Cult

Reitia is seen as a Goddess of writing, procreation, health, commerce, animals and weaving (Cipriano, 2016). One of Reitia’s cultic sites was Este, with rituals taking place there from the 7th century BCE till the 2nd century CE (Cipriano, 2016). Her sanctuary at Este may have been a scribal school due to many writing implements and texts dedicated to Her there (Lomas, 2017). She was also given votive offerings of figurines, bronze tablets with women stamped on them and anatomical offerings, such as a bronze foot (Lomas, 2017). In Este alone, there were over 14,000 votive offerings found (Perego, 2011). Many of the dedications relating to writing in Este are given by women. These seem to have been celebrating the beginning or end of the learning process or dedication of aspirations to learn (McDonald, 2019).

 In Este, there was a bronze equestrian statue dedicated to Reitia that says, “ [male name] has dedicated me, a horse, to Reitia” (Brewer, 1985). Brewer describes Reitia as a horse Goddess as well. Other depictions and inscriptions in Este, one of which contained a depiction of an essedum, a Gaulish two-wheeled cart, contain the Veneti word ekvopetaris. Brewer suggests that ekvopetaris means something similar to horse-groomer, stable-hand or farrier. These individuals were buried with knightly honour and may have been buried with horse and cart. This find speaks both to Gaulish influence on the Veneti and the association of Reitia with horses, and perhaps horsemanship and fighting with horses (McDonald, 2019).

Symbols for Reitia include keys, which were often found in wells (Zanoni, 2013). This key suggests multiple meanings and is a common symbol of gatekeeping deities, such as Hecate, who was described in the Orphic Hymns as the “The world's key-bearer” (Karatas, 2019). Reitia is depicted holding a key in Montebelluno just as Hecate does (Kastav and Grobnik, 2009). Keys are symbols of gatekeepers, both heavenly and underworld, and represent women’s place as keepers of the home and temples in the ancient Mediterranean world (Karatas, 2019).

An essential part of Reitia’s cult was Her healing aspects which worshippers would give votive offerings of body parts (Lomas, 2017). The votive offerings are a request for the healing of a specific body part and could also suggest that divine healing was perceived as disassembling and reassembling the body (Graham, 2017). Additionally, the body parts offered may also indicate the individual as a whole, for example, the belief that the head was the seat of the personal. Therefore a votive offering of a head may have been representative of the whole (Graham, 2017). Offerings of genitalia and breasts may indicate fertility, motherhood or virility as a whole, rather than explicitly asking for the healing of that body part (Graham, 2017).

Another thing to consider is the permanence of these votive offerings and what they stand for. Once the offering is made, it is considered property of the Gods and taboo to remove or reuse it (Graham, 2017). Therefore it is representative of a permanent connection between the worshipper and God.

Weaving tools are another common and powerful symbol of Reitia (Gambacurta, 2017). In Reitia’s cult sites, many Bobbins, loom weights, spools, spindles, needles and weaving ‘sceptres’ have been found, pointing to the importance of weaving to the cult of Reitia (Gambacurta, 2017). Many votive offerings of clothes and clothing pins such as Fibula have also been found, many in the La Tene style (Gambacurta, 2017). It is possible that at Este, in the same sanctuary as the possible writing school, there was also a weaving school, suggesting that the sanctuary was influential in the development of skills, especially those seen as ‘womanly’ skills (Gambacurta, 2017). The importance of weaving and writing may associate Reitia with fate, such as with the Moirae “He shall suffer such things as destiny wove with the strand of his birth that day he was born to his mother” (Homer, Iliad). Indeed, weaving can be seen as an expression of female power. The creation of woven work allows the individual to create the world and express information how they wish to see it, as seen in Helen, Philomela’s and Arachne’s weaving (Schoichet, 2007). The connection with weaving, fate and birth can be seen further in Reitia’s epithet Pora, which relates to childbirth. 

 Reitia’s cult in the Roman period was absorbed by the cults of Minerva and Bona Dea (Cipriano, 2016). This has the potential to yield further information on the nature of Her cult. Minerva was associated with weaving, writing, schools, war, wisdom, commerce and more. These qualities fit in quite well with what Reitia was associated with. Bona Dea is a Goddess of fertility, healing and women. Bona Dea's associations also fit well with what we know of Reitia.

