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Who are the Matronae?
August 7th, 2023
Matres (Latin for "Mothers") and Matronae (Latin for "Matrons") were dieties venerated in ancient Gaul, Northern Italy, and other areas occupied by the Roman army. They were almost always shown as a set a three, typically sitting down. There is little surviving information about them. Archeologist continue to find plaques, alters, and temples dedicated to the, typically as a thank you for help. The iconography associates the Matronae with a basket of fruit, cornucorpias, snakes, babies, and diapers. They are often pictured with one of the three having lose hair and the other two being middle aged. They have a single breast exposed.
The Matronae are perfect additions to an ancestor altar. They act as gaurdian protectors of our personal lineage. Certain types of mitochondrial dna, dna that is passed on only from the mother, can be traced back as many as 52 generations which is close to 1300 years. If you are seeking to heal generational wounds or looking to connect with that part of your ancestry., you can call on them, asking for their help in those matters.
When it comes to ancestor work, many people worry about ancestors that come with baggage or were toxic in life. Its as essential to create boundries with the dead as it is to have them with the living. If you're uncomfortable inviting your dead mother into your house, don't. The Matronae, as I understand them, are not immediate ancestors. They are our grandmothers, great-grandmothers. Think of them as the original mothers of your family line. The can help with those more recent ancestors but calling on them is not calling on direct ancestors.
Here is a fascinating article that goes into more depth when in comes to the Matronae: