Trebopala

Trebopala is a Lusitanian name usually interpreted as a theonym, appearing on the Cabeço das Fraguas inscription from Portugal. Trebopala is probably a goddess.

Meaning of the name

Although the name Trebopala appears in only a single inscription, it is of interest because this inscription is in the Lusitanian language rather than in a Latin dedication. It is generally thought the first element is a Celtic one, *trebo- (or a cognate with it) meaning a house or dwelling place.^[a] The second element is interpreted either as "protector",^[3] or as the attested Lepontic/Ligurian word pala, probably meaning a sacred stone,^[4] or as "flat land."^[5] Trebopala is therefore said to mean either Protector of the Home, Plain of the Home or Altar of the Home. In the inscription, Trebopala is recorded as receiving a single sheep (oilam).

See also

• List of Lusitanian deities
• Trebaruna
• Reo

Footnotes

1. Antonio Tovar listed other cognates: Lithuanian trobà; Germanic thorp; Celtic tribal name Atrebates; Old Irish treb ('house'); Welsh tref ('homestead').^[1][2]