Sanctuary of Bandua

Bandua derives from the word 'bendh', meaning 'to bind or fasten'. Although little physical evidence survives, it is commonly believed that she was worshipped by the Iberians as their goddess of deals and oaths, spreading from the north right down to the tip of the peninsula as tribes migrated over time. However, it seems her associations changed with geography; in some areas Bandua is associated with water too, as indicated by the springs and lakes all over modern-day Spain and Portugal that are named after her. Also, the name is generally associated with fortified areas, indicating a connection to war, possibly through the treaties that mark the formal end of conflict. Bandua, like Nabia, existed as two aspects: the male Bandus and the female Bandua (who was likely created later) and can thus be compared to other Celtic deistic pairs of the same period.