Page:The Celtic Review volume 3.djvu/45

30 the dative Matris Aug(ustis) Obelesibus ( 2672). The Nemetiales are also called Matres, and were doubtless the protecting goddesses of the 'nemeta' or sacred enclosures. Their name occurs on an inscription in the dative as Matris Nemetiali[b(us)] ( 2221). The inscription Icotiis may represent 'Icotiæ' or 'Icotii.' It occurs at Cruviers, dép. Gard, arrond. Alais, cant. Vézenobres ( 2902). The Tangonæ [Matres] are mentioned on an inscription at Vénasque, dép. Vaucluse, canton Pernes, in the dative [Matribus] Tangonis. The name 'olatonæ' occurs on an imperfect inscription at Nîmes ( 3110) in the dative .... olatonis. On an inscription of Le Plan d'Au(l)ps, arrond. de Brignolles, canton of Saint-Maximin, dép. of Var ( 330), which reads Matribu[s] Almahabu[s], etc., we have an adjective applied to Matres which contains an intervocalic 'h,' such as is characteristic of the inscriptions found in the neighbourhood of German territory. In Nîmes itself, a great centre of the Matres worship, we have the Matres Namausicæ of the Ματρεβο Ναμαυσικαβο inscription ( p. 383 n 1). The only other specifically designated group of Matres in Southern Gaul is that of the Matres Gerudatiæ ( 805), found in the dative 'Matribus Gerudatiabus,' on a votive tablet at Saint-Estève, dép. Var, arrond. Brignolles, canton Barjols. On the inscriptions the Matres in this district have no local designation. For example, at Aix one inscription has the words Matrib[us] conservatricibus, while another has Matrib[us] simply. At Saint-Remy de Ventabren we have Ma[t]ris (in the dative), at Aries the '[Mat]ribus' are associated on an inscription with Fortuna Arelatensis. At Apt we have the form 'Matribus,' and similarly at Montbrun. At Vaison we have Matrabus on three inscriptions, Matribus on three, and Matris (dative) on one. At Sahune, dép. Drôme, cant. Rémusat, Dieule-fit, Pont-de-Barret, dép. Drôme, we have Matris, at Saint Romain-en-Gal, three inscriptions of Vienne, Lyons (2), and Grenoble, we have Matris augustis. At Allondaz, near Albertville, in Savoy, we have the dedication Matris Mithres. At Saint-Innocent we have Matris au[gustis],