In memory of the Victims of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas on 5/24/22: Community-wide Rite will be on Sunday, June 19th at 8pm EST. Please visit our new rite to participate and learn more here Adaddus Atenosiloi (rite of the returning seeds/descendants)
Myth Contributed and Written by : Carnonoseluiâs Abonuracî
In the deep and dark of Dubnos toiled a Goddess, Mistress of the Underworld and magic, Adsagsona. She had little will to engage with Her fellow race, much to the dismay of some and the joy of others. In the abyss, She was interrupted in Her work by one of Her kind, Nodens. Such light from the younger God in such a dark place was blinding and bothersome to the Goddess. “What brings you, bright-one?” “Great Adsagsona,” crooned Nodens, “I wished to see what you had been attending to.” Curious is this one, thought She, as She lifted up a sword. It was beautifully crafted with Her workings etched into the black blade and hilt in the form of words. It vibrated and pulsed, almost alive. Nodens reached out to touch the breathing sword, but Adsagsona quickly pulled it back towards Her. “You are young, but you should know better than to touch what is not yours, sir.” Nodens, stunned, smiled and said, “Your blade is as beautiful as it’s maker. I was all too quick to admire them both.” “Then perhaps you should learn that it is unwise to admire anything so recklessly.” said Adsagsona with cautious eyes, “Now I have work to do. Off with you.” The blinding God left, but He was now all too keen to see Her again. The next day, He came back to the hall of Adsagsona, ready to see Her once more. “O hallowed Adsagsona! I have come to greet you once again.” Nodens said grandly. But, His grandeur was misplaced, as the Goddess threw Her gaze at Him and then back at Her tasks. “And you have greeted me. Good day then.” She said callously. She waved Him off coldly and shut the door behind Him. The minor inconvenience to Her solitude had become a reoccurring issue. She had hoped Nodens would see what He was a nuisance to Her and would promptly leave Her be. This was not the case. The next day, as Adsagsona sat down for the day, there came Nodens through Her door, as joyful and shining as ever. “My great Lady,” He chimed, “I have brought for you a gift of rubies, though their beauty pale compared to your splendor.” He bent down to present it to Her and held in His hand a stunning necklace of lead with a dozen rubies around the band. With disgust, Adsagsona waved them away. “Your jewels were not spoken for, nor desired. I have all the jewels I need and wish for nothing but silence.” Disheartened but determined, Nodens left Her halls, ready to begin again. Returning the next day, He came as She wove, Her intricate designs halted by His boisterousness. Behind Him trailed a chest held on either end by two little folk. “Blessed and unfathomable Adsagsona,” He sang, “I have a most wondrous gift for your honor!” Opening the chest, Nodens revealed a large dark pearl, the size of a fist. It emitted heat and power from its proximity to all who were present. “It is a black pearl, forged by the finest makers alive. It was embedded with magic unlike any else. May it’s grand nature be a token of your stature.” Nodens smiled, pleased with His gesture; Adsagsona was not receptive. Without a word, She ushered the little folk to leave the room and turned towards Her admirer. “How dare you? Do you think this would please me? Do you think this power is ANYTHING compared to my own?” Her sword in hand, She brought it down on the chest, destroying the pearl into nothingness. “If this was made by the finest maker, it would have been made by me. You come here, interrupt me in my silence, in my work, and expect gratitude?” She spat the words, running the sword into the ground. Infuriated by Her words and ungratefulness, Nodens yelled back, “I give you precious beauties unlike anyone has ever seen, and you disregard me! Gratitude would be appropriate!” “Appropriate? How is it appropriate to come back day after day knowing you are unwanted here?” “Please,” He reasoned, “your beauty and power are unmatched. To look upon you is what I desire!” In one solid motion, Adsagsona took Her hand and dug Her nails into the side of Her face, tearing a large chunk of flesh off to reveal tendon and bone all the way to Her jaw. “Here! Is this not beautiful?” She cried with Her flesh in hand. “Is this not the power you seek? Am I not beautiful, sir?” Nodens fled the Halls of Adsagsona, vowing to pursue Her no more. Half Her face forever marred and bare, that was the day Adsagsona also became the Goddess of Justice and revenge.
