The Celtic god Cernunnos was possibly one of the most significant deities in Celtic culture. He was likely known as the ruler of nature and the forest. About sixty images of him have been discovered, notable examples being the Pillar of the Boatmen, the Gundestrup Cauldron, and possibly a rock carving from Valcamonica. However, much about Cernunnos remains unknown and is open to interpretation and debate.
It is assumed that Cernunnos was originally a proto-Celtic god and was revered by both Celtic and Gallo-Roman peoples. He is often depicted with antlers, seated with crossed legs, and associated with deer, horned serpents, dogs, and bulls. Cernunnos typically holds a torc and sometimes carries a bag of coins (or grain) and a cornucopia.
Trigger warning: Contains nudity.
The Name
The Gallic variant of his name is Karnonos, derived from the word "karnon," which means 'horn' or 'antler'.
Iconography
Due to the lack of Gallic written sources about Cernunnos, his specific role in religious traditions is unknown. Interpretations range from being a god of animals, nature, fertility, and prosperity to a symbol of authority, strength, endurance, and masculinity. He is also seen as a god of travel and trade or associated with crossroads, the underworld, and reincarnation, symbolizing the cycle of life and death. The 9th-century Stuttgart Psalter possibly depicts an image of Cernunnos as Lord of the Underworld.
Cernunnos is often depicted with a stag or a snake with ram's horns. Less frequently, there are images featuring bulls, dogs, and rats.
Some scholars describe Cernunnos as the Lord of Animals or the Lord of the Wild Things, while others view him as a peaceful god of nature and fertility. He is also considered a god of duality and a mediator between opposites.
The Pillar of the Boatmen (Pilier des nautes) links him to sailors and trade, suggesting his association with material wealth. This is also evidenced by the money bag he holds in the Altar of Cernunnos from Reims and the stag standing beside him on the Niedercorn stele, which spews out coins.
Cernunnos in the Middle Ages
In later Christian literature, the attributes of Cernunnos are associated with the life of Saint Ciarán of Saighir, where animals recognize him as their leader. As Cernunnos continued to be used in pagan cults after the introduction of Christianity, he might have been equated with the devil.
Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed (Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed), the first branch of the Mabinogion, tells the story of Arawn, the king of Annwn, the underworld. The protagonist of the story, Pwyll, chases away Arawn's hounds with his own dogs from a stag they have caught. Arawn becomes angered by this and, as compensation, Pwyll agrees to take Arawn's place in the underworld for a year and defeat his archenemy. Thus, Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed, also becomes the head of Annwn.
In the story "Owain, or the Lady of the Fountain," Kynon, a knight of King Arthur, recounts his encounter with a black man, with only one eye and one leg. This figure resides in a forest and is surrounded by animals. This could potentially be a parallel to Cernunnos or to the motif of the Lord of the Woods.
The story of Owain is likely directly or indirectly based on "Yvain, or the Knight of the Lion" by Chrétien de Troyes. Local Welsh poets interwove motifs from their own folklore into this narrative. However, when the story was transcribed by Franciscan monks, the pagan aspect of this black man was significantly toned down and simplified.
Composition
In our Cernunnos composition, we chose to depict Cernunnos as the Lord of the Woods in both male and female forms. This composition can be viewed as a representation of the god Cernunnos or as a paganistic expression in honor of the god Cernunnos. All photos in this composition were taken in 'wild' nature in sparsely populated areas.
The antlers
Antlers have been used in shamanistic religions since the Stone Age. An example of this is the antler headgear from Biesdorf, dating back to 9000 BC. A similar Mesolithic headdress with antlers was found in Star Carr. Both antlers are from red deer.
In this composition, we've crafted a headdress using roe deer antlers. These antlers were glued onto a headband and reinforced with leather laces.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/set-of-2-antlers.html
The torc
The torc was a status symbol in Celtic culture. Many torcs have been found in various places including France (ancient Gaul), Ireland, and the British Isles. In our photos, we've used two torcs, one based on the original from Snettisham and another torque with dragon heads, which are actually more inspired by the Viking art style.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/snettisham-torque-replica.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/viking-torque-with-dragons-copper.html
Male Cernunnos
Trousers
The Thorsberg trousers are pants from the 3rd century AD.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/thorsberg-hose-ragnar-brown.html
Belt
The broad belt is adorned with Celtic knots.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/celtic-belt-ruari-dark-brown.html
Fur collar
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/fur-collar-thor.html
Make-up
We've based the makeup on early Celtic and proto-Celtic art styles: the sun wheel and stylized depictions of daily life.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/epic-armoury-epic-effect-larp-make-up-white-water.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/epic-armouries-epic-effect-make-up-dark-brown.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/epic-armoury-epic-effect-larp-make-up-royal-blue-w.html
Female Cernunnos
Skirt + top
The clothing of the female Cernunnos is made from natural materials: leather and fur. This symbolizes the wildness of nature.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/leather-top-jetta-dark-brown.html
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/leather-skirt-nuala-light-brown.html
Bracelet
The bracelet is made of twisted brass and is crafted in the La Tène style. The great thing about it is that it's adjustable in size, making it suitable for all kinds of people.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/celtic-upper-bracelet-with-spirals.html
Make-up
The makeup is inspired by the well-known Celtic knotwork.
https://www.celticwebmerchant.com/en/epic-armouries-epic-effect-make-up-dark-brown.html