The triple spiral has been cast by some theorists, such as Marija Gimbutas, as a symbol of the Triple Goddess. It appears on prehistoric pottery of Europe.

The Valkyries, descendants of the Triple Goddess in folklore.

The three Beten (or Bethen, Beden) are a Triple Goddess from Celtic Mythology. The triple goddess takes many forms, not all of which are associated with the Beten. Representations of three maidens with the same or derivative names as the Beten in post-classical sculpture and painting testify firmly to their existence as earlier, classical figures of belief. Every tripartite representation or trilogy of figures is not to be identified with the Beten, however. Image File history File links Triple-Spiral-Symbol. ... Image File history File links Triple-Spiral-Symbol. ... Image File history File links The three valkyries of Völundarkviða. ... Image File history File links The three valkyries of Völundarkviða. ... A Triple Goddess symbol (probably originating from Classical Greek lunar symbolism), representing the three aspects of the moon (waxing crescent, full moon, waning crescent) and womankind (maiden, mother, crone). ... Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, apparently the religion of the Iron Age Celts. ...

The two main theories about the origin of the Beten hypothesize that they descended from a female triple deity in prehistoric Europe, which is described in the work of the archaeologist and theorist Marija Gimbutas (See under Triple Goddess). In that theory the multiplication of persons is believed to symbolize the intense powers of the goddess. Marija Gimbutas by Kerbstone 52, at the back of Newgrange, Co. ... A Triple Goddess symbol (probably originating from Classical Greek lunar symbolism), representing the three aspects of the moon (waxing crescent, full moon, waning crescent) and womankind (maiden, mother, crone). ...

A second theory proposes that they represent the celestial qualities of the Mother Goddess, standing for a trilogy of earth, sun, moon. This particular trilogy seems local to the Rhine-Danube drainage system.

Variants of the name

The name "Beten" appears in the endings of the names of the three goddesses, of which some spelling variants are:

• Ambet(h), Embet(h), Einbet(h), Ainbeth, Ainpeta, Einbede, Aubet, etc.
• Borbet(h), Worbeth, Wolbeth, Warbede, Gwerbeth, etc.
• Wilbet(h), Willebede, Vilbeth, Fürbeth, Firpet, Cubet, etc.

Description

Sometime the Beten are considered as Fates and would therefore be a parallel in Celtic mythology to the Norns of Germanic mythology. It is more likely, however, that the triple goddess came from a more gynocentric religion. They would in that case be forms of the Celtic Matrones. In Greek mythology, the white-robed Moirae or Moerae (Greek Μοίραι — the Apportioners, often called the Fates) were the personifications of destiny (Roman equivalent: Parcae, sparing ones, or Fatae; also equivalent to the Germanic Norns). ... The Norns spin the threads of fate at the foot of Yggdrasil, the tree of the world. ... Germanic paganism refers to the religion and mythology of the Germanic nations preceding Christianization, including Norse, Anglo-Saxon mythology, information obtained from archaeological finds and remnants of pre-Christian beliefs in the folklore of medieval and modern Germanic peoples. ... Gynocentrism (Greek γυνο, gyno-, woman, χεντρον, kentron, center) is the practice, often consciously adopted, of placing female human beings or the female point of view at the center of ones view of the world and its culture and history. ... The Matres or Matronae were ancient deities venerated in northwestern Europe in Roman and earlier times. ...

Ambet is frequently depicted as a young woman and mother goddess, Borbet as a solar deity and Wilbet as a lunar deity. It is possible that three contiguous days of the week were sacred to them, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The association of Sunday and Monday with sun and moon is undoubted. An association between Saturday and Ambet is more speculative. It has been suggested that Mother (neopaganism) be merged into this article or section. ... The Trundholm sun chariot pulled by a horse is believed to be a sculpture illustrating an important part of Nordic Bronze Age mythology. ... In the study of mythology, a lunar deity is a god or goddess associated with or symbolizing the moon: see moon (mythology). ...

