BINDI - HYJ JAPOD APO HYJ GJITHILIR ?
BINDUS – JAPOD DEITY OR PANILLYRIAN DEITY?

Summary/Abstract: Bindus was river god which was honored by Illyrian tribe of Japods which lived in continental parts of Illyria. This is explained by the fact that earlier Japods lived by Illyrian coast from where were expelled by Liburns. Honoring of his cult was testified in the locality of Privilica near Golubić by present time Bihać in Federation of Bosnia and Hercegovina where were discovered 11 altars dedicated to BINDO NEPTUNI as well as possible traces of an open temple (roofless) by the riverbank of Una which testifies that autochthonous Illyrian deity is identified with roman deity Neptune. One of mentioned monuments as well as some coins called “barbaric” discovered near locality Privilica convey figural presentation of nude deity with trident and iconographic characteristics and other same symbolic attributes as roman Neptune and these are evidences that Bindus was honored not only as a spring deity, but also as a deity of other waters and seas as well. Figural presentation in altars on whith is burning fire and with ibexes aside show the nature of Bindus which brings together two antipodes: water and fire, and because the fire causes renovation of the nature and achievement of harmony, Bindus is set among water deities which govern Cycles and emplace order.Bindus has analogy with ancient Celtic goddess Boand which turned into the biggest Irish river Boand (Boyne). Etymologically the name Bindus is connected with the Sanskrit word bindu which means water drop. Dedicators of altars dedicated to Bindus were members of native military aristocracy and there are chances that Bindus through indigenous soldiers serving in roman army has passed from the domain of the local deity cult to the domain of nonofficial cults of roman religions. Through consecrations to Bindus and sacrifices on his altars, Illyrians seems to seek from this deity fulfillment of various requests, essentially regarding impregnation but also realization of other requests. While in the territory of the tribe of Japods were discovered epigraphic evidences in southern part of Illyrian coast of Adriatic and in continental Illyria traces of honoring this cult are reflected in lexical elements. In Dardania traces of the cult of Bind-Neptune might be in votive monuments dedicated to Neptune discivered in Mitrovica and Prizren in riverbanks of Ibër and Drini i Bardhë where some local deities of water have chance to be identified with roman Neptune. There is likelihood that cult of Bindus did cross local boarders and passed in the sphere of pan Illyrian cults and those of nonofficial roman ones. Nowadays from the cult of this deity in entire Albanian tradition and especially in Kosovo and Ulqin are preserved personal names such as: Bind, Binda, Bindit, Bindan, Bindot, Bindor, Bindis, Ilirbind, Ilirbin, Ilirbina and similar which are derivates of original deity name of Bindus.

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