by Jason Mankey
So was there a female version of Cernunnos? It’s certainly possible. It could also be his wife or daughter. Or it might be unrelated to Cernunnos, since among the Celts, sitting with one’s legs crossed wasn’t all that uncommon. However, among deer and related species, only males grow antlers (with the exception of reindeer), so because it’s something not generally seen in the wild, I believe the antlers are most likely a reference to Cernunnos in some way.
What Exactly Do We Know About Cernunnos
from the Ancient World?
Because of how Cernunnos was pictured over the centuries in ancient art, I think we can draw a few strong conclusions about the god.
Cernunnos was a God of Wealth
Between the torcs and the bags of overflowing coinage, I think it’s safe to say that Cernunnos had something to do with material prosperity. The fact that he’s shown with useful animals (useful for food and clothing) such as the bull and the stag also suggests this, as does the ram-headed serpent.
Cernunnos Was a God of Wild Spaces
The constant presence of the antlers can’t be explained away and most likely has something to do with the natural world. There are also some indications that he might have been a god of hunting, most notably the dogs and perhaps the hunting posture.
Cernunnos Was a God of Death and the Underworld
Often overlooked on the Gundestrup cauldron, the image of the dolphin and the rider is suggestive of the Underworld, like much of his other iconography. Modern interpretations of the Horned God, and especially Cernunnos, often overemphasize the natural world connotations, but perhaps more than anything else, Cernunnos had something to do with death. Death is also a complementary companion of hunting and the natural world, since death is a part of those spheres.
Does all of this coincide with how Cernunnos is honored and worshipped by Pagans and Witches today? Not always, but I feel like it’s rather close. I also urge people to share their experiences with Cernunnos. As we will see later with the god Pan, deities do adapt and change over time. I don’t think anything has stayed exactly as it was two thousand years ago. The gods are not beings preserved in amber; they are active in this world, and that activity suggests agency, and the ability to change and progress.
It’s likely that Cernunnos (or at least versions of him) is more popular today than in the time of the Celts from Gaul. As his worship continues to spread, we will find out more about the god through his interactions with us. Anytime I’ve interacted with a sincere devotee of Cernunnos, I’ve found that our interpretations of the god have a lot in common. The past gives us a great starting point, but it’s just that: a starting point. The power of Cernunnos is growing in our modern world, and as it does so, we will gain a new understanding of him.
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79. Hutton, Pagan Britain, 362.
80. Stewart, Celtic Gods, Celtic Goddesses, 113.
81. Bober, “Cernunnos: Origin and Transformation of a Celtic Divinity,” 14.
82. Deo Mercurio. “Kapnonoy: to Carnonos.”
83. Deo Mercurio. “Kapnonoy: to Carnonos.”
84. Deo Mercurio. “Kapnonoy: to Carnonos.”
85. Serith, “Cernunnos: Looking a Different Way.”
86. Leins, Celts: Art and Identity, 6.
87. Serith, “Cernunnos: Looking a Different Way.”
88. Leins, Celts: Art and Identity, 24.
89. I feel like I should point out here that my editor disagrees with the idea that these figures are bulls, though they are generally described that way by people who write about the Cauldron. They do have very skinny necks for bulls.
90. Bober, “Cernunnos: Origin and Transformation of a Celtic Divinity,” 21.
91. Stewart, Celtic Gods, Celtic Goddesses, 112.
92. Serith, “Cernunnos: Looking a Different Way.”
93. Serith, “Cernunnos: Looking a Different Way.”
94. Leins, Celts: Art and Identity, 25.
95. Congail, “Cernunnos and the Ram-Headed Serpent.”
96. Bober, “Cernunnos: Origin and Transformation of a Celtic Divinity,” 26.
97. Serith, “Cernunnos: Looking a Different Way.”
98. Bober, “Cernunnos: Origin and Transformation of a Celtic Divinity,” 43.
99. Deo Mercurio. “Kapnonoy: to Carnonos.”
Chapter Eight
A Devotional Altar for Cernunnos
Growing closer to Cernunnos can be challenging. As he’s a god with no mythology and lacking much of a modern footprint outside of Witchcraft and Pagan circles, materials referencing him are scarce. When people ask me about the best way to grow closer to a deity, I usually tell them to try talking with that deity, which is a great place to start! However, we can take the simple act of speaking with a deity up a notch by building a devotional altar to them.
A devotional altar is just what it sounds like: it’s an altar designed as a specific place to pay devotion to a particular deity. But it can also be more than that. My Cernunnos altar not only is a place to show my devotion to “C” (as we call him around the house) but is also a focal point for my personal and magickal interactions with him. I use my Cernunnos altar both to leave him libations and to better my own situation through magick. Since our relationships with the gods are reciprocal, these interactions feel especially appropriate to me.
