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City of Ravens: The Extraordinary History of London, its Tower and Its Famous Ravens

Book by Boria Sax · 1 quotes · Londinium, London, Ravens

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City of Ravens: The Extraordinary History of London, its Tower and Its Famous Ravens Quotes

“It is possible that the city of London was initially named for ravens or a raven-deity. According to the Oxford Companion to the English Language, the designation comes from “Londinium,” a Romanized version of an earlier Celtic name. But the word closely resembles “Lugdunum,” the Roman name for both the city of Lyon in France and Leiden in the Netherlands. That Roman name, in turn, was derived from the Celtic “Lugdon,” which meant, literally, “hill, or town, of the god Lugh” or, alternatively, “…of ravens.” The site of Lyon was initially chosen for a town when a flock of ravens, avatars of the god, settled there. Whether or not “Lugdunum” was the origin of “London,” ravens were important for inhabitants of Britain for both practical and religious reasons.”

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Book:City of Ravens: The Extraordinary History of London, its Tower and Its Famous Ravens
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