The Goddess Sulis was adopted by the Romans and known as ‘Sulis Minerva’, her major shrine was at ‘Aquae Sulis’ the centre of modern Bath, where they built their temple where the Druids' grove had stood. Sulis was an ancient British goddess associated with healing waters, the spirit and the craft of medicine. The name Sulis is thought to be associated with the derivatives Sul or Sulla from the Celtic Siul or ‘eye’. Sulis had a great reputation as a healer and people traveled to her shrines to take the waters, commune with the Goddess and seek a cure for their ills. The hot springs were viewed as particularly good for rheumatism and gout. Like the Celts, the Romans believed that the Goddess guarded the entrance to the Underworld in the Baths themselves. Sulis was also a Goddess for women as she was associated with fertility and childbearing. Votive offerings of bronze and ivory breasts were found at her shrines. It has been suggested that these offerings were originally worn by breastfeeding women as amulets until they weaned their infants. The amulets were then offered to Sulis in thanks-giving for a bountiful supply of milk.
