Sequana - Celtic/Roman Goddess of Preserving Life 100 CE

(July 4, 2024) This 1 foot high bronze statue was found with that of a faun in 1933 by Henri Corot in a temple devoted to Sequana. This temple is called the "Fontes Sequanae" dating and dates to 100 BCE. It is located north-west of Dijon in eastern France. 

Despite her Celtic origin, Sequana was clearly esteemed by the Romans, who enlarged Fontes Sequanae with two large temples. She is represented by a 1 foot high bronze statuette of a draped young woman wearing a diadem, with arms outstretched as if to welcome suppliants and standing in a duck-shaped boat.

Details in surviving figures imply much about the nature of Sequana's worship. Her devotees are depicted in heavy, hooded woollen cloaks, the kind worn by ordinary Celtic peasants. They bear her gifts of fruit, money, or pet animals. A large pot inscribed with Sequana's name was filled with silver and bronze body parts to be cured by her. Simultaneously, complete body statuettes, as well as coins and jewelry, are offered to her, presumably in the hope of a reciprocal cure. (Oxford Reference)

The word "Sequana" means "fabric.resister" from the Akkadian phrase SaQu.WaNu. Here "fabric" is an epithet for the life network of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm so she is a power which resists the fabric being cut, that is, a power which preserves life.

Eight Latin inscriptions to Sequana are claimed but most of these are highly eroded making their translation uncertain. These were all found nears the sources of the Seine. The following seems to be the least corrupted (CIL 13, 02858):

• Au(gusto) sac(rum) d(eae) Sequan(ae) e[x] / moni[tu]

This translates as: "Great sacred goddess Sequanae for extracting advice."

References

Oxford Reference at: https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100455380