British Isles

Brigantia is the British Goddess of wisdom and war. Her Roman name is Minerva. Her Greek name is Athena. Her Celtic name is Bride. Her Christian name is St. Bridget.
Dumfriesshire stone relief, Roman
 

 

Cirencester Triple Matronae, Mother, Virgin, Crone sit with trays on their laps filled with bread or cakes. They represent the nurturing aspects of three stages of womanhood.
Cirencester stone relief

 

Coventina is the Goddess of water, the substance of life. Goddesses preside over the water world. Coventina is fierce, pouring the waters of life from her womb jar.
Coventina Northumberland well, 2-3rd CE
 

   

Epona / Macha / Morrigan
is a horse goddess, represented in the British Isles as chalk horse figures in the landscape. The Celts were strong horse people roaming from Anatolia to the Isles.
Wiltshire bronze, Roman

 

Hereford Sheela-Na-Gig
is a Romanesque magical image of transformation. The gateway to life and death is the vulva.
Hereford Romanesque Church, 14th CE

 

OUR LADY OF DUBLIN
See Black Madonnas

 

OUR LADY OF WALSINGHAM
See Black Madonnas

Scottish Sheela-na-gig
symbolizes the myriad winding pathways of transformation through the feminine. She holds snakes in her upraised arms.
Meigle Perthshire Stone

 

Sophia Wisdom
from Oxfordshire, sits on her lion throne with new life represented by her son on her lap. She is surrounded by circles of contracting and expanding energies.
Illunimnated manuscript Eynsham Abbery, Oxfordshire, c.1150 CE

 

Virgin in Majesty
from The Book of Kells sits majestically on her wisdom throne guarded by a lion. Her son carries new life and the word as her gift to the world.
Book of Kells, 8th CE

 

Wallford Venus / RhianON is the maiden aspect of womanhood, one in herself. Her cornucopia basket represents all the possible choices the world presents to a young woman.
Walbrook Sanctuary, London, clay, 1-2nd CE

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The British banners were created for the The Goddess Conference in Glastonbury, England, August 3-6, 1999; August 2-6, 2000; and July 25-29, 2001.

 

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