Condatis

Template:Short description Condatis (Gaulish: 'confluence') was an ancient Celtic deity worshipped primarily in northern Britain but also in Gaul. He was associated with the confluences of rivers, in particular within County Durham in the North of England. Template:Efn Condatis is known from several inscriptions in Britain and a single inscription found at Alonnes, Sarthe, France. In each case he is equated with the Roman god Mars.Template:Efn

Name

The theonym Condatis derives from the stem condāt-, meaning 'confluence', itself from Proto-Celtic *kom-dati-, from an earlier kom-d^hh₁-ti- ('put with, put together', i.e. 'grouping, reunion').Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

The stem condāt- is also attested in personal names, including Condatus, Condatius, and Condatie, as well as in toponyms such as Condé, Condat, Candé, Conte, Condes, Candes, Cosnes, Condate (the old name of Rennes and Northwich), Condom, Condéon (both from *Condate-o-magos), Cond (< *Condate-dunum), Kontz, Conz (Trier), and Canstatt (Condistat).Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

Cult

The cult title is probably related to the place name Condate, often used in Gaul for settlements at the confluence of rivers.<ref>Maier, Dictionary of Celtic Religion and Culture, p. 80.</ref> The Celtic god Condatis is thought to have functions pertaining to water and healing. <ref>Ross, Anne (1967). Pagan Celtic Britain. Routledge & Kegan Paul. Template:ISBN.</ref> <ref>Jones, Barri & Mattingly, David (1990). An Atlas of Roman Britain (p. 275). Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Roman altar-inscriptions to Mars Condates have been found near Roman forts in County Durham in the North of England that may suggest a 'confluence-deity' cult and the possibility that river confluences may have been used as pagan ritual sacrifice or human sacrifice sites.Template:EfnTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn

Archaeological evidence

British Isles

Roman altars with inscriptions to Mars Condates have been found in the Tees and Wear valleys of County Durham. Template:Efn Altars are normally found at the confluence of rivers – for example, the Cong Burn–Wear confluence near Chester-le-Street – however others may have been disturbed or removed, especially by antiquarians and collectors.

The inscription Mars Condates is a conflation (joining) of deities:Template:Efn

1. Roman god Mars – god of war and father of Romulus, the founder of Rome.
2. Gaulish deity Condatis – god of river confluences.

Altar inscriptions (British Isles)

List of altars with inscriptions to Mars Condates:

Reference	Type	Find location	Confluence	Map <ref group=help name=Magic_Help>MAGiC MaP – Help Use Table of Contents for Colour mapping. There may be intermittent problems with the magic.defra.gov.uk website, if so then try again another time.</ref>	Ordnance Survey
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Altar fragment	Cramond Roman Fort, near Edinburgh.<ref group=web>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Almond–Firth of Forth.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> <ref group=help name=Magic_Help/>	Template:Ordnance Survey coordinates
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Altar	Concangis (Roman Fort), Chester-le-Street.	Cong Burn–Wear.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Ordnance Survey coordinates
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Altar	High Coniscliffe village.Template:Efn Piercebridge Roman Fort, Dere Street	? River Tees.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Ordnance Survey coordinates
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Altar	Bowes village.Template:Efn Lavatrae (Roman Fort), Watling Street (North).	? River Greta.	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Ordnance Survey coordinates
citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Altar	Moulton, North Yorkshire. Find date: 2015	Not known	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Ordnance Survey coordinates

France

An example of an altar-inscription to Condatis has been found at Allonnes, Sarthe in France.

Bibliography

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