Cernunnos

English

Head of Cernunnos, Celtic and Prehistoric Museum, Ventry

Alternative forms

• Carnonos

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin Cernunnus, itself from Gaulish *Karnonos.

Proper noun

Cernunnos

1. (religion, historical, Gallo-Roman religion, Celtic religion) A deity, usually depicted as a man with antlers, associated with stags, horned serpents, dogs and bulls.
   • 2003, Arthur Rowan, The Lore of the Bard, Llewellyn Publications, page 242:

     Cernunnos is one of the oldest of the old gods. […] Often attacked by the forces of the early Christian Church, Cernunnos was misconstrued as demonic and the lord of sorcerers and witches during the Middle Ages.

   • 2004, Philip Carr-Gomm, Stephanie Carr-Gomm, Druid Craft Tarot, Connections Book Publishing, page 146,

     Here we see an image of Cernunnos - the Lord of the Animals, the wild Herdsman and Hunter.

   • 2012, Aislin, Ashling Wicca, Book 1, Lulu.com, page 60,

     This leads to the natural conclusion that Cernunnos was more than a fertility god and more than simply the consort of the Goddess. In the Ashling Wicca tradition, Cernunnos is seen as a god of initiation, of change, and of following a new path.

Translations

Gallo-Roman and Celtic deity associated with certain animals

• French: Cernunnos (fr)
• German: Cernunnos m
• Italian: please add this translation if you can

See also

• Horned God

Further reading

• Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism on Wikipedia.Wikipedia