Ataegina

Ataegina or Ataecina (Spanish; _pt. Atégina) was a chthonic goddess worshipped by the ancient Iberians, Lusitanians, and Celtiberians of the Iberian Peninsula, and one of the most important Iberian deities. She was goddess of rebirth (spring), fertility, nature, the moon, and healing.

It is believed Ataegina's name comes from the Celtiberian "ate gena" "reborn". Sociologist Moisés Espírito Santo argues that the name combines "Atta" and "Jana", the first being an epithet of the archetypal mother-goddess and the latter indicating the Roman deity Jana (partner to Janus) or, quite possibly, the moon goddess Diana. Espírito Santo also argues that Ataegina is a composite deity arising from syncretic tendencies.

The animal sacred to Ataegina was the goat. She had a "devotio" cult, in which someone would call on the goddess to ask for healing, or occasionally curse someone, results ranging from slight afflictions to death.

Ataegina was worshiped in Lusitania and Betica; there were also sanctuaries dedicated to Ataegina in Elvas (Portugal), and Mérida and Cáceres in Spain, along with other places, especially near the Guadiana river. She was one of the main goddesses worshiped in "Myrtilis" (today's Mértola, Portugal), "Pax Julia" (Beja, Portugal) and especially the city of "Turobriga", whose precise location is unknown. She is known from several inscriptions in the Tagus region and Baetis (Guadalquivir) valley, and where she was identified with the Roman goddess Proserpina: 'ATAEGINA TURIBRIGENSIS PROSERPINA'. She was often depicted carrying a cypress branch.

Dwarf planet

A team claiming to be the discoverers of the dwarf planet and plutoid dp|Haumea, Ortiz "et al.", proposed "Ataecina" as the name of the body, due to her mythical connections with Pluto (Proserpina was the wife of Pluto), and her association with southern Spain, near to the discoverers' observatory. This proposal was not however accepted by the International Astronomical Union, as not only is there a dispute over whether Ortiz had actually discovered Haumea, but also chthonic deities are reserved for the names of bodies orbiting in resonance with Neptune, which was not the case for Haumea. [cite web|title=Controversial dwarf planet finally named 'Haumea'|author=Rachel Courtland|work=NewScientistSpace|year=2008|url=http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn14759-controversial-dwarf-planet-finally-named-haumea.html|accessdate=2008-09-19] [http://www.skyandtelescope.com/community/skyblog/newsblog/28646964.html]

References

*Espírito Santo, Moisés. "Origens Orientais da Religião Popular Portuguesa". Lisbon: Assírio & Alvim, 1988.
*Michael Jordon, "Encyclopedia of Gods," Kyle Cathie Limited, 2002