Taotor
Messapian · deity · iron age to roman messapia · Recorded classification
Taotor is described in the literature, candidly, as an unknown god. What can be said is that his name comes from the inherited Indo-European word for the people or the tribe — the same root behind Oscan touto and Irish túath — so he is very probably the community itself made divine. He is invoked with Zis and with Venas, which places him in the front rank of Messapic cult without telling us what he did there. The record keeps the etymology, the company he keeps, and the admission that the rest is unknown.
Domains
- community
Relations
- ally: VenasRegularly invoked together with Venas in the Messapic dedications.Reference treatment: Venas is often invoked along with the sky-god Zis and with Taotor. (secondary)
Sources
- Taotor is a Messapic god invoked alongside Zis and Venas, whose name derives from PIE *teutéha-, 'the people', suggesting a god of the tribe or community.: Reference treatment of Messapic religion and the theonym Taotor. (secondary)