Nantosuelta is a Celtic goddess worshipped in Gaul and Britain; she was often accompanied by a consort, Sucellus (whose name means “good striker” and who carries a long-handled hammer or mallet and is often shown with a barrel).

Although her name is known from a single inscription (at Sarrebourg, Germany), her iconography is remarkable enough to identify her elsewhere. Nantosuelta was often depicted in art carrying a unique scepter, topped with a small house. The meaning of the house is uncertain but it may identify her as a goddess of hearth and home; it may also depict a birdhouse. Other attributes associated with Nantosuelta include the cornucopia or dish of fruit, common symbols of abundance; she has also been shown carrying what may be a beehive, another representation of household abundance and well-being. She is often accompanied by a raven, a bird often associated by the Celts with death and the Otherworld.

It seems likely that Nantosuelta is a goddess of the home and homestead, with power over fertility, abundance and all aspects of family life.

Myth
Unknown.

Cult
Nantosuelta received votive and dedicatory offerings from her worshippers; otherwise little is known of the specifics of her cult.

Etymology
The origin of Nantosuelta’s name is uncertain but may come from the Proto-Celtic *nantos or “river” and *swelta or “to wind or meander.” If so, Nantosuelta would be a goddess named for a winding river.

Region
Nantosuelta was worshipped mainly in north-central Gaul, although there is also evidence for her worship in England.

Literary evidence
Unknown.

Archaeological evidence
East Stoke, England; Teting, France; Sarrebourg, Germany; Speyer, Germany; Luxembourg