On the Indo-European origin of two Lusitanian theonyms (laebo and reve)

Abstract

Lusitanian, the Pre-Celtic Indo-European language of the Hispanic Peninsula, demonstrates numerous similarities in theonymy to the Celtic areas, e.g. Lusit. Iccona (dat. sg.) = Gaul. Epona ‘the horse-goddess’, Lusit. Lucubo (dat. pl.) = Gaul. Lugoves (nom. pl.) and Celtiber. Luguei (dat. sg.). Other religious comparisons relate to an even larger Italo-Celtic geographical area, e.g. OLat. Pales (f.) and Lusit. Trebo-pala, Tenco-pala, Old Roman suouetaurilia and the analogical triple animal offerings of Lusitania (i.e. porcom - oilam - taurom). The author suggests two new Italo-Lusitanian equations in theonymy (namely: 1. Lusit. Laebo = Lat. Laribus, 2. Reve = Lat. Ioui, Osk. diuvei). Both comparisons are firmly documented by the Latin-Lusitanian texts, and additionally the latter bears a close resemblance of the formations (the same innovational declension stem *dyeu̯-, not *diu̯-) and an interesting exclusiveness of the epithets (e.g. Lusit. Reve Laraucu = Lat. Ioui Ladico [both dedications from Orense]). The phonological development of IE. *d to Lusit. r, documented by 4 different instances (2 indubitable ones), occurs in some Italic languages, but it is absent from the Celtic language world.