Cantabrian mythology

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It seems that the native Cantabrian mythology connected, from the beginning and with the passing of the years, with Celtic and Roman mythology becoming partly related with legends and traditions from the rest of the Cantabrian Mountains. In most cases its deeper meaning, passed from parents to children through oral tradition, has been diluted, either because this meaning has been lost or because the classic writers didn't gather all the popular wealth and mentality of the time, paying attention only to cults and divinities that were similar to theirs. On the other hand, the romanization and later incursion of Christianism transformed the sense and representation of these pagan rites, reaching in many cases religious syncretism.

Even so, Cantabrian people still conserve more apologues and legends with a great ritual or behavioral component than significant tales.

[edit] Divinities

Among the remains of myths that still persist as substrate in the Cantabrian tradition is the cult to great protective divinities, like the adoration to the Sun, as is evident in Cantabrian Steles, and in relation to the cult of the fire (bonfires of Saint John, coincident with solstice of summer, could be a reminiscence). Also, the Cantabrians worshiped a supreme divinity-father (in Herrera de Camargo was discovered a beautiful bronze sculpture) which in Roman time was associated with Jupiter and the cult to the Sun, and later with the Christian God.

The fire cult has always been present in mythology

Combined with the marked warlike disposition of the Cantabrians, there appears a god of war, subsequently identified as Mars, to whom they offered sacrifices of male goats, horses, or large numbers of prisoners, as Strabo points out.

Together with this god of war, appear the germinator mother-godessess related to the Moon, remaining almost until the present time, when they have a clear influence in rural environments evident in the phases of sowing and gathering of the crops.

In the same way, the cult to a god of sea was assimilated in Roman times through Neptune (a statuette of this deity, but with features of the original Cantabrian divinity, was found in Castro Urdiales).

The ancient cantabrians believed in the immortality of the spirit. Thus they demonstrated in their funeral rites where cremation predominated, with the exception of those who died in combat, who had to rest in the battlefield until vultures opened their entrails to take their soul to Heaven. This practice is testified in the engravings of the Cantabrian Stele of Zurita.

[edit] Telluric and arboreal mythology

Foggy forest of oaks in Cantabria. In the lushness of these forests cantabrian mythology locates to spirits and mythologycal beings, trying to give answers to the fear to the unknown..

At the same time, a terrenal mythology of adoration to Gaia, the Mother Earth, exists through the divinization of animals, trees, mountains and waters like elementary spirits. Beliefs, on the other hand, common to all the people who received celtic influences.

Places like Pico Dobra, in the valley of Besaya, have given evidence of their sacred condition since pre-Roman time through the altar dedicated to the Cantabrian God Erudinus dated on the year 399, which demonstrates that these rites extended beyond the restoration of the Christianity in Roman Empire like official religion. In the same way place names like Peña Sagra (Sacred Mountain), Peña Santa (Saint Mountain) or Mozagro ( Montem sacrum ) indicates that they have been considered sacred places from the most remote antiquity.

[edit] Significative dates

Elder flowers.

[edit] External links

• Cantabrian Mythology (Spanish)
• Cantabrian Mythology (Spanish)
• Cantabria joven. Mythology and Legends (Spanish)

[edit] References

• Mitos y Leyendas de Cantabria. Santander 2001. Llano Merino, M.. Ed. Librería Estvdio. ISBN 84-95742-01-2

• Los Cántabros. Santander 1983. González Echegaray, J.. Ed. Librería Estvdio. ISBN 84-87934-23-4

• Gran Enciclopedia de Cantabria. Santander 1985 (8 tomos) y 2002 (tomos IX, X y XI). Various. Editorial Cantabria S.A. ISBN 84-86420-00-8

• Mitología y Supersticiones de Cantabria. Santander 1993. Adriano García-Lomas. Ed. Librería Estvdio. ISBN 84-87934-87-0