A devotional altar is different from a working altar used in ritual, as it’s meant to be semipermanent. So when setting up your devotional altar, try to find a place that can be dedicated strictly to Cernunnos. This doesn’t have to be an elaborate spot in your home. The top of a bookshelf or dresser works especially well, but if that’s not an option, then a corner of a living room table or a fireplace mantel will work too. An empty shelf on a bookcase is fine as well, and you could even just put a shelf on your wall and use it for your devotional altar. The larger your space, the more you’ll be able to do with your devotional altar, but there are always creative work-arounds if space is at a premium.
Items for a Cernunnos Altar
Once you’ve found a place for your Cernunnos altar, you’ll want to gather items to put on it. Whatever you place on your altar should resonate with your personal understanding of Cernunnos. If you just can’t view him as a god of death and the afterlife, then don’t include anything honoring those aspects of him. While it’s an altar for Cernunnos, it’s also your space, and you should be comfortable while using it. With that said, these are the items I recommend for a Cernunnos altar:
A representation of Cernunnos. The easiest thing to use here is a statue of Cernunnos. Statues were used as focal points for devotion in the ancient world and are still used by many Witches today. While I am a big fan of statues, they can be prohibitively expensive. In addition, many Witches are uncomfortable using mass-produced items. If either of these conditions applies to you, not using a statue is completely acceptable. An easy alternative is simply using a picture of Cernunnos. This could be something on heavy paper stock such as a postcard, a painting or drawing from a favorite artist (this includes yourself), or something printed off your computer. Candles have long been used to represent deity, so a single green pillar candle that’s lit only when you are working with your Cernunnos altar is another good option.
Natural items work here too. A pair of shed antlers (or even just a single antler) is a perfect representation of a god like Cernunnos. You could also choose a necklace that looks like a torc, which can easily be found online and at Renaissance festivals, or use something from the woods, like a pine cone or a fallen branch. One of my favorite ways to represent Cernunnos on an altar is by gathering a bunch of fallen leaves, fashioning them into something resembling a wide circle (glue works just fine here), and then placing a
candle in the center of the leaves. (If you go this route, make sure there’s a good amount of distance between your candle and the leaves. Both you and Cernunnos don’t want you starting a house fire in his honor.)
A libation/offering bowl. Because a devotional altar is a place to show devotion, you’ll want a bowl in which you can leave gifts for Cernunnos. I think the best sort of offerings are liquid ones, and generally alcohol, but you can leave Cernunnos anything you think he’ll enjoy. Whatever you offer the god should be something you enjoy or indulge in yourself. If you don’t drink beer, then that would be a poor choice to place in an offering bowl. Whatever you use for your libation bowl, be sure it is large enough to hold whatever you choose to pour in it and is leakproof. (This sounds like commonsense stuff, but I have used bowls for libations that had cracks in them that I was unaware of.)
If you are uncomfortable with physical (or liquid) offerings, incense is another option here. Instead of leaving Cernunnos wine or beer, you could burn incense to honor him. If you choose to go this route, I suggest using earthy scents representative of the outdoors, such as sandalwood. Incenses that suggest wealth, such as frankincense or myrrh, are also good options. Whatever you choose should resonate with both you and the god.
Something related to hunting. This might be the trickiest thing on my list. On my Cernunnos altar, I have a small collection of arrowheads that I’ve picked up over the years. Another alternative here is an arrow; even better if you made it yourself. You might also choose to go with a tool you already have, such as an athame or other ritual knife. If your altar is especially big, you could probably place a sword, an axe, or a spear on it.
A pentacle or other portal. In Modern Witchcraft, the word pentacle most often refers to a disc-shaped working tool made out of metal, clay, or wood, with a star in its center.100 Most pentacles utilize a five-pointed star, but traditionally pentacles have lots of different symbols in the middle. Though pentacles today are generally used when blessing things like water, salt, and incense during ritual, traditionally pentacles are gateways and portals to other worlds.
I include a pentacle on my Cernunnos altar because he’s a god and therefore dwells in the lands that deities dwell in, but also because, as a god of death, he’s tied to what lies beyond our world: the Summerlands, or land of the dead. I also think that as a god of death, Cernunnos rules over the land of death in some way, so the pentacle serves another purpose: it’s a gateway that my beloved and mighty dead can use to visit with me on my Cernunnos altar.101
Is the pentacle too Wiccan for you? If so, there are other options. Basically, you want whatever you use here to be representative of the crossing over from life to death and back again. To that end, you could use a picture of a cemetery, gravestones, or even just a crossroads. You could also design your own sigil here if that works for you.
Pictures of your dead. It’s not necessary to place photos of those you’ve lost on your Cernunnos altar, but as a god of the dead, he doesn’t mind sharing his space a bit, I’ve found. Cernunnos is a great facilitator between the spirits of the dead and those of us here in the world of the living. Because the dead exist in his “other world,” learning from them can be a powerful tool for growing closer to Cernunnos.
A small dish or jar for coins. Do you have a small jar or dish lying around the house that will hold a quarter? Then you’ve got something that will work to represent Cernunnos’s power as a god of wealth and money. You can use a clear jar here or something picked up from a Witch store. Whatever you use does not have to be fancy. When you set this on your altar, be sure to have a few coins ready to place in or on it.
