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| "Full Moon Tonight" by LiBiArt |
Some also associate her to the Irish "Macha" and the Gaulish "Epona", the "Horse Goddess"; but I guess it is because of it's relation with the horse as depicted on the welsh Mabinogion, which does not present Rhiannon as anything other than human.
She is probably a reflex of the Celtic Great Queen goddess Rigantona.
Rhiannon thus bears the stamp of two important Gaulish cults: that of the "Horse Goddess" Epona on one hand; and Matrona, the "Great Mother", on the other. Rigantona 'Great Queen', as Rhiannon would have been known in Romano-British times, is best considered a local variant of this composite figure.
Goddess symbols, individualized for each goddess, were incorporated into the worship of the ancient goddesses, were often worn as jewelry, and also used in the household decor as talismans to seek the goddesses special gifts, blessings, or protection. A large number of goddess symbols have survived in statuary and other works of art.
Many of the goddess symbols come from the legends surrounding a specific goddess and were "characters" in her story. Other goddess symbols were derived from the rituals used in the ancient rites of worship of these pagan goddesses.
Moon, horses, horseshoe, songbirds,
gates, the wind, and the Number 7.
Horse, badger, frog, dogs (especially puppies),
canaries and other songbirds, hummingbirds, and dragons.
Narcissus and daffodils, leeks, pansies, forsythia,
cedar and pine trees, bayberry, sage, and rosemary
Sandalwood, neroli, bergamot, lavender,
narcissus, and geranium.
Gold, silver, cat's eye, moonstone,
crystal quartz, ruby, red garnet, bloodstone, turquoise, and amethyst.
Dark green, maroon, gold, silver,
rich brown, white, black, charcoal grey, and ruby red.
Many of the goddess symbols come from the legends surrounding a specific goddess and were "characters" in her story. Other goddess symbols were derived from the rituals used in the ancient rites of worship of these pagan goddesses.
Rhiannon is often represented by symbols associated with her astonishing "other-worldliness".
General
Moon, horses, horseshoe, songbirds,
gates, the wind, and the Number 7.
Animals
Horse, badger, frog, dogs (especially puppies),
canaries and other songbirds, hummingbirds, and dragons.
Plants
Narcissus and daffodils, leeks, pansies, forsythia,
cedar and pine trees, bayberry, sage, and rosemary
Perfumes/Scents
Sandalwood, neroli, bergamot, lavender,
narcissus, and geranium.
Gems and Metals
Gold, silver, cat's eye, moonstone,
crystal quartz, ruby, red garnet, bloodstone, turquoise, and amethyst.
Colours
Dark green, maroon, gold, silver,
rich brown, white, black, charcoal grey, and ruby red.
Related Sources:
- www.goddessgift.com
- James MacKillop, "Rhiannon" in A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology (2004)
- Story of Rhiannon
- Welsh mythology in popular culture
- Gantz, Jeffrey (translator) (1987). The Mabinogion. New York: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044322-3.
- Bromwich, Rachel (2006). Trioedd Ynys Prydein: The Triads of the Island of Britain. University Of Wales Press. ISBN 0-7083-1386-8.
- http://spheresoflight.com.au
- "Full Moon Tonight" by LiBiArt featured by kind permission of the digital artist
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