Hey there, you haven’t heard from me before, but I hope you will again. My name is Caromâros Caitogabros, and I’m a Gaulish Polytheist with more trivial knowledge about the Roman Republic and Empire than I have common sense some days. I’m fairly new to the scene, having discovered Toutâ Galation and Bessus Nouiogalation at the end of October 2021 [the year I’m writing this!], and I’m still forging my practice as I learn more every day. One thing I know for sure, however, is that I definitely love holidays, no doubt about that. At the time I write this, I’m gearing up to blunder and stumble my way through my first Giamolitus, which has me trying to find ways that I can cement my holiday observations in some kind of reality, as I’m one of those people that self-doubts my spirituality at every corner. I want to be able to experience things that the Senogalatis, the ancient Gauls, would have experienced, which to me means using my senses; smell, sight, sound, touch and taste. I can listen to as much Greek lyre music as I want, as certainly there would have been musicians in the courts of Iron Age Gaul, and I can go look at enough Gaulish art and statues to pop a blood vessel in one of my eyes, but at some point if I want to taste and smell things that the Senogalatis would have had in their diets, I’m going to have to get dirty, which apparently is nothing new as far as Gaulish feasts are concerned! Athenaeus, in his accounts, relates that the noble Gauls enjoyed wine, and also beer called korma sweetened with honey, with the lower classes drinking solely the korma as-is. Drinking at a Gaulish feast made quite a mess, with most people taking a sip out of the communal cup and saying cheers to the Deuoi. [Honestly, once discovering this, I’ve added this into my own custom; I pour a cup in offering to the Deuoi, and then take a sip and say Slanon tê (cheers to you) to whichever Deuoi I’m invoking that night- more about the Bessus Nouiogalation daily rituals at https://nouiogalatis.org/2020/12/17/dedmatas-sonnocingi/. Eating was a similarly uncleanly event, as forks at the time mostly had long tines for holding things in place for cutting, rendering them a bit unwieldy for eating with. Real forks as we would recognize from the dinner table weren’t even a thing in Europe until the 900s CE https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/history-fork and by that point, there were writers from Northern Europe saying that forks were unmanly, or downright offensive to God! [That’s a whole different kettle of fish, though, so I think we’re going to keep the pin in that one for now. Catholic anti fork propaganda, coming soon…] While we know that the Gauls were an agricultural Iron Age society, we don’t really know what it was that they ate, specifically. There’s a lot of available articles about different foods that were in their diet, so I’m not going to touch into that, but suffice it to say that we are very lacking in the recipe department, Gaul-wise. Posidonius tells us they ate cumin, and there is a Sumerian recipe written in cuneiform on a clay tablet that calls for it as well https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20191103-the-worlds-oldest-known-recipes-decoded so clearly, it had been in use for quite some time as a spice, but strangely, cumin isn’t present in a lot of modern European cooking today. There are dishes, obviously, that still contain it, mostly poultry and fish, but it is used a lot more in surrounding areas like Africa and Eastern Asia. So instead of trying to parse out what some Gaulish recipes might have been, why don’t we think about what dishes they may have enjoyed from other cultures?
By 1CE, the golden eagle of Rome was soaring over Gaul, from Tarraconensis down in Spain all the way North to the English Channel, and East from there to the Danube. Roman legions defended the borders; Roman garrisons, the towns. Roman engineers in Gaul were building walls, bridges, aqueducts, and waste systems. Roman appointed officials governed the new Gallo-Roman provinces and everyone paid Roman taxes and were subject to Roman laws. Why, then, do we not have a look at a 3 Roman drink recipes from Apicius’ “De Re Coquinaria” (Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome) that the Gaulish nobility, and perhaps even those guests at their feasts, may have enjoyed, and put the measurements in the recipes into nice, easy, modern measurements that we can all follow along with at home?
