Moritasgus

Etymology

The name Moritasgus, shared by a 1st-century BC ruler of the Senones, has been analyzed variously. The particle -tasgus has been derived by scholars from a Proto-Celtic stem **tazgo-*, *tasgos or *tasko- 'badger'. Xavier Delamarre proposed that the complete name means "Sea Badger", from Gaulish mori 'sea' + tasgos (also tascos or taxos), 'badger'. The European badger produced a secretion used in Gaulish medicaments, hence a possible connection with a healing god.

Shrine in [[Alesia (city)|Alesia]]

Alesia was an oppidum of the Celtic Mandubii in present-day Burgundy. A dedication to the gods alludes to the presence of a shrine at the curative spring, where sick pilgrims could bathe in a sacred pool. The sanctuary itself, located near the eastern gate of the town just outside the city wall, was impressive, with baths and a temple. In addition, there were porticoes, where the sick possibly slept, hoping for divine visions and cures.

Numerous votive objects were dedicated to Moritasgus. These were models of the pilgrims and the afflicted parts of their bodies: these included limbs, internal organs, genitals, breasts, and eyes. Surgeons' tools have also been found, suggesting that the priests also acted as surgeons.

Selected bibliography

• Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend. Miranda Green. Thames and Hudson Ltd. London. 1997.

References

References

1. Jacky Bénard ''et al.'', ''Les agglomérations antiques de Côte-d'Or'' (Annales Littéraires de l'Université de Besançon, 1994), p. 251 [https://books.google.com/books?id=kKB4Cd_Dq4YC&dq=Moritasgus+OR+Moritasgos&pg=RA1-PA251 online.]
2. ''[[Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. CIL]]'' 13.11240 and 11241; [[Bernhard Maier (religious studies professor)
3. [[Julius Caesar]], ''[[Commentarii de Bello Gallico]]'' 5.54.
4. Mac an Bhaird, Alan. (1980). "Varia II. Tadhg Mac Céin and the Badgers". Ériu.
5. Grzega, Joachim. (2001). "Romania Gallica Cisalpina: Etymologisch-geolinguistische Studien zu den oberitalienisch-rätoromanischen Keltizismen". Max Niemeyer Verlag.
6. Lambert, Pierre-Yves. (1994). "La langue gauloise: description linguistique, commentaire d'inscriptions choisies". Editions Errance.
7. Katz, Joshua T.. (1998). "Hittite ''Tašku-'' and the Indo-European Word for 'Badger.'". Historische Sprachforschung.
8. Delamarre, Xavier. (2003). "Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise". Éditions Errance.
9. Jacques Lacroix. (2007). "Les noms d'origine gauloise - La Gaule des dieux". Errance.
10. Delamarre, Xavier. (2003). "Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise". Éditions Errance.
11. See Xavier Delamarre, ''Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise'' (Éditions Errance, 2003), pp. 229, 292–293, and D. Ellis Evans, ''Gaulish personal names: a study of some Continental Celtic formations'' (University of Michigan Press, 1967), p. 103. For further discussion, see [[Tasgetius#Name and Celtic badger lore. Tasgetius: Name and badger lore]].
12. James Bromwich, ''The Roman Remains of Northern and Eastern France: A Guidebook'' (Routledge, 2003), pp. 49 and 133 [https://books.google.com/books?id=Z2Xp-sggLToC&dq=%22spring+sanctuary+near+the+eastern+gate%2C+dedicated+later+to+apollo+moritasgus%22&pg=PA133 online] ''et passim''.
13. See [[ex-voto]] and [[Milagro (votive)]] for analogous Christian practices.
14. The [[druids]] were the priesthood of the ancient Celts.