Artaius and Artio

Artaius or Artio was the bear god in Gaul (France), particularly in present-day Switzerland. The Romans identified Artaius with Mercury.

Some scholars believed that King Arthur might have originally been a god, and was derived from the Gallic god named Artaius. However, Artaius was also identified with another Welsh figure named Gwydion.

The female form of this deity was Artio or Dea Artio, the bear-goddess. There's a Roman statutte of Artio, now housed in the Historisches Museum in Bern. This art depicted the goddess seated, facing a bear.