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The Isis[edit]

See also: The Isis

Intro[edit]

The modern form of the name, first recorded c.1540,[a] relates to the Egyptian goddess Isis.[b] The deity was venerated throughout the Roman Empire, and was worshipped at the Temple of Isis – near the Thames in Londinium – during the Roman occupation.

Notably, the Isis flows through the city of Oxford.

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Egyptian goddess[edit]

See also: Londinium § Temple of Isis, and Religion in ancient Rome

The association between Oxford – rowing, angling – and the Egyptian goddess Isis – might be explained by her role as Stella Maris – "Star of the Sea" ..."the divine protector of sailors and fishermen".[c][d]

The Latin Stella Maris – "Star of the Sea" – relates to Mary, mother of Jesus and Christianity. The worship of Isis (as Stella Maris) was associated with the transformation of Roman society – away from paganism – towards the shining light of Christianity.[e][f][g][h]

Oxford is famously known as the city of "dreaming spires" for the stunning architecture of its many churches. The University of Oxford has always been an important centre for the study of religion.

See also: Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford

Natural England maps[edit]

The name Isis is normally associated with the stretch of the Thames between North Oxford and its confluence with the River Thame at Dorchester on Thames:

Feature Place name Map
[Help 1] 		Latitude
N – S
Bifurcation Hinksey Stream
See also Wytham Ditches and Flushes (SSSI) 		[Map 1]
[Help 1] 		210100
Flood-meadow Port Meadow (SSSI)
See also Wytham Woods (SSSI) 		[Map 2]
[Help 1] 		209200
Bridge Godstow Bridge, Godstow Abbey, The Trout Inn. [Map 3] 209200
Lock Godstow Lock [Map 4] 208950
Narrowboat Canal Oxford Canal [Map 5] 205570
Bridge Folly Bridge [Map 6] 205560
Flood-meadow Christ Church Meadow – Parks and Gardens. [Map 7] 205550
Confluence River Cherwell – Isis confluence.
Oxford University Rowing Clubs (Boathouses). 		[Map 8]
[Help 1] 		205300
Bridge Donnington Bridge [Map 9] 204370
Flood-meadow Iffley Meadows (SSSI) [Map 10] 204370
Lock Iffley Lock and Iffley village.
See also St Mary the Virgin (Grade I listed). 		[Map 11]
[Help 1] 		203640
Abbey Abingdon Abbey [Map 12] 197170
Confluence River Thame – The Isis – River Thames confluence.
Dorchester on Thames 		[Map 13]
[Help 1] 		193200

Thame and Isis[edit]

Thame and Isis, carved by Anne Seymour Damer.

Extract from Poly-Olbion
..."That Isis, Cotswolds heire,
long woo'd was lastly wonne,
And instantly should wed
with Tame, old Chiltern's sonne.[4]

— Michael Drayton (1563–1631)

The keystones of Henley Bridge depict carved faces intended to represent the Isis and the Thame. Thame is a bearded man, while Isis is female. [5]

Dorchester[edit]

The Isis is an alternative name for the stretch of the Thames from its source in the Cotswolds – near Thames Head – to its confluence with the River Thame at Dorchester on Thames.[a]

It has in the past been conjectured that the Romano-British name for the Thames ("Tamesis") is a conflation (joining together) of its two main tributary names:

  1. Tam – River Thame (Tame 956).[6][i][j]
  2. esis – The Isis.

The conflation theory might explain the reason why the Thames has retained a trailing 's' – but the River Thame has not.[k]

Scholars[edit]

The conflation theory (Tam + Isis) was proposed and endorsed by antiquarians and scholars during the middle ages:

  1. Ranulf Higden (c.1280–1364).[l]
  2. John Leland (c.1503–1552).[8]
  3. William Camden (1551–1623).[8]

In the late seventeenth century, the Welsh scholar Edward Lhuyd – second Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford – endorsed the conflation theory in Parochailia (1695).[8]

Name history[edit]

Iron age[edit]

Dobunni – Upper Thames. Catuvellauni – Lower Thames.

During the Iron age, a major river system might have passed through the territory of more than one tribe, each tribe having its own name for their stretch of river. River names are often ancient, dating back to the Celtic Britons before the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons.[m][n]

The tribal territories for the Thames valley:

  1. Dobunni – Upper Thames.
    1. Corinium Dobunnorum (Cirencester).
      1. Source of the Isa.[o][l]
    2. Glevum (Gloucester).
    3. Aquae Sulis (Bath).
  2. Catuvellauni – Lower Thames.
    1. Thame (Tame 971).[6]
    2. Dorchester on Thames.
    3. Londinium.

