The Roman goddess Carmenta was honoured with two feasts in the month of January - the first taking place on the 11th. These feasts were called the Carmentalia and were primarily celebrated by women.Â
Carmenta was a goddess of childbirth, and patron goddess of midwives. However, she was also a goddess of innovation and higher learning. It was said that she was the one who invented the Latin alphabet.
Interestingly, unlike many gods and goddesses of this period - she forbade blood sacrifices. So the traditional slaughter of a ram of a bull would not be observed. Instead offerings of food (not meat) and fruit would be made to her. Her abhorrence of death was so profound that it was forbidden to wear leather or animals skins in her temple or sacred groves. This meant that many of her worshippers did so barefooted.
