Celtic Mythology/Cernunnos - was (Celtic ?) Graveyard at Hogwarts

[fiondavhar]

No: HPFGUIDX 99807

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, Meliss9900 at a... wrote:
> In a message dated 05/30/2004 5:00:26 AM Central Daylight Time, 
> carolynwhite2 at a... writes:
> 
> > Carolyn:
> > I am surprised no one has picked up on the other interesting 
tidbit 
> > in the article - that Hogwarts is apparently located on a Celtic 
site 
> > (see my post 99679). I have dug around in the Lexicon, but can't 
find 
> > any confirmation of this, maybe someone knows if it is in any of 
> > JKR's past interviews ?
> > 
> 
> It was a part of the Newsround interview with Cuaron.  After he 
relates th 
> says the part about the graveyard and she tells him no, he then 
says:
> 
> "So then you say 'What about a sundial?' She says: 'That makes 
perfect sense 
> because when the castle was built it was on an ancient Celtic 
site.' Bap bap 
> bap!"
> 
>  
Bonny here, after a long and unavoidable absence - 

Here are some interesting tid-bits to do with Celtic mythology that 
seemed pertinent. I got these off 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cernunnos. I have snipped so as to 
include only the most important facts. 

" Cernunnos is a Gaulish name meaning "Horned One." Cernunos' 
portrayals are unusually consistent. His most distinctive attribute 
are his stag's horns..."

"...He wears a torc, an ornate neck-ring used by the Celts to denote 
nobility. He often carries other torcs in his hands or hanging from 
his horns, as well as a purse filled with coins."

"Cernunnos is nearly always portrayed with animals, in particular the 
stag. He is also frequently associated with a unique beast that seems 
to belong only to him: a serpent with the horns of a ram. Less often 
he is associated with other beasts, including bulls, dogs and rats. 

Because of his association with stags in particular (a particularly 
hunted beast) he is also described as The Lord of the Hunt. 
Interestingly the Parisi altar links him with sailors, (the altar was 
dedicated by sailors) and with commerce (he is shown with coins)."

>>>>So, we have a man with stag horns, often shown with money, as 
Harry is depicted to be (with money, I mean). This particular deity 
is also associated with Dogs (Sirius) and Rats (Wormtail). Also, 
Cernunnos has the unique association with the horned serpent. I don't 
know what the sailors might have to do with it, but I find the other 
links very interesting. Cernunnos is also one of the Celtic Gods that 
goes through a cycle of re-birth. Voldemort went through his rebirth 
in a graveyard, using the bone of his father. Is it possible that 
Harry may someday have to go through the same process? If his father 
is buried at Hogwarts... hmmm. Or perhaps (as is likley) the four or 
three of the four founders are buried there. 


Here is some more interesting info, coming from a different page, 
http://www.isisbooks.com/cernunnos.asp.

"The great leader of the Fiana – Fionn mac Cumhaill – for
instance, 
married a woman who was originally a deer (or was she a woman who 
could shape-shift into deer form?) >>> Actually she was supposed to 
have been changed intoa deer by a Druid >>>>.  Their son, Oisín, 
could change back and forth between animal and human form, and is 
said to have been in the habit of following either a hart or a stag 
through the woods until it led him across the sídhe into the 
Otherworld"

"... Cernunnos presides over various kinds of journeys into the 
Otherworld.  He leads mortals across the sídhe after death, and 
guides them to the trailhead of new adventures, encouraging them to 
carry on with the quest for wisdom, truth and beauty that was already 
begun in this life.  He can also lead adventurers into the Otherlands 
while still in their coích anama ("soul house"; i.e., the
body), if 
they need to see something there, or if they are looking for 
someone.  Following Cernunnos through the Veil between the Worlds is 
one of the surest ways of making the journey and returning unscathed, 
as he generally won't abandon those who follow him with good
purpose.

Cernunnos – in his role of Guide of the Dead – often appeared
near 
dolmens and barrowsídhe in ancient Celtic times.  Dolmens are
stone 
structures; the remains of pre-Celtic, Neolithic burial sites...    
Many dolmens are large enough for a person to walk into.  They mark 
places of intersection between the worlds... 

When in human form, Cernunnos may also appear with a strange horned 
serpent.  Sometimes this animal is held in both hands while at other 
times the serpent will be seen entwining the god's antlers.  This 
serpent is a mystical symbol of the god's power to move back and 
forth across the side; it is an animal that slithers back and forth 
between worlds."

Rather than point out any more possible connections to a Hogwarts 
graveyard and how it might affect the plot, I will leave it to others 
to specualte. 

Bonny