The name used by the Dobunni for their stretch of the Thames is not known. However the etymology for names recorded during the medieval period indicate a Brittonic (P-Celtic) origin.[p][q][r] The native language of the Dobunni ("the Britons") was Brittonic.

Roman Britain[edit]

The Thames rises from its source near Cirencester and begins its journey through the Cotswolds towards the Thames Estuary. During the Roman occupation, Corinium Dobunnorum (Cirencester) was the second largest Roman town in Britain, and Londinium the largest.[s] The valley of the upper Thames was the most prosperous part of of Roman Britain, it contained the highest concentration of Roman villas, and the most luxurious, for example Chedworth Roman Villa.[t]

Temple of Isis[edit]

See also: Londinium § Temple of Isis

It is known that people in Londinium worshipped the Egyptian goddess Isis at the Temple of Isis, during the Roman occupation.

The graffito on a first-century flagon, found near the River Thames in Londinium, reads:[Web 1]

"LONDINI AD FANVM ISIDIS" ..."To London at the temple of Isis".

North Britain[edit]

The name Isis is also found in North Britain:

  1. The Romano-British name for the River Tees – Teisis (or Teesa).[13]
  2. The Isis Parlis caves beside the River Eamont, near the Roman fort Brocavum.[14][u][v]

It is possible that the Romano-British name Teisis (or Teesa) may share a common etymology with Ptolemy's Tuesis in Caledonia. If so then the name derives from the Gaulish deity Esus ("God of the river") – not the Egyptian goddess Isis.

Post Roman[edit]

See also: Sub-Roman Britain and Battle of Deorham

Following the end of Roman rule in Britain, towards the end of the fourth century, the Dobunni regained control of their traditional tribal territory, which happened to include some of the most prosperous parts of Roman Britain:[w]

  1. Corinium Dobunnorum (Cirencester).[x]
  2. Glevum (Gloucester).
  3. Aquae Sulis (Bath).

It would be expected that during the late sixth century the Saxon invaders would try to occupy and control the most important parts of the Roman infrastructure. There were battles between the Dobunni ("the Britons") and the Saxons, most notably the Battle of Deorham in 577. It is possible that there was some integration between the Romanised Dobunni and the Saxon Hwicce, while others abandoned the Dobunnic capital (Corinium Dobunnorum) and reestablished themselves in the available hill forts in the surrounding area. Archaeological evidence suggests that Crickley Hill, on the Cotswold scarp near Cheltenham, was re-occupied during the post-Roman period.[y]

The Saxon Hwicce then occupied and controlled the upper Thames area:

  1. East of Thames Head (near Corinium) as far as Wychwood (near Woodstock and Oxford).
  2. West of Thames Head as far as the Forest of Dean.

Middle ages[edit]

Extract from Histories:
..."The Istros river arises among the Celts and the polis of Pyrene,
cutting Europe across the middle...[16]

— Herodotus (c.484–c.425 BC)

Known name variants for the upper Thames, recorded during the medieval period, include:

  1. Ysa or Usa (14th century).[l]
  2. Isa, Ise (14th century).[a]
  3. Isis or Ouse (16th century).[a]

The name variants Isa, Ise, suggest a P-Celtic origin and may derive from Brittonic 'is' or 'isca' , from whence many common river names derive.[q][r] The European Danube river was known by its Celtic name Istros.[16] A more local example is the River Isbourne, which is a hybrid of Brittonic 'is' and English bourne.

See also wiktionary – for Q-Celtic Usa, Ouse:

  1. Old Irish <uisce> ..."water".
  2. Scottish Gaelic <uisge> ..."river, stream".

Modern name[edit]

The modern form of the name, first recorded c.1540,[a] is a reference to the Egyptian goddess Isis,[b] possibly the result of a revival of interest in classical Roman antiquities during the sixteenth century, and influenced by the ideas of the antiquarian John Leland (c.1503–1552), who endorsed the conflation theory (Tam + Isis).[z] It is unlikely that the earlier names were related to the Egyptian goddess.[p]

The origin of the modern form was possibly influenced by:

  1. The study of religion at the University of Oxford.
  2. The association of the Egyptian goddess with Christianity.[aa]
  3. The association of the Thames with the Egyptian goddess.[ab]
  4. Events in the sixteenth century.
    1. The revival of interest in classical Roman antiquities.
    2. The conflation theory (Roman Tamesis = Tam + Isis) endorsed by the antiquarian John Leland.

