Brigantia (goddess) Brigantia (goddess) Brigantia was a goddess in Celtic (Gallo-Roman and Romano-British) religion of Late Antiquity. Through "interpretatio Romana", she was equated with "Victoria". The tales connected to the characters of Brigid and Saint Brigid in Irish mythology and legend have been argued to be connected to Brigantia although the figures themselves remain distinct. The name is derived from Proto-Celtic "*Brigantī" and means "The High One", cognate with the Old Irish name Brigit, the Old High German personal name "Burgunt", the Sanskrit word "Bṛhatī" (बृहती) "high", an epithet of the Hindu dawn goddess Ushas, and Avestan "bǝrǝzaitī". The ultimate source is
Minoan snake goddess figurines "snake goddess" reduced in legend into a folklore heroine was Ariadne (whose name might mean "utterly pure" or "the very holy one"), who is often depicted surrounded by Maenads and satyrs. Some scholars relate the snake goddess with the Phoenician Astarte ("virgin daughter"). She was the goddess of fertility and sexuality and her worship was connected with an orgiastic cult. Her temples were decorated with serpentine motifs. In a related Greek myth Europa, who is sometimes identified with Astarte in ancient sources, was a Phoenician princess whom Zeus abducted and carried to Crete. Evans tentatively linked the snake goddess with