List of Celtic place names in Portugal
Iberian Peninsula at about 200 BC [1].
In the area of modern Portugal a significant number of towns with Celtic toponymic were already mentioned by ancient Greek and Roman authors.
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 -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 name | Modern name |
|---|---|
| Anobrega | Ponte da Barca |
| Anobra | in Condeixa-a-Nova. Likely derived from ānniyobris "hill", "ring" (Cf. old Irish ainne "ring"),[1] |
| Arabriga | probably Alenquer or between Sesimbra and Outão |
| Arcobica | probably Torrão in Alcácer do Sal |
| Arcobriga | probably near Braga |
| Aritium Praetorium | probably Tamazim, near Bemposta |
| Aritium oppidum vetus | Casal da Várzea |
| Aritium Vetus | Alvega in Abrantes |
| Aranni | probably near |
| Arandis | near |
| Ardila | |
| Armona | |
| Auobriga/ *Aobriga | in the Ave Valley region |
| Equabonna/Aquabona | in Barreiro |
| Auaron Pr. | in Póvoa de Varzim (Cape Santo André) |
| Axabrica/Axabrix | |
| Boidobr(ig)a (?) | Boidobra, in Covilhã. A combination of two elements:
|
| Bracara | Braga |
| Brigantia | Bragança |
| Brita/s | |
| Budens | |
| *Burrulobriga | around Elvas |
| /Caetobrix/Kaitobrix | Setúbal |
| Caeilobricoi | Castro Daire in |
| Calabria > Caliabriga | in Vila Nova de Foz Côa |
| Caladunum | probably in Montalegre |
| Cambra<Calambriga | Vale de Cambra (Aveiro), (Sintra) |
| Cale | Vila Nova de Gaia; Portucale; Portugal |
| Cantippo | |
| Castellum Araocelum | in Mangualde |
| Catraleucus/ Contraleuco | |
| Colobre | in Constância (Colobre, 935 C.E.): the first element derives from *kwolu- 'wheel'[3] |
| Conímbriga | Conímbriga |
| Civitas Aravorum <Aravi> | |
| Collippo | Batalha |
| Corumbriga | probably Coimbra |
| Cottaiobriga | near Almeida |
| Ebora | Évora |
| Eburobrittium | Óbidos |
| *Elaneobriga | around Braga |
| Evion | |
| Ercobriga | |
| Etobrico | Alenquer |
| Jerabrica/Gerabrica/Hierabrica | between Lisbon and Santarém |
| Jurumegna | Juromenha in Alandroal |
| Lacobriga | Lagos |
| Lamecum | Lamego |
| Langobriga | Fiães |
| castello Letiobri | around Braga |
| Lemos | |
| Londobris | Berlengas |
| Longobriga | in Meda |
| Lubrigos | Vila Real |
| Civitas Aravorum <Aravi> | |
| Malaceca/ | |
| Medrobiga | Marvão |
| Meidubriga | in Beira Alta |
| Mirobriga | Miróbriga |
| Mirobriga | |
| Meribriga/Merebriga | in Alentejo |
| Merobriga | probably or near river Mira |
| Montobriga/Mundobriga | around Castelo de Vide |
| Moron | Almorol or |
| Ocelum | Ferro probably in Covilhã |
| Pendraganum | Pedrógão Grande |
| Seliobriga | in |
| Talabriga | Ponte de Lima, Estourãos |
| Tameobriga | near and Douro |
| Terena | |
| / Tuntobriga | "capela dos mouros" in Freixo |
| Tur(o)lobriga | around Chaves |
| Uxonoba | |
| Vicus Camalocensis | around Crato |
| Vicus Veniensis | Cabeço de Lameirão in |
| Vipasca | Aljustrel |
List of rivers[]
| Celtic name | Modern 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] | |
| Latinised Arauca from Celtic[8] | |
| Latinised Cavalum from Celtic/Gaulish *caballos- horse[9] |
|
| Durius from Celtic dur, water. | Douro |
| Lethes | Lima |
| Minius | Minho |
| Tamaca | Tâmega |
References[]
- ^ Prósper (2002) p. 376.
