Sucellus

A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology | 2004 | 700+ words | Copyright

Sucellus, Sucellos [L, the good striker; he who strikes to good effect]. Gaulish god whose worship is recorded in several locations, including in Britain. A very masculine figure with curling beard and hair, he is conventionally depicted with a long-shafted hammer or mallet in his left hand, standing beside his cult-partner, Nantosuelta. Critical opinion is undecided about the significance of the hammer, whether it is a weapon, a cooper's tool, or a fencing instrument. It may also be an emblem of power, like a wand or sceptre. Commentators have linked Sucellus with the Roman Dis Pater and the Irish Dagda.

Bibliography

See Saloman Reinach , ‘Sucellus et Nantosvelta’, Revue Celtique, 17 (1896), 45–59;
E. Linckenheld , ‘Sucellus et Nantosuelta’, Revue de l'Histoire des Religions, 99 (1929), 40–92;
Miranda J. Green , Symbol and Image in Celtic Religious Art (London and New York, 1989), 46–54, 75–86.

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JAMES MacKILLOP. "Sucellus." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JAMES MacKILLOP. "Sucellus." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-Sucellus.html

JAMES MacKILLOP. "Sucellus." A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. 2004. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O70-Sucellus.html

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