Conditum Paradoxum – Fine Spiced Wine The composition of this excellent spiced wine is as follows. Into a copper bowl put 9 English Pints / 11 US Pints of honey and 3 English Pints / 3.6 US Pints of [wbite] wine; heat on a slow fire, constantly stirring the mixture with a whip. At the boiling point add a dash of cold wine, retire from stove and skim. Repeat this twice or three times, let it rest till the next day and skim again. Then add 4 ounces of crushed pepper (black or white, but in connection with honey the term may mean our “allspice”), 4 grams of mastic resin, 1.75 grams each of (nard or laurel) leaves and saffron, 9 grams of roasted date stones crushed and previously soaked in wine to soften them. When this is properly done add 18 UK Pints / 21.5 US Pints of light [white] wine. To clarify it perfectly, add crushed charcoal twice or as often as necessary which will draw the residue together and carefully strain or filter through the charcoal.
Conditum Melizomum Viatorium- Honey Refresher for Travelers The wayfarer’s honey refresher (so-called because it gives endurance and strength to pedestrians) with which travelers are refreshed by the wayside is made in this manner: Flavour honey with ground pepper [again, potentially allspice, or just black or white] and skim. In the moment of serving put honey in a cup, as much as is desired to obtain the right degree of sweetness, and mix spiced wine not more than a needed quantity; also add some wine to the spiced honey to facilitate its flow and the mixing.
Prewarning for Absinthium Romanum-Roman Vermouth: Many species of wormwood contain monoterpenoid THUJONE derivatives. In the USA, the FDA restricts any commercial product containing THUJONE to 10 PARTS PER MILLION OR LESS. THUJONE has been proven to cause seizures in those predisposed to them, and while absinth is legal in most countries and considered mainly harmless, there is always potential that making your own following this process COULD PROVE TO BE A NEGATIVE EXPERIENCE. Mind, though, there are many blogs and websites with the following recipe and reviews, and most were pleased. This could be due to bias, as people who didn’t enjoy it most likely wouldn’t be writing an article about it. EXERCISE CAUTION, KNOW YOUR LIMITS WHEN DRINKING ALCOHOL, DON’T DRINK THIS ONE ALONE IF YOU HAVE SEIZURES, OR IF YOU’RE UNSURE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT YOU MAY HAVE ONE. Oh, and I’m not responsible for anyone texting their exes!
Absinthium Romanum – Roman Vermouth Roman vermouth (or absinth) is made thus: According to the recipe of Camerinum [Now Camerino, Italy- locations are rare in Roman recipes, so this must have been good stuff!]: You need wormwood from Santo [Now Saintonge, Santo was in Gallia Aquitania- This recipe references a Gaulish Gaulish ingredient!] for Roman vermouth, or as a substitute, wormwood from the Pontus (black sea region) cleaned and crushed, 30 ounces of it, 8 grams of mastic resin, 4 grams each of nard leaves, costmary and saffron and 18 quarts of any kind of mild wine. Filter cold, charcoal is not required because of the bitterness. This last recipe is potentially incorrect in the measurement of the wormwood, as the original Latin translates to “offer one theban ounce”, which is, at least under that name, nonexistent. I have looked at blog posts and recipes that others have made, and have decided that 30 ounces in the context of the original recipe seems to be the right ratio of wormwood to the 8 grams of mastic resin.
Now that you have a few different recipes to choose from, as well as a potential health crisis on your hands, give them a shot! Try whichever ones speak to you, sub out ingredients for what you know you’d prefer, and imagine passing the cup to the long-haired, mustachioed Gaul sitting at the table next to you. Feel that connection through the millennia that only the 5 senses can truly evoke. If you feel like connecting with some modern Galatis as well, come join our hall in the Discord connections on the Touta Galation and Bessus Nouiogalation websites from the first paragraph, let me know what you thought of the article, maybe even stay a while and enjoy our hospitality. And above all else, Giamolitun dagon ollon, a good Giamolitus to all!
Rûnou̯elîti̯â is a divination system/tool that is similar to and inspired by Norse and Germanic Runes and Insular Celtic Ogham, but designed to be used within a Gaulish Polytheistic (Galatibessus) framework. It is intended to be used with small tiles or something similar, and drawn or cast much the same as reading Runes.