Since the goddess is inherited from the prehistoric and pre-Indo-European cutures of ancient Europe, which spread by means of the Rhine-Danube corridor, it would not be surprising if no Indo-European etymology existed for them. Some Celtic etymologies have been attempted, however. Whether the words descended into Celtic from Indo-European remains unknowable until more linguistic evidence on prehistoric Europe turns up. Proto-Indo-European Indo-European studies Indo-European is originally a linguistic term, referring to the Indo-European language family. ...

Until then only speculation is available. Although considered to be Celtic, none of the possible name segments are easily derived from Celtic. The major etymological and mythological reference works avoid the three goddesses. They are local and are not very well known. The surviving evidence however firmly points to their existence. Perhaps additional evidence will one day bring them more clearly to light.

Sacred places

The Beten have left traces in Central Europe and Great Britain, the original Celtic homeland. It has been suggested that many European settlement names are derived from them; for example, in Germany: Bedburg, Bettendorf and Homburg-Beden; in France: Besançon, Les Bets, Bessay and the mountain Bethoa; England: Bedford. Names such as these define the range of a possible "Beten-cult". The cult seems to be most intense on the Rhine and Danube. On the other hand, many of these names have other suggested derivations; for example, Besancon from *ves-, "mountain". In the long run caution in identifying place-names with the Beten may be the most prudent policy. Central Europe is the region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe. ... A Celtic cross. ... Categories: Stub ... Bettendorf can refer to one of the following places: Bettendorf, Iowa Bettendorf, Luxembourg Bettendorf, Haut-Rhin in the Haut-Rhin département. ... Homburg is a city in Saarland, Germany. ... Besançon is a French city in the département of Doubs, of which it is the préfecture. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan AD 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq... Statistics Population: 82,488 Ordnance Survey OS grid reference: TL055495 Administration District: Bedford Shire county: Bedfordshire Region: East of England Constituent country: England Sovereign state: United Kingdom Other Ceremonial county: Bedfordshire Historic county: Bedfordshire Services Police force: Bedfordshire Police Ambulance service: East of England Post office and telephone Post town... Loreley At 1,320 kilometres (820 miles) and an average discharge of more than 2,000 cubic meters per second, the Rhine (Dutch Rijn, French Rhin, German Rhein, Italian: Reno, Romansch: Rein, ) is one of the longest and most important rivers in Europe. ... The Danube bend at Visegrád is a popular destination of tourists The Danube (ancient Danuvius) is Europes second-longest river (after the Volga). ...

References

• Anton Bauer, Zur Verehrung der hl. drei Jungfrauen Ainbeth, Gwerbeth und Fürbeth im Bistum Freising. In: Bayerisches Jahrbuch für Volkskunde 1961, S.33-44
• Rolf Wilhelm Brednich, Volkserzählungen und Volksglaube von den Schicksalsfrauen., Suomalainen Tiedeakatemia, Helsinki 1964
• Erni Kutter, Der Kult der drei Jungfrauen. Eine Kraftquelle weiblicher Spiritualität neu entdeckt, München 1997
• Erni Kutter, Heilige Frauen in der evangelischen Kirche. Eine Einladung zur Spurensuche im Münster von Heilsbronn; in: Efi. Die evangelische Frauenzeitschrift für Bayern 2 (2001)
• Hans Christoph Schöll, Die drei Ewigen. Eine Untersuchung über germanischen Bauernglauben. Jena 1936
• Matthias Zender, Die Verehrung von drei heiligen Frauen im christlichen Mitteleuropa und ihre Vorbereitungen in alten Vorstellungen. In: Matronen und verwandte Gottheiten. Rheinland-Verlag, Köln 1987 (Beihefte der Bonner Jahrbücher 44)

External links

• Hotel Adler Eichstätt, Drei adelige Jungfrauen im fränkischen Jura und ihre Wurzeln .... German language.
• Anni Findl-Ludescher, Auf den Spuren des Kultes der drei Jungfrauen. Eine ungewöhnliche Pilgerreise (Der Innsbrucker Theologische Leseraum). German language.
• Norbert Firle, Die Ambet - Hofheimer Mythos. German language.
• die drei Bethen, Eichfelder site. German language.
• Hodge, Winifred, Matrons and Disir:The Heathen Tribal Mothers. English language.
• The Bethen - The Bavarian Triple Goddess. English article in druidry.org.
• Borbeth German language.