Tuesday 1 September 2020

Nehalennia

"Star of the Sea."

In III, the third of the four mythological sections, the hunter Gutherius has an adventure involving:

an old woman whom he takes to be the goddess, Nehalennia;

a hunting dog;

a ship.

Because of this adventure, he buys a ship and trades with Britain. Always enjoying fair weather and becoming wealthy, he raises an altar to Nehalennia, where he makes generous offerings, and always bows to the evening or morning star.

In 20, continuing the fictional narrative, Janne Floris tells Everard that, on the island of Walcheren, archaeologists have found stones with Latin inscriptions, thank offerings for safe voyages to Britain, and images of Nehalennia with a ship or a dog.

Mythology meets archaeology. 

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