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So who is this Cernunnos dude? (A to Z)

August 1, 2008 at 2:23 am by mahud

It’s been a while but I’ve decided to continue on with the A to Z of Mythological Figures series. Everything you read or comment (yep, you can play along too!), is/must be from memory. It doesn’t matter if a few mistakes are made along the way. Also, if you know anything about Herne, you can post that as well (I’ve forgotten how the story goes). Even sharing you experience/s with the God would be interesting and perhaps helpful in understanding this mysterious and complex deity. My understanding of Cernunnos derives from my studies into comparative mythology.

Okay, here goes…

Hang on a minute…there isn’t actually any ancient written mythology about this deity. All we know about him comes mostly from Roman-Celtic iconography, stone statues and the like, and what’s more, his name only occurs on a single inscription, somewhere in France, either above or below the partial remains of a statue of a horned deity. All that’s left is the Head. It’s said that the God must of been in a sitting position, because there isn’t enough room on the monument for Cernunnos to be standing, and so all seated horned gods have inherited the name, including the antlered god depicted on the famous (OK, I’m going to have to check the spelling) Gundestrup cauldron.

Apart from the horns (or antlers) and a desire to remain perpetually seated (or squatting), Cernunnos likes to surround himself with various animals, particularly stags and horned serpents. He also likes wearing a torc, or hanging them on his horns like a pair of Bet Lynch earrings.

The earliest possible depiction of Cernunnos is actually a drawing found in Italy (dating to something B.C.), although he’s standing up, the God is interpreted as another Cernunnos because he is accompanied by a serpent (and possibly a stag or he might have antlers).

While the horns indicate that Cernunnos has the ability to take on the form of a bull (another creature who is a part of his animal entourage), the antlers likewise show he can also take the form of a Stag, and parts of his body (such as his legs) are sometimes shown morphing into serpents.

He is doubtlessly a god who bestows abundance upon his worshippers. Horns of plenty, sacks overflowing with grain or coins, are also part of his iconography. One example shows a stag with a stream of coins issuing from his mouth.

He also made friends with some Roman deities: Both Hermes and Apollo have been known to hang out with him from time to time.

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6 Comments (Have your say)

  1. Grian

    Comment on August 1, 2008 at 11:18 am

    What follows is my interpretation of Cernunnos based on the image on the Gundestrup Cauldron - which I have looked at many times seeking answers about this God.

    As was said, Cernunnos is often pictured seated. Because of this, and the way he seems to be sitting in a lotus position, I tend to think of him as a kind of Buddha figure and a symbol for the human journey towards enlightenment.

    Because of his antlers I have come to see him as a bridge between humanity and nature/the Divine and nature, and also the immanent force of Divinity in all life. He is a symbol for everything wild or untamed in us - a direct connection to the natural world.

    He holds a torque in one hand and a serpent in the other. Both of these symbols have multiple interpretations. I see the torque as representing cycles, eternity, and the Goddess. Interesting how he is already wearing a torque of his own. I wonder if he might be offering the other torque in his hand to us. Could he be saying you too could “wear the torque” and reach enlightenment?

    The snake is also a Goddess symbol. I have often wondered if he is choking the snake or simply holding it. Could the snake represent wisdom and thus be something to possess? Or maybe it’s phallic? I’m not sure.

    The way each item is held equidistant in each hand might show Cernunnos as a balancing force. This might further be illustrated by the animals surrounding him. Most of the prey animals are on his right while the predators, much more violent in appearance, are on his left.

    Also within the Gundestrup image are representations of plants - perhaps seedlings of some kind. Most, but not all, of the plants appear to have the same shape as a womb, with fallopian tubes and a uterus clearly outlined. This could have obvious fertility connotations, with Cernunnos personifying the male aspect with the female aspect illustrated by the plants and symbolizing Nature, Mother Earth, Goddess.

    Just some thoughts. Great topic. Love the A-Z idea.

  2. Ailia

    Comment on August 1, 2008 at 6:54 pm

    This is an annoying comment, but I don’t know enough about the other to comment about it (though I fully enjoyed it!). Hermes and Apollo are Greek gods. Mercury is the Romanization of Hermes and Apollo was also adopted by the Romans later - they kept the name. :)

  3. mahud

    Comment on August 1, 2008 at 7:26 pm

    Hi, Ailia! Thanks for spotting that. I really should know better :D

  4. mahud

    Comment on August 1, 2008 at 8:23 pm

    Thanks, Grian. Your interpretation is not so far away from my, I appreciate you sharing it with me. My original response became quite lengthy so I turned it into a post: learning how to navigate reality.

    Regarding your perception of the ethereal fruit that kind of floats around in the background of the scene. I think there may be something to what you are saying, being womb-shaped. In pre-Vedic seals you find similar fruits between the head of an unknown and cross-legged deity known as Proto-Shiva, which have been interpreted as Pipal Figs, The Pipal Tree being the Bodhi Tree of Enlightenment.

    Fruits, I reckon, often symbolize the Goddess’ Womb. I think that is what the Pomegranate symbolizes, as well as the poppy head.

    Also in a Hindu myth The Queen of Sagara (a River God), gave birth to a Gourd, that when it hit the ground split open and produced , I think, Ten thousand Sons (the seeds). I think this myth has its parallel in the Castration of Ouranos, when Kronos hides (probably from within his mother’s vagina) and cuts of his dads penis, allowing the Titans to be set free from the womb of the earth.

    Also, have you checked out one of the other panels on the cauldron. It has a kind of death and rebirth theme going on. A large figure, presumably a Deity, bathes warriors (no doubt fallen in battle) in some kind of vessel akin to a cauldron (another womb symbol) and ‘resurrects’ them. Cutting horizontally through the middle of the scene is a tree with the same fruit that surrounds Cernunnos and company.

  5. Lyon

    Comment on August 3, 2008 at 10:36 am

    “Also, have you checked out one of the other panels on the cauldron. It has a kind of death and rebirth theme going on. A large figure, presumably a Deity, bathes warriors (no doubt fallen in battle) in some kind of vessel akin to a cauldron (another womb symbol) and ‘resurrects’ them. Cutting horizontally through the middle of the scene is a tree with the same fruit that surrounds Cernunnos and company.”

    Could this be the Dagda? I have read in myths where he has a cauldron of this nature that would ressurect the fallen in battle and basically make your army infinite. And the size sort of fits with how I’ve heard of Dagda being depicted as well. It’s funny how it’s always the one panel on the cauldron everyone talks about. :D

    – your friendly neighborhood blog lurker lol

  6. mahud

    Comment on August 3, 2008 at 12:52 pm

    Hi, Lyon!

    Could this be the Dagda?

    It could be, or some other analogous divinity. The Dagda had a weapon that could both kill men in battle and rise them back to life, while his cauldron contained an inexhaustible supply of food (check out the intro to The Second Battle of Mag Tuired), but the two Ideas (at least to my mind are not so far apart). They are both life giving cauldrons. And Dagda’s cauldron my also of had the ability to raise the dead, although I can’t think of any texts to support it.

    I’m more familiar with the cauldron that could bring those slain in battle back to life in ‘the myth of Branwen’ from the Welsh Mabinogion.

    The Irish lit a fire beneath the cauldron of rejuvenation, filling it with the bodies of the wounded dead, and the following day all were completely restored, apart from the ability of speech. Witnessing that the Irish alone were raised from death, Efnissiyen, cursed himself for the evil he had wrought upon his own people, and lay down among the slain bodies of the Irishmen. Two men, both naked and exposed, cast Efnissiyen into the cauldron, and he stretched himself out until the cauldron shattered into four pieces, and his heart exploded.

    The Second Branch of the Mabinogi

    If you find anything else out this scene or the Dagda (and the abilities of the cauldron), please let me know.

    Thanks for stopping by!

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