-65. JSTOR 24922778. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
- Bernard Jacomin (2006) Les sources de la Seine: traces fossiles et repérages astronomiques au pays des Lingons. Editions Yvelinédition ISBN 2-84668-049-3
- Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum (CIL); vol. XIII, Inscriptiones trium Galliarum et Germaniarum. 6 vols. Berolini: apud G. Reimerum, 1899-1943
- "Les Statues Ex-Voto En Bois Des Sources De La Seine". Revue Archéologique. 1: 202–204. 1964. JSTOR 41754985. Retrieved 5 May 2020 – via JSTOR.
External links
[edit]- A small image of the bronze statue in the Musée archéologique de Dijon believed to represent Sequana
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