List of Celtic place names in Portugal

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Iberian Peninsula at about 200 BC . Ethnographic Iberia 200 BCE.PNG
Iberian Peninsula at about 200 BC .

In the area of modern Portugal a significant number of towns with Celtic toponymic were already mentioned by ancient Greek and Roman authors.

Contents

The regions where we can find a greater number of these names are in the north (inhabited by the Callaici or Callaeci) and center (inhabited by the Lusitanians) of Portugal. However, Celtic toponymy occurs throughout the whole country and is also found in the south (the Alentejo, inhabited by the Celtici, and the Algarve, inhabited by the Cynetes), which correspond to the ancient Roman provinces of Gallaecia and Lusitania.

The name of Portugal (Portvgalliæ) itself is partly of Celtic origin (see: Name of Portugal and Portus Cale).

Ancient (bracketed) and modern places in the Iberian Peninsula which have names containing the Celtic elements -briga or -bris < -brixs 'hill, hillfort'. Celtic toponymy of Portugal (Western side of Iberia) is shown light-blue and yellow on the map. Bri e Briga.jpg
Ancient (bracketed) and modern places in the Iberian Peninsula which have names containing the Celtic elements -brigā or -bris < -brixs 'hill, hillfort'. Celtic toponymy of Portugal (Western side of Iberia) is shown light-blue and yellow on the map.

List of towns and places

Celtic nameModern name
Anobrega Ponte da Barca
Anobra Anobra in Condeixa-a-Nova. Likely derived from ānniyobris "hill", "ring" (Cf. old Irish ainne "ring"), [1]
Arabrigaprobably Alenquer or between Sesimbra and Outão
Arcobicaprobably Torrão in Alcácer do Sal
Arcobrigaprobably near Braga
Aritium Praetoriumprobably Tamazim, near Bemposta
Aritium oppidum vetusCasal da Várzea
Aritium Vetus Alvega in Abrantes
Aranniprobably near Ourique
Arandisnear Ourique
Ardila
Armona Ilha de Armona
Auobriga/ *Aobrigain the Ave Valley region
Equabonna/Aquabona Coina in Barreiro
Auaron Pr. Carreiro in Póvoa de Varzim (Cape Santo André)
Axabrica/Axabrix Xabregas
Boidobr(ig)a (?) Boidobra, in Covilhã. A combination of two elements:
  • boudi [2] or *boudo- 'victory' (Welsh budd 'gain, benefit') and "briga".
Bracara Braga
Brigantia Bragança
Brita/s
Budens Budens
*Burrulobrigaaround Elvas
Caetobriga/Caetobrix/Kaitobrix Setúbal
Caeilobricoi Castro Daire in Lamas de Moledo
Calabria > Caliabriga Castelo Calabre in Vila Nova de Foz Côa
Caladunumprobably Vilar de Perdizes in Montalegre
Cambra<Calambriga Vale de Cambra (Aveiro), Casal de Cambra (Sintra)
Cale Vila Nova de Gaia; Portucale; Portugal
Cantippo
Castellum Araocelum São Cosmado in Mangualde
Catraleucus/ Contraleuco
Cempsibriga Sesimbra
Colobre Alcolobre in Constância (Colobre, 935 C.E.): the first element derives from *kwolu- 'wheel' [3]
Conimbriga Conímbriga, Condeixa-a-Nova; Coimbra (name only)
Civitas Aravorum <Aravi> Marialva
Collippo Batalha
Corumbriga
Cottaiobriganear Almeida
Ebora Évora
Eburobrittium Óbidos
*Elaneobrigaaround Braga
Evion
Ercobriga
Etobrico Alenquer
Jerabrica/Gerabrica/Hierabricabetween Lisbon and Santarém
Jurumegna Juromenha in Alandroal
Lacobriga Lagos
Lamecum Lamego
Langobriga Fiães
castello Letiobriaround Braga
Lemos
Londobris Berlengas
Longobriga Longroiva in Mêda
Lubrigos Vila Real
Civitas Aravorum <Aravi> Marialva (Mêda)
Malaceca/Malateca Marateca
Medrobiga Marvão
Meidubrigain Beira Alta
Mirobriga Miróbriga
Mirobriga Montemor o Velho
Meribriga/Merebrigain Alentejo
Merobrigaprobably Sines or near river Mira
Montobriga/Mundobrigaaround Castelo de Vide
Moron Almorol or Montalvão
OcelumFerro probably in Covilhã
Pendraganum Pedrógão Grande
Seliobriga São Martinho de Pedrulhais in Sepins
Senabriga Seia
Talabriga Lamas do Vouga
Talabriga Ponte de Lima, Estourãos
Tameobriganear Paiva and Douro
Terena Terena
Tongobriga/ Tuntobriga"capela dos mouros" in Freixo
Tur(o)lobrigaaround Chaves
Uxonoba
Vicus Camalocensisaround Crato
Vicus VeniensisCabeço de Lameirão in Meimoa
Vipasca Aljustrel

List of rivers

Celtic nameModern name
Arda from Proto-Celtic *ardwo- [4] Arda
Latinised Arduinna from Celtic *ardwo- hight, related to forests, Goddess of the forests [5] Ardena
Ardila *same as above Ardila
Latinised Arauca from Celtic [6] Arouca
Latinised Arauca from Celtic [7] Arouce
Latinised Arauca from Celtic [8] Arunca
Latinised Cavalum from Celtic/Gaulish *caballos - horse [9] Cavalum
Lethes Lima
Minius Minho
Munda, Latinised Mundaecus or Mondaecus Mondego
Latinised Tamaga, likely from Tamaca [10] Tâmega

References

  1. ↑ Prósper (2002) p. 376.
  2. ↑ Delamarre, Xavier [in French] (2003). Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise: une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental[Dictionary of the Gaulish language: A linguistic approach to Old Continental Celtic]. Vol. (Collection des Hespérides, 9), 3rd edition, Éditions Errance. Errance. page boudi- of 83-84. ISBN   978-2877722377.
  3. ↑ Matasovic (2009) s.v. kwol-u-.
  4. ↑ "An Etymological Lexicon of Proto-Celtic | Languages of Europe | Philology".
  5. ↑ "Inactive". Archived from the original on November 10, 2007.
  6. ↑ "Arouca | Definição ou significado de Arouca no Dicionário Infopédia de Toponímia".
  7. ↑ "Arouca | Definição ou significado de Arouca no Dicionário Infopédia de Toponímia".
  8. ↑ "Arouca | Definição ou significado de Arouca no Dicionário Infopédia de Toponímia".
  9. ↑ Whiter, Walter (1800). Etymologicon magnum, or Universal etymological dictionary, on a new plan [By W. Whiter]. Cambridge [England] Printed by F. Hodson, for the author. p.  158. caballos celtic etymology.
  10. ↑ "Tâmega | Definição ou significado de Tâmega no Dicionário Infopédia de Toponímia".

See also

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