Interpreting Cernunnos

Above: The Gundestrup Cauldron

Mahud at Between Old and New Moons recently posed the question: "So Who is This Cernunnos Dude?". Surf over to read his post and learn about his great A-Z concept, then come back and read my comments. Or stay on his page and read my comments. Totally up to you.

What follows is my interpretation of Cernunnos based on the image on the Gundestrup Cauldron - which I have looked at many times seeking answers about this God.

As was said, Cernunnos is often pictured seated. Because of this, and the way he seems to be sitting in a lotus position, I tend to think of him as a kind of Buddha figure and a symbol for the human journey towards enlightenment.

Because of his antlers I have come to see him as a bridge between humanity and nature/the Divine and nature, and also the immanent force of Divinity in all life. He is a symbol for everything wild or untamed in us - a direct connection to the natural world.

He holds a torque in one hand and a serpent in the other. Both of these symbols have multiple interpretations. I see the torque as representing cycles, eternity, and the Goddess. Interesting how he is already wearing a torque of his own. I wonder if he might be offering the other torque in his hand to us. Could he be saying you too could "wear the torque" and reach enlightenment?

The snake is also a Goddess symbol. I have often wondered if he is choking the snake or simply holding it. Could the snake represent wisdom and thus be something to possess? Or maybe it's phallic? I'm not sure.

The way each item is held equidistant in each hand might show Cernunnos as a balancing force. This might further be illustrated by the animals surrounding him. Most of the prey animals are on his right while the predators, much more violent in appearance, are on his left.

Also within the Gundestrup image are representations of plants - perhaps seedlings of some kind. Most, but not all, of the plants appear to have the same shape as a womb, with fallopian tubes and a uterus clearly outlined. This could have obvious fertility connotations, with Cernunnos personifying the male aspect with the female aspect illustrated by the plants and symbolizing Nature, Mother Earth, Goddess.