The Gundestrup Cauldron was found in a peat bog near Gundestrup, Denmark in 1891. It is thought to be an example of Iron Age art, produced sometime around 120 b.c. The large cauldron was made of seven outer plates, five inner plates, and one base plate. Made of 96% pure silver, the cauldron is believed to have been made by several people. It is 14 inches in height, 28 inches in diameter, weighs about 20 lbs, and can hold 28.5 gallons of liquid. It was probably made in the Lower Danube area and later brought north by looters or traders. Some believe it to have been used by Celtic Druids for sacrificial reasons. Some believe that it was ritually placed in the bog as a votive offering.

Each plate of the cauldron depicts images. Some say it depicts the Celtic hell; others disagree because of the Celtic belief of reincarnation. One image shows the Celtic god Cernunnous, the god of fertility, abundance, and rebirth. Other pictures include a ram-horned snake and cavalry. Many people think that the pictures depict several different cultures including Greek and Indian.

The cauldron is currently on display in the Danish National Museum.

References:

The Mystica “The Gundestrup Cauldron” Alan G. Hefner

            http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/g/gundestrup_cauldron.html

House Shadow Drake “Gundestrup Cauldron”

            http://www.shadowdrake.com/celtic/gundestrup.html

LexiLine: A Renaissance in Learning “The Gundestrup Cauldron” F. Graham Miller

            http://www.lexiline.com/lexiline/lexi85.htm

Written by Dustin Abraham, 2003