Nodens is a Celtic deity associated with the sea, hunting, and healing, chiefly worshipped in ancient Britain. Despite his obscurity, his name has become quite significant in literature over the years, especially in the genre of fantasy fiction. J. R. R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and its famous sequel The Lord of the Rings, was particularly fascinated with Nodens and published a philological essay in 1932 discussing his etymology. Tolkien theorized that it was cognate with the names of other (and more significant) Celtic deities such as Nuadha and Nudd, concluding that…
