CIMRM 1321 - Altar to Luna. Gimmeldingen, Germany.
From: Epigraphischen Datenbanken, Heidelberg.. F023201. H. Finke, BRGK 17, 1927, 53, Nr. 164. Found at Neustadt/Weinstraße, Gimmeldingen. Now in the Speyer, Hist. Mus. Pfalz.
CIMRM entry
1321.
Altar in sandstone (H. 0.82 Br. 0.31-0.425 D. 0.175-0.24).
Sprater, 4 and fig. 8; Finke in BRGK XVII, 1927,53 No. 164.
Deo / Lune / ..... / .... O/ ..... / ..... /l(ibens) l(aetus) [m(erito)].
The fact that Luna is mentioned as a male deity should not be explained (as Sprater does) by the linguistic phenomenon that the word "moon" in German is masculine. In the Orient the moon was conceived as a male deity as well (Cumont, Astrology and Religion, New-York- London. 1912, 125f).
Finke, however, suggests, that the word deo may already have been carved in before the altar was dedicated to Luna.
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