The Quest For The Holy Grail: Celtic Magic Cauldrons
Growing up reading Arthurian legends, one would probably think the Grail is a cup. Not just any cup, of course, but a holy cup associated with Jesus and the Last Supper. One would probably also know that the Knights of the Round Table were sent on the Quest for the Grail. However, things are not always (or often) what they seem, and the true nature of the Grail is much more complicated. In fact, the seeds of story of the Grail were sown long before the Arthurian legends were written down. The origins of the Grail can most likely be found in the magical cauldrons described in ancient Celtic mythology. Although there is ongoing scholarly debate on specific topics, it is undeniable that Welsh, Irish, Cornish or Breton legend and folklore formed the basis for many of the characters and themes immortalized in the Arthurian literature.
The Celtic Gundestrup Cauldron, the National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen ( CC BY-SA 2.5)
Magical Celtic Cauldrons
These magical Celtic cauldrons not only occurred in myth: there is proof of their physical existence. Discovered in Denmark, the Gundestrup cauldron is a large, gilded, silver basin that dates to the second or first century BC. It may be one of the prototypes of the Arthurian Grail and is, at the very least, material evidence of the importance of ritual cauldrons. Its exquisite embossed designs represent a variety of Celtic deities, including an antlered god (perhaps Cernunnos) sitting in a surprisingly yogic-like pose, surrounded by wild animals.