Something from the natural world. Because Cernunnos is also a god of this world and the wild spaces, you’ll want something from nature on your altar. It could be something directly related to him or something that just resonates with you. On my altar I have a Cernunnos statue to represent the god and a pair of antlers that represent his place in the wild. Simpler options are fine too, like seeds, pine cones, or acorns. You could also choose something living, such as a potted plant. If you’re capable of keeping your altar clean and maintained, then fresh-cut flowers are another option. However, don’t use this option if you are incapable of replacing the flowers regularly. Gods don’t want rotting flowers on their altars.
Something related to domesticated animals. Because of the hunting dogs on the Gundestrup cauldron, I’ve always associated Cernunnos with domesticated animals. If you have an animal companion, putting their picture on your Cernunnos altar is appropriate. You can also put something there that simply reminds you of them, such as one of their toys. If you want to add a little extra magick to whatever you use here, add a piece of your cat’s or dog’s (or whatever) hair to it. (I know the Gundestrup cauldron only includes dogs, but I’m pretty sure Cernunnos doesn’t have a hatred of cats, so don’t feel bad if you have a cat and not a dog.)
Whatever else works for you. These are the things on my Cernunnos altar, but feel free to add more items if that works for you.
Setting Up Your Devotional Altar
There’s no one right way to set up an altar. It can be something you do silently in a rather mundane way, or you can turn it into a full-fledged ritual. However you do it, be sure that whatever you’re using for your altar is clean, both physically and spiritually. Wipe down your altar space and make sure it’s free of dirt and dust. Once that’s done, cleanse it with smoke or salted water to remove any negativity from the space.102
While you can just place your items on the altar, I think it’s far more effective to verbalize your intentions to both yourself and Cernunnos as you set up your new space. Start by deciding where you want to place whatever it is you are using to represent Cernunnos. Most of us will probably want to place him in the middle, but if it makes more sense to you to put him on the left- or right-hand side of your altar, that’s fine. As you place him in the spot that works best for you, welcome him to the altar:
In the name of Cernunnos, I set up this altar. May it serve as a place to grow my relationship with he who is lord of the wild spaces and keeper of the dead. Great Cernunnos, be welcome in this place for as long as it pleases thee. May we work our will together, O ancient antlered one. So mote it be!
Next, place your libation bowl on the altar and verbalize its purpose:
May this bowl serve as a place for the offerings I freely and gladly give to you, Cernunnos. May my gifts strengthen you and your influence upon this world. So mote it be!
Pick up whatever it is you have chosen to represent the natural world and let it rest in your hand for a moment. Imagine where exactly it came from and how it connects to the natural world. Feel its energy pulse in your grip and picture it with great Cernunnos. Say:
Great Cernunnos, lord and protector of the natural world, I place this (name of item) upon your altar. May it strengthen the relationship we have with each other and our connection to the natural world. So mote it be!
Place the item you are using to collect coins and place it upon your altar. When it’s secure, place a couple of coins in it while saying:
I give these coins to you so that you might create abundance and wealth in my life. As I give to you, I ask that you might also give to me. Bless this altar with your abundance, and may this space help me manifest my true will. So mote it be!
Pick up whatever object you’ve chosen to represent the idea of the hunt. As you hold it in your hand, visualize the things you hunt for in this life. Most likely it’s not for deer or other game animals, but for the things we all desire: a solid job, a partner(s), love, a place to call home, etc. Imagine yourself tracking these things down and overcoming the obstacles that stand between you and your end goals. Place your item upon the altar while saying:
I dedicate this (name of item) to Lord Cernunnos. May it bring me closer to you and your ways and help me to triumph over any adversity that I might experience
. So mote it be!
There are several different ways to place your pentacle upon the altar. If your pentacle is large enough, you might want to set whatever you are using to represent Cernunnos on top of it. You might feel more comfortable simply placing it on the altar and then setting Cernunnos on top of it only during certain circumstances, or never at all. Remember, this is your (and Cernunnos’s altar), so do what you feel is right. When you set the pentacle down, say:
I place this gateway upon my altar to ever remind me that Cernunnos exists in both this world and the next. Great Cernunnos, help me to understand all of your mysteries, those of the living and the dead. Open wide the portals between this world and those of the Summerlands when I need lessons that can only be provided by the dead and the Lord who watches over the souls that have departed this world. So mote it be!
If you have pictures of your beloved or mighty dead that you want to put on your altar, now is a good time to do so. In my own practice, I place these images to the back of my Cernunnos altar to signify that the altar belongs to C, first and foremost. It sounds petty to say, but even gods can be a bit jealous. As you place the images on your altar, address Cernunnos:
I place these pictures here as reminders of the souls in your care in the world beyond, Cernunnos. Watch over those I’ve lost and allow them to visit and guide me as you see fit. So mote it be!
The last item for the altar from my list is something representative of a beloved animal companion (and, yes, this could be one who has passed on). This is, of course, completely optional, but for many of us, animal companions are valued members of the family. As you set your item on the altar, say: