WALCHEREN

ZEELAND, THE NETHERLANDS

The Romano-Celtic goddess Nehalennia was worshiped intensively in the Dutch province of Zeeland; more than 160 votive altars have been found in this province. They all date from the second and early third centuries AD (see Religion: Nehalennia).

The Dutch altars were found at two particular locations and times. One batch, consisting of 122 altars, was found in the 1970s in the estuary north of Colijnsplaat, known in Roman times as Ganuenta. The other batch was found near Domburg on the island of Walcheren in 1647. Unfortunately, all but three of the Domburg altars were destroyed in a fire in 1848. These were dredged from the sea in the seventeenth century, and it is assumed that the site of a temple to Nehalennia has been eroded away by the sea.

The two Nehalennia temples were offered the votive altars, presumably accompanied by a donation, by captains and merchants gratefial for a safe seacrossing. During a storm, or perhaps before a voyage was undertaken, the goddess was invoked. The travelers promised her a votive altar provided she saved their lives. After their safe passage, the seafarers bought an expensive piece of imported stone and ordered a mason to sculpt and inscribe it.

It is a little surprising that the inscriptions are in Latin, as the native population spoke a Celtic language that had become Germanized. Perhaps these were upwardly mobile, self-improving indigenous people who had made an effort to learn Latin; perhaps they were not really Latin speakers, but wanted to impress by using Latin.

The cult of Nehalennia came to an end on Walcheren in the second century AD, when—with perfect irony—the sea destroyed her temple.