- ^ Delamarre, Xavier (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. page boudi- of 83-84. ISBN 978-2877722377.
- ^ Matasovic (2009) s.v. kwol-u-.
- ^ "An Etymological Lexicon of Proto-Celtic | Languages of Europe | Philology".
- ^ http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_a/arduinna.html
- ^ "Arouca | Definição ou significado de Arouca no Dicionário Infopédia de Toponímia".
- ^ "Arouca | Definição ou significado de Arouca no Dicionário Infopédia de Toponímia".
- ^ "Arouca | Definição ou significado de Arouca no Dicionário Infopédia de Toponímia".
- ^ Whiter, Walter (1800). Etymologicon magnum, or Universal etymological dictionary, on a new plan [By W. Whiter]. p. 158.
caballos celtic etymology.
- Falileyev. Dictionary of Continental Celtic Place-Names. Aberystwyth University
- Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography
- Gamito, Teresa. The Celts in Portugal. Universidade do Algarve. E-Keltoi. Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies. Volume 6. The Celts in the Iberian Peninsula]
- Freire,José. "A Toponímia Céltica e os vestígios de cultura material da Proto-História de Portugal". Revista de Guimarães, Volume Especial, I, Guimarães, 1999, pp. 265–275
- Mapa pormenorizado dos Povos Pré-Romanos da Península Ibérica (200 AC)
- [2]
- Vias Romanas em Portugal
- Juan, Alonso. -Briga Toponyms in the Iberian Peninsula. University of Salamanca. E-Keltoi. Journal of Interdisciplinary Celtic Studies. Volume 6. "The Celts in the Iberian Peninsula"
- Buchanan, George. The history of Scotland... to the present time. pg 108
- Hazlitt, The Classical Gazetteer. Ancient Library. pg 190]
- Braganca Bragança, or Braganza, or Brigantia, or Juliobriga (Portugal) Encyclopædia Britannica online
- Atlas das Cidades Romanas em Portugal
- "Corumbriga" The Cambrian Journal. Cambrian Institute p 183
- Ptolemy's Geography. Book II, Chapter 4. Location of Lusitania Hispania (Second Map of Europe.Lacus Curtius]
- Perestrello da Câmara, Paulo. Diccionario geographico, historico, politico e litterario do reino de Portugal e seus Domínios pg 494 (two Mirobrigas)
- Bautista de Castro, João. Mappa de Portugal, pg 18 (Catraleucus)
- Pérez Vilatela, Luciano. Lusitania: Historia y etnología pg.7 (two Arcobrigas in Lusitânia)
- Memorias de la Real Academia de la historia. pg 81 Real Academia de la Historia. (three Arcobrigas)
- Alarcão,Jorge. Notas de arqueologia, epigrafia e toponímia – II
- Guerra, Amílcar. Caepiana: uma reavaliação crítica do problema da sua localização e enquadramento histórico. IPA Ministério da Cultura. (Longroiva)
- Alarcão,Jorge. Notas de arqueologia, epigrafia e toponímia – III[dead link] (Valabriga-Merobriga)
- Guerra, Amílcar. POVOS, CULTURA E LÍNGUA NO OCIDENTE PENINSULAR: UMA PERSPECTIVA, A PARTIR DA TOPONOMÁSTICA Acta Palaeohispanica IX Palaeohispanica 5, (2005), pp 814–817]
- Los topónimos: Sus blasones y trofeos (la toponimia Mítica) pg 10 (Anobrega)
- Nascentes, Antenor. (1932) Dicionário etimológico da língua portuguesa. (ref. Xabregas)
See also[]
- Roman Geography of Portugal
- List of Celtic place names in Galicia
- List of Latin place names in Iberia
- List of Celtic place names in Italy
Categories:
- Celtic toponyms
- Lists of place name etymologies
- Alternative names of European places
- Lists of cities in Europe
- Lists of cities by toponymy
- Portugal geography-related lists
- Lists of loanwords of Celtic origin