Cernunnos is the mysterious horned deity worshipped by Iron age Celts across Europe until the end of the first century. Very little is known about Cernunnos except his name and his image, which appears on numerous stonecarvings and other artifacts throughout Europe. He appears crowned with stag's antlers, is often seated in a meditative position, and is almost always depicted with images of wild animals.

His Celtic name is unknown, although he may be associated with Derg Corra, the early Celtic "Man in the Tree." Cernunnos is a Roman name meaning "horned one." He is often associated with Herne the hunter, a character of British folk myth, and the "Green man" of European architecture. Roman invaders associated Cernunnos with the god Mercury. He is later associated with "Herne the hunter," of European legend, and his appearance was eventually adapted as the Christian Devil's.

The image which appears above is derived from the "Gundestrup Cauldron," a ritual object of unknown use discovered in pieces in a peat bog in Denmark.

From Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor:

"There is an old tale goes that Herne the Hunter,
Sometime a keeper here in Windsor Forest,
Doth all the winter-time, at still midnight,
Walk round about an oak, with great ragg'd horns;
And there he blasts the tree, and takes the cattle,
And makes milch-kine yield blood, and shakes a chain
In a most hideous and dreadful manner.
You have heard of such a spirit, and well you know
The superstitious idle-headed eld
Receiv'd, and did deliver to our age,
This tale of Herne the Hunter for a truth."

Herne the Hunter

For many more images of Herne/Cernunnos, try the Cernunnos/Herne Gallery.

Pronunciation: Kur-noo-nohs • (noun)

Related Resources:

• Celtic Knot Gallery
• Druid/Celtic religion
  Celtic and Druid faiths, beliefs, history, and culture, plus an overview of Druid groups and orders, events, and publications.