Artaha (also spelled Artehe) is the name of an ancient goddess that was worshiped in Southern Gaul, in the region of Aquitania. She is a protector goddess that is thought to be associated with bears.

The theonym is recorded in several inscriptions from Saint-Pé-d'Ardet, where there seems to have been a Gallo-Roman-era cult center for the god: CIL 13, 64 Lexeia Odanni f(ilia) Artehe v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)

Artahe

CIL 13, 70; AE 1888, 141

Deo Artahe L(uci) P(ompei) Pauliniani [nep(os) 3]

ILTG 37

Artahe deo Rufo IIFIS v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)

Artahe

ILTG 38

[...] Artahe [...]

From the same region - the village of Lourde - comes another inscription bearing the name: CIL 13, 71 Artehe deo Bonnexi Amandi v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)

Artahe

It is also recorded in an inscription from Malvezie: CIL 13, 73 (4, p 2) Ar[t]a[he deo] L(ucius) Antist(ius) Syntr[o]p(h)us v(otum) s(olvit) l(ibens) m(erito)

Etymology

According to Spanish linguist and Vascologist , her name has been variously interpreted as either Celtic, related to Artaios, or Aquitanian. Following the second line of reading, the name appears to be of ancient Aquitanian origin and may be cognate with modern Basque arte "oak". The place name Ardet may be derived from the theonym, or vice versa.

References

AE: L'Année Épigraphique, 1888

CIL: Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum, Berlin, 1863-

ILTG: Wuilleumier, P., Inscriptions latines des Trois Gaules (France), (XVIIe Supplement à Gallia) Paris, 1963

Basque goddesses

Basque mythology