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 CERNUNNOS Here's a fellow that goes by many names. Here are just a few:
The Druids believe that
Cernunnos (under many names) is the oldest of the Ancient Ones, first
born of the Goddess at the time of First Earth. They believe he grew in
the womb of the All Mother, waiting to be born to initiate the
everlasting, unbroken Circle of Life. While he is the Lord of Animals,
he is also a tree, forest, and vegetation god, making him the Guardian
of the Green World. In his Dark Man, or Underworld aspect, he is the
one who comforts and sings the souls of the dead to rest in the
Summerland. He's one busy fellow!
During the spring and
summer months, he is celebrated as the Green Man. He first appears as
the young god, son of the Goddess. Then, in summer, he becomes her
consort. In autumn and winter, he is the Dark God, who journeys to the
Underworld to die and return to the earth. There, as his body is
embraced by the earth, the seeds of his light are released and rouse
the Goddess’s womb. Soon, he will once again be born as the new son in
the spring. He is seen by the Druids as a triple god: Father, Son, and
World Spirit.
But this god does not belong just to the Druids. Many pagans of various traditions and beliefs have a strong relationship with Cernunnos. Frequently mentioned as
a principal god in the Celtic pantheon, he is seen as the embodiment of
virile fertility, life, animals, wealth, good fortune and the
Underworld. Usually pictured seated in a half-lotus position, he wears
the antlers of a stag. He is depicted as a mature man with long hair
and beard usually wearing a torc or holding a torc in his right hand. A
ram-horned serpent is usually in his left hand. Sometimes he holds a
purse brimming with coin. Sometimes, he is a man with a stag’s head. He
is often depicted with wild animals at his feet or near him and
vegetation surrounding him. For an excellent interpretation, see the
work of SUSAN
SEDDON BOULET.
The antlers signify his
stature among beasts just as the torc denotes his stature of nobility.
(To the Ancient Celts, the torc was a Celtic symbol of being initiated
into nobility.) The antlers also represent the spreading branches of a
tree. The serpent reflects his wisdom and his knowledge. Cernunnos is
the spirit of the woods, a powerful archetypal nature spirit, and male
partner to Mother Earth. Because the hunter often falls in pursuit of
the prey, he is recognized as both the God of Death and the Guardian of
the Underworld, and embodies both hunter and prey. (This is another
aspect indicated by the serpent.) It has been suggested by some because
of the Celtic torc, that perhaps he was also the Celtic God of
Initiation, though nothing in Celtic lore remains to substantiate or
disprove this theory.
Some scholars suggest
that Cernunnos was not in fact the proper name for this deity. They
point out that though his iconography is prolific, only once does the
name Cernunnos appear. The name comes from a stone relief carving from
the Gallo-Roman period unearthed in Paris. A clearly legible
inscription reading Cernunnos is carved above the image of an antlered
man. Whether this stone put name to the god or simply described him is
vigorously debated. Cernunnos literally means horned one in Latin.
Detractors believe the name applies to any number of horned gods while
supporters point out the similarities of the “single” horned god in his
various guises. If he had a Celtic name it remains unknown, though some
believe it may be associated with Derg Corra, the early Celtic Man in the Tree.
His image dates back to
Paleolithic times where cave paintings in France depicted an upright
stag or man dressed as a stag. The most famous image appears on a
cauldron unearthed in 1891 in a Danish peat bog near Gundestrup in
Northern Ireland. (see image at top of page) Oddly,
though, in that image the god believed to be Cernunnos is beardless. It
should also be noted that his images bear a striking resemblance to the
prototypical Hindu Lord of the Animals, Shiva Pashupati, from a
Mohenjadaro seal impression dated around 1500 BCE. Unfortunately, the
Celts had no written language and the Druids, who did, were forbidden
to write down their knowledge. This leaves historians and scholars of
ancient religions in the dark as to the exact nature of Cernunnos and
his followers.
Regardless, Cernunnos is
placed today at the head of the Celtic pantheon by any number of
religious groups. He is honored for his role in the turning of the
Wheel and his relationship with the Goddess. He is worshiped for his
wild spirit, the fertility he lavishes on the Earth, the animals he
protects and for his connection with the Underworld. He embodies all
that is male and wild within nature and is honored and respected for it.
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© 2004 K. Dickinson
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updated June 2006