(A set of Rûnâs on round, wooden discs that I made) (A nicer set on wooden tiles made to match my system gifted to me by Branos Carnutodrûidon)
It is not a reconstruction of any known historical divination tool/method. It is merely a modern innovation based on a very hypothetical could-have-been given the existence of similar concepts found among the cultures that neighored the Gauls, and the established tendency of the Gauls to exchange products and ideas with their neighboring cultures, as well as the tendency of modern Gaulish Polytheists to interact with modern adherents to the Polytheisms of those same groups.
The name was created by combining the following Gaulish words:
rûnâ (secret, mystery)
and
u̯elîtus (to see)
So I have translated it as “secret-seeing”.
The Gaulish word rûnâ descended from the Proto-Celtic rūnā and is linguistically related to the Old Norse rún and Old English rūn (ancestor of the Modern English rune) which both descend from Proto-Germanic rūnō. P-C rūnā and P-G rūnō may have descended independently from Proto-Indo-European *rewHn- (ultimately from *rewH- [to roar; grumble; murmur; mumble; whisper]), or rūnō may have been borrowed from rūnā.
It uses the 15 characters of the Lugano alphabet (also commonly referred to as the North Italic or Lepontic alphabet)* needed to write the Gaulish language, adapted from the Lepontic alphabet, which generally uses 18 characters, adjusted to reflect the few sound differences between the two languages. It differs from other, similar Gaulish divination systems in this respect as my version uses the fewest letters, and uses a set of letters specifically tailored to Gaulish rather than just using the Lepontic alphabet.
A note on that:
(*The Lugano/North Italic alphabet variations were derived from the Etruscan alphabet, which itself was ultimately derived from the Phoenician alphabet, as were those of Hebrew and other Semitic languages. It was borrowed in various forms from the Etruscans to write Northern Italic languages as well as the Celtic languages Lepontic and, to an admittedly lesser extent, Gaulish. An early Western Greek alphabet called Euboean served as the link between the Phoenecian and Etruscan alphabets, and was also the common ancestor of the more familiar Greek as well as Latin alphabets. And variations used for Lepontic and Gaulish probably provided the basis for the Germanic Runic alphabets. I think this provides a fascinating link between the Semitic, Tyrsenian, and Indo-European language families.)
The meanings for each Rûnâ (letter) were derived by comparing the assigned meanings of their closest equivalents within the Grammatomancy (divination using letters) systems of the Gauls closest Indo-European neighbors: Elder Futhark (Fuþark), Anglo-Saxon Futhorc (Fuþorc), Gaelic Ogham, and the Greek Oracle divination systems. I also borrowed plant associations for each rûnâ from its Ogham counterpart. Lastly, I offered possible Dêu̯os/Dêu̯â (god/goddess) associations for each Rûnâ, though these are certainly only possible suggestions. There are many possible Dêu̯oi (deities) one could associate with each Rûnâ, and these connections could vary based on the individual’s relationship with a particular Dêu̯os or Dêu̯â.
Endless thanks and praise to Rosmertâ, the Goddess of Fate & Propjecy, and Carnonos (more commonly known as Cernunnos), God of Liminality & Opener of the door between our world and the Otherworld, for inspiration and guidance throughout this work.
Brâton Tê, Rosmertâ!
Brâton Tê, Carnone!
The Rûnâs:
Names, phonetic values, and divinatory meanings of the Rûnâs
Arespon – a message (a, â) communication, receiving a message or messages, insight, foresight, clear vision, truth, wisdom, success in negotiations and transactions.
I̯agis – ice (i, î, i̯) patience, waiting, standstill, turning inward for clarity, reflection, accepting the inevitable, death and rebirth, new starts, losing and regaining through hard work
– Fuþark equivalent: Kenaz (ᚲ) Gebō (ᚷ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Cēn (ᚳ) Gyfu (ᚷ) – Ogham equivalent: Coll (ᚉ) Gort (ᚌ) – Greek equivalent: Kappa (Κ/κ) Gamma (Γ/γ) – Dêu̯oi: Lugus as god of arts/skills and warrior – Plant: Hazel or Ivy
Locos – lake (l) prophecy/divination/revelation, intuition, imagination, creativity, artistic passion, vitality/life energy, flow/change/growth/renewal (water associations), success, mysteries, the deep, the hidden, the unknown, the Underworld, the fickleness and unpredictably of Nature and Fate, look deeper
– Fuþark equivalent: Laguz (ᛚ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Lagu (ᛚ) – Ogham equivalent: Luis (ᚌ) – Greek equivalent: Lambda (Λ/λ) – Dêu̯oi: Rosmertâ and the Mâtronâs (Prophecy and Fate), Sucellos and Nantosṷeltâ (the Underworld), possibly – Dêu̯oi associated with water – Plant: Rowan
Mî – me (m) the self, receiving help from others, exchange, friends and family, forethought, vision, psychic sense, positive change through labor, toil, and examination of life lessons, awareness of how your actions affect others.
– Fuþark equivalent: Mannaz (ᛗ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Mann (ᛗ) – Ogham equivalent: Muin (ᚋ) – Greek equivalent: Mu (Μ/μ) – Dêu̯oi: yourself (not a Dêu̯os/Dêu̯â obviously but as worshipper and supplicant and your relationship to the Dêu̯oi), and ancestors – Plant: Vine
Nertos – strength (n) need, desire, responsibility, hardship (delay, restriction, resistance, poverty, strife, conflict), will to overcome, self-reliance, taking action, the coming solution to the need/desire or hardship, don’t let fear keep you from accepting the truth, truth is a gift from the gods and can be hard to accept but leads to growth,
– Fuþark equivalent: Naudiz (ᚾ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Nȳd (ᚾ) – Ogham equivalent: Nuin (ᚅ) – Greek equivalent: Nu (Ν/ν) – Dêu̯oi: Ogmios or any deity associated with strength – Plant: Ash
Orbion – inheritance, heritage (o, ô) inheritance, home, hearth, family, heritage, material possessions, property, increase of possessions, “reaping what you sow”/achieving reward through effort and planning, knowing the proper time to reap the rewards of efforts as attempting to gain the benefits too soon may cause a loss of the benefits
– Fuþark equivalent: Ōþalan (ᛟ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Oðal (ᛟ) – Ogham equivalent: Onn (ᚑ) – Greek equivalent: Omicron (Ο/ο) Omega (Ω/ω) – Dêu̯oi: hearth Dêu̯âs, ancestral Dêu̯oi, Dêu̯oi associated with abundance, especially Sucellos and Nantosṷeltâ due to Their roles as Ancestors as well as Their associations with abundance. – Plant: Gorse
Pellon – a far away thing (p) Brunnos – womb (b) a secret, something unknown and potentially best left unknown for now, something lost, chance, danger, struggle, success through perseverance in the face of adversity, choosing what is beneficial, new beginnng/fresh starts
– Fuþark equivalent: Perþrō (ᛈ) Berkanan (ᛒ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Peorð (ᛈ) Beorc (ᛒ) – Ogham equivalent: Ceirt (ᚓ) Beith (ᚁ) – Greek equivalent: Pi (Π/π) Beta (Β/β) – Dêu̯oi: Rosmertâ and the Mâtronâs (Fate), (possibly Grannos by way of Greek association of Beta with Apollō) – Plant: Apple or Birch
Đerâ – stars (Tau Gallicum (/ts/) fate, chaos (trials, tribulation, conflict, destruction) that leads to catharsis and change/new beginnings, gains at a cost balancing of opposites, link between the spiritual and the earthly, regeneration, divine protection on this path, just as the moon and stars provide light to get through darkness this Rûnâ serves as a guide through stress/chaos/turmoil.
