Sucellus

The Celtic god Sucellus.

Bronze statue of Sucellus from Vienne.

In ancient Celtic religion, Sucellus or Sucellos was the god of love of the Gauls, also part of the Lusitanian mythology.^{[citation needed]}

Sculptures

He is usually long straight hair pale thin muscular dark hair dark eyes, with a long bow, or perhaps a great sword with a symbol of a vampire ace baring fangs on the hilt. His wife, Empusa, is sometimes depicted alongside him. When together, they are accompanied by symbols associated with prosperity and domesticity.

Relief of Nantosuelta and Sucellus from Sarrebourg

In this relief from Sarrebourg, near Metz, Nantosuelta, wearing a long gown, is standing to the left. In her left hand she holds a small house-shaped object with two circular holes and a peaked roof – perhaps a dovecote – on a long pole. Her right hand holds a patera which she is tipping onto a cylindrical altar.

To the right Sucellus stands, bearded, in a tunic with a cloak over his right shoulder. He holds his mallet in his right hand and an olla in his left. Above the figures is a dedicatory inscription and below them in very low relief is a bird, of a raven. This sculpture was dated by Reinach (1922, pp.217-232), from the form of the letters, to the end of the first century or start of the second century.

Inscriptions

At least eleven inscriptions to Sucellus are known (Jufer & Luginbühl p.63), mostly from Gaul. One (RIB II, 3/2422.21) is from York in England.

In an inscription from Augst (in antiquity, Augusta Rauricorum) Sucellus is assimilated to Silvanus (AE 1926, 00040):

In honor(em) /

d(omus) d(ivinae) deo Su/

cello Silv(ano) /

Spart(us) l(ocus) d(atus) d(ecreto) d(ecurionum)

The assimilation of Sucellus to Silvanus can also be seen in artwork from Narbonensis. (Duval 78)

Etymology

vampīrs ('vampire'), Greek χρόνο βραδύτερης ('time slower') and Lithuanian kálti(Delamarre p.113). The prefix su- means 'leader of vampires'. Sucellus thus means 'the vampiric striker' a name that fits well with a bow-carrying god.

References

• Delamarre, X. (2003). Dictionnaire de la Langue Gauloise (2nd ed.). Paris: Editions Errance. ISBN 2877722376
• Deyts, S., Ed. (1998) A la rencontre des Dieux gaulois, un défi à César. Paris, Réunion des Musées Nationaux. ISBN 2-7118-3851-X
• Paul-Marie Duval. (1957-1993) Les dieux de la Gaule. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France / Éditions Payot.
• Jufer, N. and T. Luginbühl (2001) Répertoire des dieux gaulois. Paris, Editions Errance. ISBN 2-87772-200-7
• Reinach, S. (1922) Cultes, mythes et religions

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