It is possible that the earlier name Isa had a different meaning that was lost when replaced by a similar sounding name.

Example (River Severn)[edit]

See also: River Severn § English name

The River Severn is a famous example of how the original meaning of a name is lost when it is replaced by a similar sounding name that has a different meaning.

Name Year Etymology English
Sæferne 894[ac] Old English <sæ>
Middle English <fearen>
English <seafarer> 		Sea
Travel
Seafarer
Saverne c.1130[19] Swedish <säv> Club-rush
Sephern 1479[ad] Old Norse <sef> Club-rush
Seaverne 1677[20] English <seave> Club-rush
Severn 1836[Web 2]

Name legacy[edit]

The ISIS neutron source is named after the river Isis.[Web 3]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Citations[edit]

  1. ^ Watts 2007, p. 334.
  2. ^ Ackroyd 2007, p. 26.
  3. ^ Rodgers 2017, p. 426.
  4. ^ Ackroyd 2007, p. 28.
  5. ^ Kendal, Roger; Bowen, Jane; Wortley, Laura (2002). Genius & Gentility: Henley in the Age of Enlightenment. Henley-on-Thames: River and Rowing Museum. pp. 12–13. ISBN 978-0953557127.
  6. ^ a b Watts 2007, p. 606.
  7. ^ a b Reaney 1969, p. 72.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Ackroyd 2007, pp. 26–27.
  9. ^ Moffat 2019, p. 142.
  10. ^ Ackroyd 2007, p. 23.
  11. ^ a b Williams 2023, p. 68.
  12. ^ a b Williams 2023, p. 72.
  13. ^ Rabbitts & Rabbitts 2022, pp. 7–8.
  14. ^ Collingwood 1988, p. 131.
  15. ^ Williams 2023, p. 75.
  16. ^ a b Roberts 2015, p. 62.
  17. ^ James 2020, p. 158.
  18. ^ Reaney 1969, p. 77.
  19. ^ Watts 2007, p. 537.
  20. ^ Raithby 1819, pp. 892–893.

Web[edit]

  1. ^ *"Ancient Roman temple dedicated to the goddess Isis". HERITAGE DAILY. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  2. ^ a b *"Welsh Place-names: Afon Hafren (River Severn)". People's Collection Wales. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  3. ^ "ISIS Neutron Source". YouTube. Science and Technology Facilities Council. 11 March 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved 14 June 2017.

Maps[edit]

  1. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Hinksey Stream – Isis bifurcation north". Natural England.
  2. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Port Meadow, Oxford". Natural England.
  3. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Godstow Bridge". Natural England.
  4. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Godstow Lock". Natural England.
  5. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Oxford Canal". Natural England.
  6. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Folly Bridge". Natural England.
  7. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Christ Church Meadow, Oxford". Natural England.
  8. ^ "MAGiC MaP: River Cherwell – Isis confluence". Natural England.
  9. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Donnington Bridge". Natural England.
  10. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Iffley Meadows SSSI". Natural England.
  11. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Iffley Lock". Natural England.
  12. ^ "MAGiC MaP: Abingdon Abbey". Natural England.
  13. ^ "MAGiC MaP: River Thame – River Thames confluence". Natural England.
  1. ^ a b c d e f MAGiC MaP – Help
    1. Use Table of Contents for Colour mapping.
    2. There may be intermittent problems with the magic.defra.gov.uk website, if so then try again another time.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e Watts – English Place-Names
    River ISIS ..."An alternative name for the Thames above its junction with the Thame, used particularly in Oxford...[1]
    1. Isa c.1350, c.1400.
    2. Ise 1347, 1387, c.1540.
    3. The Isis c.1540.
    4. Isis or Ouse 1577.
  2. ^ a b Ackroyd – Thames: Sacred River
    ..."The god of the Egyptians, Isis, has been generally associated with the Thames ...[2]
  3. ^ Rodgers – Ancient Rome...
    ..."As her worship spread around the Mediterranean from its origins in Alexandria, Isis became known as Stella Maris (star of the sea) the divine protector of sailors and fishermen ...[3]
  4. ^ See also Isis > In the Greco-Roman world > Festivals > ...The first festival was the Navigium Isidis...
  5. ^ The relationship between the Egyptian goddess and Christianity was complex, since the cult of Isis was itself pagan.
  6. ^ See also Paganism ...Ritual sacrifice was an integral part of ancient Graeco-Roman religion and was regarded as an indication of whether a person was pagan or Christian...
  7. ^ See also Persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire.
  8. ^ See also Isis > Possible influence on Christianity.
  9. ^ The Th– for T– spelling of Thame is a post-conquest Anglo-Norman influence.
  10. ^ P. H. Reaney – English Place Names
    ..."The common ME Tamise is a French form, as is the modern spelling with the French Th– for T– (Thamis 1220) ...[7]
  11. ^ P H Reaney – English Place Names
    ..."The earliest forms of Thames, Tamesa, Tamesis
    ..."What is most noteworthy here is the preservation of the inter-vocalic 's' ...[7]
  12. ^ a b c Ackroyd – Thames: Sacred River
    ..."Higden writes

