Daughters of the Greening presents:

Kernunnos

By Robert Carney

Kernunnos is a god originating from ancient Ireland. In an older form of Gaelic, his name can be roughly translated to mean “The Great Horned One”. He is also known as “He Who Hides Behind a Tree” or “He Who Hunts and is Hunted”. He is commonly associated with nature and fertility.       His depictions are consistent throughout the Celtic world. He is shown as a man with a long hair and a beard and a large set of antlers on his head. Most sculptures and depictions present him sitting crossed-legged in a meditative, shamanic manner, as some have interpreted. The Celts actually had to sit this way while they were hunting to hide and ambush their catch, and this is probably why he was drawn that way.       Kernunnos bears a torc around his neck, in his hand, hanging in his antlers, or all three. The torc is a Celtic symbol denote nobility. He also carries a purse that is filled with coins.       He is almost always portrayed with animals. Among which include the stag (denoting fertility) and a ram headed serpent (which is believed to be a deity in it’s own right) which is also a symbol of magic and power.

Kernunnos shares strong similarities with the Brittany saint, Cornely at Carnac. Cornely is believed to be derived from Kernunnos. He is also alluded to in the Welsh literature of the Mabinogion.       Kernunnos is a god of nature and animals. He is their patron. He is especially known for his role as husband to mother earth. He both protects and provides for her in times of need. He is a loving father of all of nature’s children and is a reminder of the male energies that hold our world in balance. Kernunnos invites us to attune and fall into balance with nature.

His sacred tree is the pine, which he is said to reside in. He is a god of fertility and sexuality, which in themselves are forces of nature, and being so, he allows us to get in touch with our inner nature. The ram headed serpent, which he holds in his hand, can be interpreted to mean control over desires or even turbulent emotions, a lesson he can teach us should we call upon him. Bibliography:      1.   http://members.tripod.com/Taliere/patron.html     2.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cernunnos     3.  Images from www.sacredsource.com

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