– Fuþark equivalent: Þurisaz (ᚦ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Þorn (ᚦ) and Stān (ᛥ) – Ogham equivalent: Straif (ᚎ) – Greek equivalent: Theta (Θ/θ) – Dêu̯oi: Ðîronâ (who provides light in the darkness), Carnonos (balancing of opposites and link between spiritual and earthly), Rosmertâ and the Mâtronâs (Fate), Eponâ (link between spiritual and earthly) – Tau Gallicum is said to be descended from Greek Theta, so I used both /st/ as well as /th/ sounding letters from the comparative alphabets when determining my interpreted meanings for Đerâ. – Plant: Blackthorn
Rotâ – wheel (r) movement (physical, emotional, etc), travel, safe travel, rites of passage, moving away from old cycles, renewal, relocation, career change, move forward, remaining stagnant is living thoughtlessly, swift and timely action needed, logic and reason over emotions and passions
– Fuþark equivalent: Raidō (ᚱ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Rād (ᚱ) – Ogham equivalent: Ruis (ᚏ) – Greek equivalent: Rho (Ρ/ρ) – Dêu̯oi: Taranis because of wheel and cycle associations, Lugus (protector of travelers) – Plant: Elder
Sâu̯elis – the Sun (s) success, victory, health, energy, vitality (life-force), power, health, Solar deities, psychic powers, magic, connection between higher self and unconscious, purity/purification
– Fuþark equivalent: Sōwilō (ᛋ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Sigel (ᛋ) – Ogham equivalent: Saille (ᚄ) – Greek equivalent: Sigma (Σ/σ) – Dêu̯oi: Grannos (the sun and healing/health), Ðîronâ (healing/health), any other Dêu̯oi associated with health and healing, any Dêu̯oi associated with victory – Plant: Willow
Treχamos – most powerful (t) Dii̯os – day (d) warrior symbol, courage, honor, integrity, victory, mastery over self, growth, endurance, authority, leadership, rules, law, justice, success in legal matters, success in competition, strength but more importantly knowing when, where, and how to apply it, breakthrough, awakening,awareness
– Fuþark equivalent: Tīwaz (ᛏ) Dagaz (ᛞ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Tir (ᛏ) Dæg (ᛞ) – Ogham equivalent: Tinne (ᚈ) Duir (ᚇ ) – Greek equivalent: Tau (Τ) Delta (Δ/δ) – Dêu̯oi: Camulos, Caturîx, Catubodṷâ or other warrior Dêu̯oi, Lugus (success in competition), Ogmios (strength) – Plant: Oak or Holly
Uros – aurochs, ox (u, û, u̯) strength, health/healing, energy/vitality, magic, change (likely sudden, likely self-imposed, likely for the better), adventure or a quest
– Fuþark equivalent: Ūruz (ᚢ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Ūr (ᚢ) – Ogham equivalent: Úr (ᚒ) – Greek equivalent: Upsilon (Υ/υ) – Dêu̯oi: Ogmios (strength), any Dêu̯oi associated with health and healing – Plant: Heather
Alcos – elk (χ) protection and the desire to protect, victory, success, achievement, accomplishing goals
– Fuþark equivalent: Algiz (ᛉ) – Fuþorc equivalent: Eolhx (ᛉ) – Ogham equivalent: Emancholl (ᚙ) – Greek equivalent: χi/Khi (Χ/χ) – Dêu̯oi: Taranis and any of the various Toutatîs as protectors, Lugus (success, achievement, goals) – name doesn’t match sound, but there are no Gaulish words that begin with χ, but Alcos matches the meaning of Algiz and Eolhx (elk). – Plant: Beech (probably)
Rosmertâ and Carnonos sending us the Rûnâs. (Art by Branos Carnutodrûidon)
Pronunciation Guide
(based on American English)
a = about â = father e = get ê = day i = pit î = feet o = somewhere between loss and or ô = boat u = put û = too i̯ = yellow u̯ = water c = always hard like cat g = always hard like goat Ð/ðð = it’s r = (probably trilled or rolled like Spanish r or rr) χ/x = Scottish loch, German Bach
Sources:
Best available resource about the Lugano/North Italic/Lepontic alphabet(s):
We are here for the people and with the people. We stand against tyranny and oppression.
The folkish, Neo Nazis, Islamophobic, Homophobic, Racist and all the other shit views of the small minded so called humans we will not tolerate. We will go out of our way to address your actions. You will not last long in our crowds. We are watching.
Galatîbessus is hate free and not tolerant of the above.
Regional gods or regional nicknames/theonyms and iconography for existing gods are a part of every living tradition of polytheism. Bessus Leitodubrâkon is certainly no exception to this rule. Check it out here
rûnâ (secret, mystery)
u̯elîtus (to see) 
Gaulish Polytheism 