The Gundestrup cauldron
This magnificent cauldron is one of the most important and intriguing finds from ancient Europe. It reveals connections between communities thousands of miles apart. Although it depicts objects used in central and western Europe, it was found in a bog near Gundestrup in Denmark, beyond the northern edge of the Celtic regions. The style of the designs suggests that it was made further east, in Bulgaria or Romania. The strange animals and cross-legged pose of the antlered figure hint at even wider influences, from as far afield as Asia. The scenes on the panels give a glimpse into a world of ancient myths, and the stories of gods and heroes whose names are now lost.
Fantastic beasts
The outer panels show gods and goddesses. On the left a goddess with two birds is having her hair braided. On the right a god with a forked beard holds two humans.
The enigmatic scenes inside depict people alongside fantastical creatures. The cross-legged man with antlers holding a horned snake may be a god. Behind him a small figure rides a fish. The goddess on the left is surrounded by wild and strange beasts – the ones with long noses may represent elephants.
Gods and heroes
The Gundestrup cauldron was probably reserved for important rituals. It is likely that most people would have viewed it from a distance, seeing only the forbidding faces of gods and goddesses on the outer panels. The fantastical scenes on the inside would have been revealed to those allowed to experience the cauldron close up. One panel shows three people slaying bulls. The leaf motifs coming from the bulls’ necks are repeated throughout the designs. They may simply be decorative, or perhaps here they represent blood.
Lost myths
Pictures inside might show a scene from an ancient myth. Warriors on foot and horseback wear helmets, and hold spears and shields. Three musicians bring up the rear, blowing boar-headed war horns. They approach a giant figure who dips a warrior into a cauldron. Perhaps this shows a sacrifice, or a powerful god or goddess bringing a dead warrior back to life.
Powerful beings
Faces glare from the outside of the cauldron. Their staring eyes once held glass insets. They are probably gods and goddesses, as they perform superhuman feats. One grasps a deer in each hand. Another holds two fantastical serpents, while beneath his gaze a double-headed beast devours two tiny human figures.
Inside the cauldron, another panel shows a god next to a wheel, perhaps a symbol of his powers. Next to him is a warrior in a horned helmet, surrounded by hounds and griffins.
See this extraordinary object in our exhibition Celts: art and identity (24 Sep 2015 – 31 Jan 2016).
