ARIANRHOD

She is Celtic deity probably appearing around the tenth century. She is seen both as 'the dawn of serenity' capable of casting rainbows around a castle to protect it, and 'the greatest disgrace of the Britons'. She has her own constellation in the sky - the Castle of Arianrhod - usually known as the Corona Borealis, which links her to the Greek Goddess Ariadne. Symbolising her deceit in the picture are the sheep's skulls at her feet and the cobweb behind her, but to tie her in to modern imagery in the top right-hand corner of the bower there is a political rosette.

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All images and text Copyright © 2003 Caroline Blackburn.