Vintage National Geographic Scans

detail of the silver cauldron of Gundestrup- one of the most striking and widely studied of Celtic relics. Scholars trace its origin to eastern Europe in the second century B.C. and believe it may have come to Denmark as war booty. [Lol.] The 27 inch wide bowl, buried in pieces as a votive offering, was not unearthed until 1891. The outside plates feature a gallery of deity heads, such as a fertility goddess and her attendants. Inside is a pageant of cult scenes. Scholars disagree on the meaning of the procession (lower image). Some suggest that amid fanfare a slain warrior is being submerged in a life-restoring cauldron.