Danu

[Huyana]

A friend of mine found the name of a Goddess spelled Damnu. We've been wondering if that is the actual name of a Goddess, or if it is just a variation of Danu. Does anyone know?

[Danustouch]

There are so many Goddesses that have been "linked" To Danu that it wouldn't surprise me. I was reading an article not long ago, that linked her to an Indus Valley Goddess...Does she know what culture Damnu was from?

[Mnemosyne]

I think that Damnu comes from the Celtic culture. For some reason, I thought that Damnu and Danu were synonymous, since there a few variations of Danu's name. However, I found this site.


http://www.clannada.org/Online-Docs/Metaphysic%20of%20the%20Cultural%20Tradition.pdf

The site says that Damnu is the "sister of Danu, lady of the depths."

[Huyana]

thank you soo much. That has been eating away at me for a while.

[Valnorran]

I wouldn't be surprised about a connection to India, either. Peter Ellis has written many books on the Celts and shown some fascinating links between Celtic and Indian culture. He thinks the core race split up, one ehading east and the other going west. Fascinating stuff.

[Danustouch]

Mnemosyne, I ran a search in Google for Damnu, since I didn't specifically remember running across any information on Damnu with that spelling. I only came up with the link to the pdf article that you mentioned. However, I went back through some of my links on Danu, and the Tuatha De Danaan, and I came across this page, which mentions a Goddes "DOMNU" I knew I had run across something about this..but couldn't remember where!

http://www.sophiagroup.org/god.html

It's so difficult, because all that we know of Danu, mainly comes from knowledge of the Tuatha De Danaan. Because she is only mentioned in reference to her children, most of the time, there is very little information about her. I've struggled with this for a while. So whenever I find a Goddess who is linked, it reveals a little more possibility to Danu's identity. I found it interesting that Damnu/Domnu was a Goddess of the Deep Waters, as Danu is also linked with water in some references. Just a theory, but perhaps Danu/Damnu/Domnu and their links to water, are explained through their fertility and motherhood aspects? Danu is supposedly an archetypical mother figure. And of course, motherhood, and fertility has water connections through the womb, the cauldron of birth. Interesting to say the least!

[Danustouch]

Also, of interest, is this link, which mentions the connection between water, and the Goddess Danu. Perhaps when Damnu/Domnu is mentioned, it is an "Aspect" of the Goddess Danu. Danu is associated with the River Don, in Russia, and with the Danube. Read On....this is a very fascinating article.

http://www.darkages.com/community/phi/Chult_Danu.html

[Danustouch]

And here, another article says that Domnu was a crone aspect. And once again, related to Danu. It also links Danu, to Tana, and Diana.

http://www.draeconin.com/welsh/articles/migrations.htm

[Mnemosyne]

Thanks so much for all that wonderful information, Danustouch! :) You made points that remind us how the pantheons throughout the world have so much in common. When I think about Danu, I immediately think of the word "Celtic." However, I failed to see that Danu has roots from other cultures besides the Celtic one. The answer is right in her name. As Danustouch mentioned, perhaps Danu's name is derived from the Danube River in Europe. Also, if you look at Danu's name, you see the word "Anu." (Some people even call her "Anu" in the Celtic sources.) In Mesoptomian beliefs, Anu is the great sky god.

Danustouch et als., do you think that Danu may have Middle Eastern roots? So much of the Mediterranean and Egyptians beliefs came from Mesopotamia. I believe that it is possible that origins of the Celtic gods could come from that area also.

Do you see Danu as having any connections to the sky? I mainly see the earth and the water. God/desses have many roles though. Look at Diana. In one of the links that Danustouch posted, the link reminds you that Diana is seen as virgin, but also a mother. Sometimes the goddess has multiple roles.

Sorry I just had so much to say about Danu that I haven't really been discussing Domnu. I'll have to read up on her now.

[Danustouch]

Good Luck with research on Domnu. The truth is, there is very little information about her on the web :) Which is why I'd heard so little :)

I've never heard of associations between Danu and the Sky. Unless it is through her consort, (in some references, Belenus), or her Children (the Tuatha De Danaan)

As I mentioned earlier, i recall reading SOMEWHERE, and I'm really not sure where, that Danu has been mentioned in some references as having been worshipped in other area's of the world, such as the middle east, under differen't names, and in the Indus Valley. The link between her and Anu is interesting, to say the least. From what i've read in many of these sources, Danu was like the "All Mother". So to me , it is entirely possible that Danu would have connections with the sky. If Danu were once worshipped as an "All Mother", perhaps differen't cultures merely separated some of her faces, into Goddesses which would be particular to their beliefsystem/needs etc.

[Danustouch]

Mnemosyne, I forgot to add. Anu is also a Celtic Goddess, another name for Danu, as well, but with some differen't associations. Read this page, for info on Domnu....Domnu does seem to have "Sky" associations :) Because of the association with the Welsh Goddess, Don. Danu is such a multi faceted Goddess...as she's been linked to Don, Domnu, Aine, Anu, Dana, Tana, etc, etc, etc. Since some of the earlier links that I've provided stated that she was seen as an "All Mother" I'm thinking that perhaps Danu is a pantheon of archetypes/goddesses unto herself. As people might call out to the "All Father" (like, for instance, the celts calling out to Dagda, or something), they may have called out to the All Mother, as Danu... It's very interesting, and confusing stuff. I've always felt her, as a specific Goddess. However, as time goes on, and I learn more, I don't know whether she IS a specific Goddess, or whether she is ALL goddesses...

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2509/gods.html#55

[Danustouch]

Intersting link here. States that Don is connected with the Greek Goddess, Danae, while Dana is connected with Peloponnesia.

http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/Celtic/deitiesd-e-f.html

[Danustouch]

Last Link for Now..my brain is going into overload! LOL. You should find this very interesting, Mnemosyne. Apparently, the link you wondered about with Danu and the Sky, is valid. Being as she is not only a Goddess of waters here on earth, but also Waters that come from the sky (Rain), and some consider her to be a Celestial Goddess (though this mainly comes from Vedic roots, as far as I can tell, because most of what I've read, has referred to her Earth, and Water Properties, within Celtic teachings). This is so incredibly interesting.

http://www.newtara.org/newtara_glossary.asp

[Mnemosyne]

You have found such fabulous information, Danustouch. :) I read the links that you posted quite carefully. My favorite link is

http://www.draeconin.com/database/migrations.htm

For some reason, is it possible that Domnu is not a sister of Danu, but just another one of her many names that a location may have given her. On that site, it states that the Picts called the great goddess Domnu. Domnu is a goddess of inspiration to these peoples. Later, the migration of Celts possibly changed her name to Danu.

And for the sky question. I possibly believe that Danu could have been once connected to the sky. In this site that Danustouch posted, http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/2509/gods.html#55 it says that Danu does have associations with the moon. I can see the sky/moon being closely related.

This site is pretty interesting. The author discusses the Goddess in Britain. She writes that the goddess (she makes reference to Danu and Danu's other names; however doesn't explicitly state this goddess herself) was originally the moon, stars, and earth. The author also suggests that Danu was later masculinized to become the Welsh god Don. Very interesting read even if you don't buy into her arguments entirely.

http://www.kathyjones.co.uk/local/h-pages/kathyj/ap-britgoddess.html