Hludana

Hludana (or Dea Hludana) is a Germanic goddess attested in five ancient Latin inscriptions from the Rhineland and Frisia, all dating from 197–235 AD.^{[citation needed]}

Three of these inscriptions come from the lower Rhine (CIL XIII, 8611; CIL XIII, 8723; CIL XIII, 8661), one from Münstereifel (CIL XIII, 7944) and one from Beetgum, Frisia (CIL XIII, 8830). The name appears as Hluθena^[1][2][3] on the Iversheim inscription from Münstereifel, and as Hlucena on that from Monterberg in the lower Rhine. The name is abbreviated in an inscription from Nijmegen on the lower Rhine ([H]lud.); it appears as Hludana in the inscriptions from Xanten (lower Rhine) and Beetgum. The Beetgum inscription, dedicated by a group of fishermen,^[1] originally accompanied a carving of a seated goddess, of which only the bottom can now be seen.^[2][4] On etymological grounds, the name Hludana is closely related to Old Greek κλυδων and κλυδωνα (kludoon(a) 'high waves, rough water') and Biblical Euroclydon, meaning a violent north-eastern wind. The linguist Walther Kuhn suggested that it might be derived from Poseidon's spouse Kleito, as mentioned in Plato's dialogues.

There is no proven connection between Hludana and Holda.^{[citation needed]} Jacob Grimm suggested in Deutsche Mythologie that Hludana was to be identified with the Norse earth-goddess Hlóðyn.^[1]

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