Verbeia facts for kids

Verbeia was a special goddess from ancient times, worshipped in Roman Britain. People believed she was connected to the River Wharfe, a river that flows through a beautiful part of England. We know about Verbeia because of a single stone altar found in a place called Ilkley. This altar was dedicated to her.

There's also an image of a woman found in Ilkley that might be Verbeia. This image shows a woman with a large head and simple features. She wears a long, pleated dress and holds two large snakes, which look like zig-zag patterns, one in each hand.

Who Was Verbeia?

The stone with the image that might be Verbeia is now inside All Saints Church in Ilkley. This church is built on the site of an old Roman fort. Some people think this Roman fort was actually named 'Verbeia', not 'Olicana' as is commonly believed.

Around the 100s AD, a group of Roman soldiers called the Second Cohort of Lingones were stationed at this fort. They were the ones who carved the altar stone dedicated to Verbeia.

Where Did the Lingones Come From?

The Lingones soldiers who worshipped Verbeia came from a tribe called the Lingones. This tribe originally lived in a region of France. It's thought that their beliefs and traditions might have influenced the worship of Verbeia in Britain.

For example, there's a similar image of a goddess found in France, in a place called Mavilly-Mandelot. This goddess also wears a pleated dress and holds snakes, and she's linked to water worship. It's possible that this French goddess was an early version of Verbeia, brought to Britain by the Lingones soldiers. However, some sources also suggest that some Lingones might have come from northeast Italy.

The Swastika Stone and Verbeia

On the edge of Ilkley Moor, which overlooks the Wharfe valley, there's a unique ancient carving called the Swastika Stone. It's different from other rock art found in Britain. This carving looks very similar to symbols found in northern Italy, in a place called Val Camonica.

It's possible that the Lingones soldiers, who worshipped Verbeia, saw these symbols when they traveled across the Alps from Italy. They might have then carved the Swastika Stone on Ilkley Moor while they were stationed there.

Some experts also connect Verbeia to other goddesses like Brigid and Brigantia. Since Brigid's cross is a symbol similar to a swastika in Ireland, there might be more connections between Verbeia, the beliefs brought by the Lingones, and the swastika symbol.

What Does the Name Verbeia Mean?

The name 'Verbeia' might come from old Celtic words. One idea is that it comes from a word meaning 'blister', so it could mean "blistered one." Another idea is that it comes from an even older word meaning 'bend' or 'turn', which is similar to the English word 'warp'. If so, Verbeia could mean "she who is constantly bending and turning," perhaps referring to the movement of a river. A third idea is that the name means "the upper striker."