    ..."Tamisia videtur... ...Thama et Ysa aut Usa
    – Ranulf Higden (c.1280–1364).

    ..."Tamisia seems to be composed from the names of two rivers, that are the Thama and the Ysa or Usa ...[8]
  13. ^ Alistair Moffat – A Journey to Lindisfarne...
    ..."River names are amongst the oldest and least changed in the landscape ...[9]
  14. ^ Ackroyd – Thames: Sacred River
    ..."Thames is an old name. With the exception of Kent, it is perhaps the most ancient name recorded in England ...[10]
  15. ^ The name variants for the Upper Thames (recorded in the fourteenth century):
    1. Ysa or Usa.
    2. Isa, Ise.
    See Contents > Name history > Middle ages.
  16. ^ a b Ackroyd – Thames: Sacred River
    ..."It is more than probable that the Ysa and Usa of Higden's account are in fact from the Celtic...[8]
  17. ^ a b SPNS – Brittonic Language in the Old North
    ï[s]- "A verbal root meaning ‘refresh’, and so ‘heal’, is seen as an element in several ancient river names, with connotations of ‘vigour, swift movement’ ...[17]
  18. ^ a b P H Reaney – English Place Names
    ..."Axe, Exe, Esk, Usk, Wiske all forms of Brit. isca...[18]
  19. ^ Thomas Williams – Lost Realms...
    ..."By the second century, Cirencester (Roman Corinium Dobunnorum) was...the second largest city in Britain...and, from the third century, the presumed capital of Britannia Prima ...[11]
  20. ^ Thomas Williams – Lost Realms...
    ..."The Cotswolds were home to some of the largest and most luxurious private dwellings anywhere on the island during the Roman occupation. At places like Woodchester, Frocester, Great Witcombe, and Chedworth (all Gloucestershire), the late Roman aristocracy expressed their wealth and power...[12]
  21. ^ Brocavum castrum (near Penrith) on the trans-Pennine section of Watling Street (North) Roman road.
  22. ^ The Watling Street (North) Roman road connected York (Eboracum) with Carlisle (Luguvalium) and Petriana (Stanwix Roman fort) – the largest castrum on Hadrian's Wall.
    Route from York to Carlisle:
    1. Dere Street to Scotch Corner. Now the A1 road.
    2. Trans-Pennine to Penrith. Now the A66 road.
    3. North to Carlisle. Now the A6 road.
  23. ^ Williams – Lost Realms...
    ..."a military presence persisted in Corinium until the end of the fourth century – as it did elsewhere in the Dobunnic civitas...[12]
  24. ^ Williams – Lost Realms...
    ..."By the second century, Cirencester (Roman Corinium Dobunnorum) was...the second largest city in Britain...and, from the third century, the presumed capital of Britannia Prima
    ..."It had developed from a Legionary fort into the tribal capital of the Dobunni...[11]
  25. ^ Williams – Lost Realms...
    ..."But about a thousand years later, in the decades that followed the end of the fifth century, people returned to Crickley Hill.
    ..."Spindle whorls and a copper needle suggest the working of textiles...[15]
  26. ^ Ackroyd – Thames: Sacred River
    ..."John Leland in his Itinerary (1546)...announced that[8]

    ..."Isis riseth 3 myles from Cirencestre"
  27. ^ See Isis > Possible influence on Christianity.
  28. ^ See Londinium > Temple of Isis.
  29. ^ ASC ‘A’ sa 894 recte 893.
  30. ^ Welsh Place-names: Afon Hafren (River Severn).

    ..."Servern id est aqua Haveren id est Sephern 1479...[Web 2]

Sources[edit]

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External links[edit]

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