Mother Goddess Sulis Minerva

Sulis Minerva                                                                                                                                            Sulis Minerva was the ancient British Mother Goddess of spring water, especially the thermal spring waters, which were thought to be nourishing and life giving, and Goddess of The Spirit and Craft of Medicine, and was particularly associated with the Healing Waters of Bath, and can be found on our web-site on the City of Bath. The name ‘Sulis' in the ancient Celtic religious beliefs and practises is thought to be a derivative of Sul or Sulla from the Old Irish Celtic Siul or eye, or ‘Sulis' in Gallo-Brittonic for ‘Orifice' or ‘Gap' through which the healing waters ran. However the Proto-Celtic language as collated by The University of Wales suggests that the name is likely to be ultimately derived from the Proto-Celtic ‘Su-lijis meaning ‘Good Flooding One', and was suggested this may have been interpreted as 'Beneficial Water-Flow.

Sulis in the Celtic mysteries was a great healer, people gathered at the waters of her shrines to commune with the Goddess, and take the waters to receive a cure for their ailment. The springs were seen to be particularly beneficial for Rheumatism and Gout, and for fertility and childbearing in women, votive offerings of bronze and ivory breasts were found at her shrines, and were thought to have been worn by breastfeeding women as amulets, until their infants were weaned, then the amulets were offered to Sulis in thanks for the bountiful supply of breast milk.

The Romans combined the local Celtic ‘Sulis' and their own Roman God of ‘Minerva,' when they constructed their Temples to the ‘Sulis Minerva' combining Sulis the Goddess of wisdom and decisions, the Goddess of the springs which arrived from the Underworld, Annwn, guarding a liminal connection between this sunlit world and the Otherworld, where there was knowledge that could be effective in prophecy, and Minerva's cultured arts and science, being the Roman Goddess of wisdom, medicine, the arts, dyeing, science, trade, and war. As Minerva Medica she was the patron of physicians, daughter of Jupiter, and in the temple on the Capitoline Hill she was worshipped together with Jupiter and Juno, forming a trio of Gods.

The worshippers of Sulis Minerva that she had not only the power to grant healing, but also to witness oaths, catch thieves, find lost objects and generally right wrongs. Some examples include ‘I have given to Minerva the Goddess Sulis the thief who has stolen my hooded cloak whether slave or free, whether man or woman. He is not to redeem this gift unless with his blood' and ‘May he who carried off Vilbia from me become as liquid as water. May she who obscenely devoured her become dumb whether Velvinna, Exsupeus Vbrianus, Severinus Augustalis, Comitianus, Catusminianus, Germanilla or Jovina.'and Docimedis has lost two gloves, he asks that the person who has stolen them should lose his mind and his eyes in the temple where she appoints'

There also exists a trio of Goddesses called the Suleviae, of the beneficent and protecting mother or matron type. Inscriptions to the Sulveviae are found at Cirencester, Colchester in Britain, and in several locations in Gaul. Suleviae may be ‘the triple Sulis' as we have the triple Brigid and many other three-fold Celtic God forms. One of the inscriptions at Bath, on a statue base says ‘To the Suleviae, Sulinus, a sculptor, son of Brucetus, gladly and deservedly made this offering' so we know they, as well as the singular Sulis Minerva, were known at this site also.

The Symbols of Minerva include Sun, a golden shield and helmet, spear, spindle bowl, intertwined snakes, the Parthenon, the seven auras, Number 7. Animals, Owl (wisdom), Dove (victory), Ram, Eagle, Tiger, Leopard and other cats. Gem stones Onyx, Ruby, Star Sapphire, Turquoise, Gold, Lapis Lazuli, Ivory. Essential Oils, Patchouli, Dragonis Blood, Musk, Indigo, Orange Blossom, Cinnamon, Cedarwood.

Festivals; Sulis February 2^nd and December 22^nd. Minerva; The Romans celebrated her worship from March 19^th-23^rd during the Quinquatrus, the artisans' holiday which was also a festival of purification. The ‘Goddess of a thousand works,' as Ovid called her, was pleased to see Scholars and Schoolmasters join in spring vacation with those who labored with their hands.

On June 13^th the Minor Quinquatrus was observed.