Cernunnos

Cernunnos is a Celtic deity. His name is interpreted as " the Horned " and it is usually interpreted from the pictorial representations of the god of nature, of animals or of fertility.

Dissemination

There is no ancient literary mentions of a god Cernunnos, but pictorial representations of the " Stag God" were found in Gaul, but also in parts of Spain and northern Italy. Overall, traces of Britain through Gaul, Spain and Italy can be tracked to Romania. The name of God was only known latter day with the discovery of a labeled representation in Paris. Caesar reported in the so-called De bello Gallico Gallierexkurs of his work, the Gauls continued their lineage back to one night God whom he equates in interpretatio romana with the ancient Italian Dis Pater. This is the reason why the Celts counted not in days, but in nights (compare the English word fortnight for a period of fourteen days ). In this deity whose Gallic names Caesar does not mention, some modern researchers Cernunnos want to recognize. Another guess is that he was the tribal god of the Karnuten, in whose territory was the central sanctuary of the Druids of Gaul.

The antlers God

As a "Deer God " or " antlers God " is in archeology is a male figure with deer antlers, usually referred to in "Buddha " attitude. Often, the stag god is represented bearded, sometimes as a youth, but mostly as a mature man. Other attributes of the antlers of God are a cornucopia ( Cornucopia ) or a torc and one or more snakes (often called the " ram's horn snake "). The most common representation of the antlers of God is the display on the 1891 of found in Denmark Gundestrup Cauldron (whose origin is, however, sought in the field of Ostkelten ). The previously oldest known portrait that might possibly constitute Cernunnos, is found in the Camonica, a valley in the province of Brescia, Italy, a rock drawing showing a mythical figure with arms raised and torc while before her a horned serpent out of the ground rises. Overall, it seems almost four times larger than the outside standing around human figures, which have also brought his arms. On a 1710 found under the choir of Notre- Dame de Paris Cathedral bas-relief the antlers of God ( incompletely preserved ) name "[C ] ERNVNNOS " shown is assigned. The associated Monument, the Pilier of Nautes (cult pillars of Nautae Parisiaci ), a five-storey rectangular pillar of Nautae ( Schiffergilde ) from the tribe of the Parisii, originally stood in the temple of Lutetia, the Paris of today. His remains are now in the Musée de Cluny. The Stag God appears there in the company of Mercury and Apollo ( behind which the Celtic gods Esus or Teutates and Belenus were suspected). In general, the antlers God often animals seem to have been assigned, why one classifies it in the context of the display and worship of a " Lord of the Animals ".

Origin of the name

The name " Cernunnos " is usually "the one with the corners " interpreted as " the Horned " or and has been found in this form in Gaul only twice, with a form ( on the Nautenpfeiler ) shows only the mutilated "[C ] ERNVNNOS ". Other spellings are Karnonos, Cernenus, Cornutus, Karnuntinus and Kornunus, three of which consistently show up after all, as epithet of the Gallic Jupiter, also a Cerunincos is called on a Luxembourg inscription.

The iconography of the Lord of the Animals

The iconography of the Lord of the Animals (alternatively, the mistress of the animals ) was known in ancient art, especially in the Indo -Iranian peoples. Representations in Persia and the Indus are now associated with the Hindu deity Rudra. The Indian reliefs show a horned God in a buddha posture and surrounded by animals that remind striking at the display on the Gundestrup cauldron. For this reason, a mediation of the iconography of the Lord of the animals is often adopted to the Celts by the Scythians, who else had a great influence on Celtic art.

For the Middle Ages, a survival of the " Lord of the Animals iconography ", among others, at the Breton saints Saint Cornély and representations of the alleged Templar idol Baphomet is claimed.

Survival of the antlers of God in the insular Celtic literature?

Is often discussed a possible survival of the antlers of God in the insular Celtic literature of the Middle Ages, most often the figure of the wild man, the " Green Man " and the Wild Hunter is mentioned here but which are not all specifically Celtic. It is interesting to figure in Chrétien de Troyes ' Yvain ou Le Chevalier au lion: In this epic, the hero encounters a black -eyed giant, which is surrounded by a huge number of animals and accompanied by a deer ( later, this figure appeared in Hartmann von Aue Iwein again as " Walt man " on ).

In the Irish legend is often Conall Cernach " the Victorious " called, whose epithet " Cernach " also known as " the Square " or " the Horned " can be interpreted. In Wales Cernunnos is probably mentioned under the local name Cernwn, that of the "deep tank Cernwn, the horrible infinite smoking, which opens to Samhain over the world. "

In English folklore, possibly Cernunnos ( " the Horned One " ) in the County of Berkshire is found in Middle English myth Herne again, who is also regarded as the spirit of a game warden in the park of Windsor. This figure was mainly due to William Shakespeare's comedy " The Merry Wives of Windsor" and Richard Carpenter's " Robin of Sherwood " ( German title: " Robin Hood" ) as " Herne The Hunter " ( " Herne the Hunter " ) known. The form " Herne " Although regarded as Anglo-Saxon, but is cognate with the Celtic " Cern " for " horn ".

Pictures of Cernunnos

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