Interpretatio Gallica

There is reason to believe that Reitia herself was worshipped by some Gauls, as iconographic evidence points to Her existence in modern-day Switzerland, Austria, and, of course, Veneto (Guimlia-Mair, 2008).

Additionally, Polybius had said this about the Veneti:

“The land from there to the Adriatic coast remained the domain of another ancient people, the Veneti, who are virtually indistinguishable from Celts in their customs and clothing, but who speak a different language…” -Polybius, Histories II.17,5-6

This suggests a high level of cultural assimilation of the Veneti to the neighbouring Gauls, and it is highly plausible that this cultural communication went two-ways. It is not inconceivable that the Gauls would have given cult to Reitia as well. Lomas (2017) also points to the Celtic influence on iconography found in Veneto and the Celtic and mixed names, such as Verkvalos, Tivalos Bellenios and Frema Boialna. They express that Venetic identity was not undermined or shed, but the Celtic influence was absorbed into the Venetic culture.

All of this suggests that Reitia, or Her cult, was potentially influenced by the neighbouring Gauls. There is evidence that the Gauls also took up the worship of Her. There are several ways to adapt Reitia more fully into a Gaulish worldview; one way is to give Her Gaulish epithets that speak to Her qualities and roles.

Firstly, key-bearer. Clauodelgâ, literally ‘one holding the keys’.

Secondly, weaver. Uegonâtis, literally ‘sewer, needleworker, weaver’, or Wegēdos ‘literally weaver’.

Thirdly, writer. Scribâtis, literally ‘writer, scriber’.

Fourthly, healer. Olliaccâ, literally ‘all healer’.

Lastly, horse mother. Epodiâ, literally ‘horse-like’, on account of Reitia’s occasional horse arms.

And if you are so inclined, with Reitia’s connection with horses and Her worship among the Gauls, a sync with the Gaulish Goddess Epona may be historic or appropriate. In any case, it could elucidate some of Reitia’s nature in a Gaulish context.

How to worship Reitia?

Reitia can be worshipped the same as any God through the gifting cycle. However, there are several devotional activities and rituals which would lend themselves especially to the worship of Reitia.

The first two devotional activities are apparent, the dedication and offering of writing and weaving to Reitia. This appears to have been a significant part of Her cult, and by partaking in these crafts and dedicating them to Her as the worshippers of old did, we can give Reitia great honour.

Lastly, the creation and votive offering of body parts as pleas of assistance with healing is a method of connecting with Reitia and the cultic practices of the past.

In conclusion

Reitia is a multi-faceted Goddess whose cult was widespread and lasted many years. She is closely associated with animals, especially horses and birds, writing, weaving, healing, gatekeeping, childbirth and potentially fate, death, war and learning.

Bibliography

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Ciprianoi, S., 2016. A lead-glazed Skyphos with figurative belief decoration from the sanctuary of Reitia in Esta (Italy). Rei CretariÆ RomanÆ FaVtorVm Acta, 44.

De Nardi, S., 2007. Landscapes of the prehistoric Veneto, Italy: a plurality of local identities reflected in cult and landscape perception. Papers from the Institute of Archaeology, pp.39-56.

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Homer, Iliad 20. 127 ff (trans. Lattimore) (Greek epic C8th B.C.)

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Lomas, K., 2017. The Veneti. In The Peoples of Ancient Italy (pp. 701-718). De Gruyter.

McDonald, Kathrine, 2019. Education and literacy in ancient Italy: Evidence from the dedications to the goddess Reitia. The Journal of Roman Studies, 109, pp.131-159.

Perego, E., 2011. Between religion and consumption: Culinary and drinking equipment in Venetic ritual practice (ca. 725 BCE-CE 25). Pallas. Revue d'études antiques, (86), pp.235-262.

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Shoichet, J.G., 2007. Warp, weft, and womanly wiles: Weaving as an expression of female power. Illumine, p.23.

Zanoni, V., 2013. Beneath the Surface of water. Hydraulic structures and human skeletal remains in Ancient Italy. Traces in time, 3.