Celtic mythology is the mythology of Celtic polytheism, the religion of the Iron Age Celts. Like other Iron Age Europeans, the early Celts maintained a polytheistic mythology and religious structure. Among Celts in close contact with Ancient Rome, s...
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Amaethon, meaning "Ploughman", "Divine Ploughman" and "Great Ploughman", was a god of agriculture in Celtic Britain, specifically Wales. He was the son of Don, the mother goddess, and his brothers were Gofannon, the god of smiths, and Gwydion, the god of magic. The children of Don were known as the "children of light" and were constantly at war with the god Llyr, the god of the sea, and his children who were known as the "children of darkness".
The most famous myth about Amaethon concerns a lapwing, a sacred dog and a white roebuck he stole (using magic) from King Arawn, one of the kings of the Underworld. Amaethon could enter and leave the Underworld without being harmed or changed in some way.
The theft caused a battle between an angry King Arawn and Amaethon and his brothers. The battle was called the "Battle of the Trees" because Gwydion used sorcery to transform the trees into warriors during the conflict which allowed them to win. Amaethon cleared the wild land of Yspaddaden Penkawr and made it fit for agriculture in one day for Culhwch. Gofannon helped his brother by taking the iron from the hills. This apparently impossible task was given to Culhwch so he could win the hand in marriage of Olwen. Amaethon declined to marry Olwen but helped Culhwch to do so.
The gods, including Amaethon, were able to steal some power from the Cauldron of Nudd. As a result, Amaethon gained the power of the "nine lights nights" at the end of August which shone a little brighter. The brighter light allowed farmers a longer time to gather the harvest.
Amaethon was associated with wild animals and the fruitfulness of the earth.
Many agricultural businesses and events today call themselves Amaethon.
