Arianrhod of Wales is a Celtic Dark Moon Goddess. Her symbols are the cauldron and the white sow and her Silver Wheel may have been symbolic of the Zodiac with its signs being the wheel spokes. Arianrhod was also called High Fruitful Mother, Star Goddess, Sky Goddess and Goddess of Reincarnation. Her palace was called Caer Arianrhod, or Aurora Borealis.

Arianrhod dispenses wisdom and impartial law to all who approach her. She can be hard, but she is always just, as she holds court in her palace in the stars.

Arianrhod’s reputation for tough justice is illustrated by the story that she refused to give a name, or arms, or find a wife for one of her sons. This meant that the boy did not exist, could not be recognized by the clan, and would never marry, because these three things were the prerogative of the mother to bestow in Celtic society.

In the old bard’s tales, Arianrhod birthed two boys. One son, Dylan, became the Lord of the Waves when he went to live as a seal. The other was initially denied a name, arms or a wife, until he was befriended by his uncle Gwydion, the great trickster.

Gwydion is so clever that he tricked his sister Arianrhod into naming, arming and even providing a wife called Blodeuwedd for her son, Llew Llaw, or little sure shot. Now admittedly Blodeuwedd was not human but was made from flowers, and another slight problem was that she wasn’t faithful, but that’s another story ….