Matovion

Identification: the river Isla downstream from Cardean

This name comprises the river-letters m and t corresponding to the hill-letters n and l in Ugrulentum, the name of the fort at Cardean, at the confluence of the river Isla and the Dean Water (for an explanation of this identification see Chapter 16: Olcaclavis to Voran). The river-letter s corresponding to the hill-letter r in Ugrulentum is present in the river-name Isla, as is the river-letter l applied to minor rivers by those who used the hill-letter n. Matovion was thus apparently the name given to the river between Cardean and the confluence with the Tay, this river-name being transferred by the Romans to the fort they built on the banks of the river at Cargill, it being noted that Matovion is the name immediately before Ugrulentum in Ravenna. The name Isla was apparently applied only to the part of the river upstream from Cardean.

 [NB. Detailed information as to the different river-letters and as to how they were combined to form compound river-names, together with information as to the four categories of Celtic river-names, is given in Chapter 19: the rivers of Roman Britain. Detailed information as to the different hill-letters is given in Chapter 1 and information as to how the hill-letters were combined to form compound place-names is given in Chapter 2]

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