#continental celtic

In a sunken temple to Nehalennia, dolphins uncover a long-forgotten offering of a torq, and the spirits of seagulls remember the days when this place of worship was on the surface…

Nehalennia is a goddess of uncertain origin – possibly Continental Celtic or Germanic – whose worship centered around Zealand in the modern-day Netherlands. She was popular among fishers, merchants, tradespeople, and many other individuals, as attested by numerous votive offerings dating from the Roman era. A lovely temple to her was reconstructed in the last century, and that is what this temple in this image is based off. Torqs are type of necklace common to many historical peoples in the region, including the Gauls.

Artio is a continental Celtic goddess who can appear in the form of a human or a bear, and her worship may have centered in and around Switzerland. Here, I included wood anemones (a spring flower that grows wild in the Alps) and a bear cub, since it is springtime, after all! Prints available here.