Nemetati
Encyclopedia
The Nemetati were an ancient Celt
ic tribe of Gallaecia
, living in the north of modern Portugal
between the Cávado
and Ave River
s, in the province of Minho, north of the Douro
.They lived near the valley of the Ave River
and may have some link with inscriptions to the war god Cosus Nemedecus. The Citânia de Sanfins (in Paços de Ferreira
) could be their main hill fort. Their ethnic name comes from the celtic nemeton
(Νεμετατῶν, Ptol. 2,6,40. Celtic, to nemeto- ato-), a place belonging to the sacred site/grove (to nemeto-), or more likely, place belonging to Nemetos.
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic tribe of Gallaecia
Gallaecia
Gallaecia or Callaecia, also known as Hispania Gallaecia, was the name of a Roman province and an early Mediaeval kingdom that comprised a territory in the north-west of Hispania...
, living in the north of modern Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
between the Cávado
Cávado River
The Cávado River is a river located in north Portugal.It has its source in Serra do Larouco at 1520 meters. It runs 135 km from Gouveia to its mouth into the Atlantic Ocean next to the city of Esposende...
and Ave River
Ave River
Ave River is a river in Portugal. Vizela River flows into it....
s, in the province of Minho, north of the Douro
Douro
The Douro or Duero is one of the major rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, flowing from its source near Duruelo de la Sierra in Soria Province across northern-central Spain and Portugal to its outlet at Porto...
.They lived near the valley of the Ave River
Ave River
Ave River is a river in Portugal. Vizela River flows into it....
and may have some link with inscriptions to the war god Cosus Nemedecus. The Citânia de Sanfins (in Paços de Ferreira
Paços de Ferreira
Paços de Ferreira is a city in Portugal. It is sometimes also called Capital do Móvel , since the city is home to numerous furniture manufacturing plants. Besides older Portuguese furniture companies, Portugal's major industrial operations of IKEA are also located there...
) could be their main hill fort. Their ethnic name comes from the celtic nemeton
Nemeton
A nemeton was a sacred space of ancient Celtic religion. Nemeta appear to have been primarily situated in natural areas, and, as they often utilized trees, they are often interpreted as sacred groves. However, other evidence suggests that the word implied a wider variety of ritual spaces, such as...
(Νεμετατῶν, Ptol. 2,6,40. Celtic, to nemeto- ato-), a place belonging to the sacred site/grove (to nemeto-), or more likely, place belonging to Nemetos.