El dios indígena Bandua y el rito del toro de San Marcos
ISSN: 1131-6993
Year of publication: 1997
Issue: 8
Pages: 205-222
Type: Article
More publications in: Complutum
Abstract
In this paper an approach is made to the possible relations between three of the most frequently represented ancient divinities of the Iberian Peninsula: Bandua, Cosus, and "indigenous" Mars. The hypothesis is postulated that the three theonyms, in which respects to their religious significance, allude to a single divinity, on the basis of three arguments: their names appear together in some inscriptions, all three are associated with bulls and their cult territories appear as complementary and excluding each other. Also some indications are presented that certain modern ritual ("Bull of Saint Marc"), historically recorded in some places of the same region, could actually be a survival of the protohistoric cult.