Sanctuary of Ataegina

Second only to Endovelicus in the Iberian pantheon, Ataegina was the goddess of fertility, rebirth and nature, and so was associated most commonly with springtime. Revered as the goddess of resurrection and regeneration of all things, Ataegina caused the rebirth of the seasons and every year revived the fruits of the land. This association with the natural cycle is thought to be why idols of goats, and perhaps actual animal sacrifices, were offered up in Ataegina's name. She was mainly worshipped in the most southerly parts of the Iberian peninsula and chiefly by those tribes with Celtic connections. Also, the general lack of temple remains found dedicated to her suggests that shrines to the goddess were built in natural spaces away from settlements and have simply eroded away in the intervening time. Ataegina is often linked to her Greek counterpart, Persephone, who is associated with the cycle of spring as well as the underworld.