The Great Horned God
The consort of the Goddess and symbol of male energy in the form of the divine,
The Horned God reigns. He is the lord of the woodlands, the hunt and animals. He
provides for the tribe through the hunt and is honored or rewarded for his deed
by being permitted to copulate with the Goddess through the Great Rite.
The Horned God is is the lord of life, death and the underworld. And is the Sun
to the Goddess' Moon. He alternates with the Goddess in ruling over the
fertility cycle of birth, death and rebirth. He is born at the winter solstice,
unites with the Goddess in marriage at Bealtaine, and dies at the summer
solstice to bring fertility to the land as the Sacred King.
He is not just a Celtic representation of the God, nor does he solely belong to
Wicca, as he has been associated with many deities throughout the world.
Cernunnos, The Celtic God of fertility, animals and the underworld.
Herne The Hunter, a specter of Britain.
Pan the Greek god of the woodlands,
Janus the Roman god of good beings.
Tammuz and Damuzi, the son, lover and consorts to Ishtar and Inanna.
Osiris, the Egyptian Lord of the underworld.
Dionysus, the Greek god of vegetation and vine.
The Green Man, the lord of vegetation and the woodlands.
The History Of The Horned One
Paintings discovered in the Caverne des Trois Freres at Ariege, France provides
evidence of the first views of the Horned One. Depicted as a stag standing
upright on hind legs with the upper body of a man, the figure is celebrating
what appears to be a hunt and wooing a woman.
From some of the earliest myths come the union between the fertile Goddess and
the triumphant phallus hunter, the Horned God. The more successful the tribal
hunter in providing for his people, the greater his stature became. The more
likely he would be the one chosen to impregnate the "Mother" of the
tribe. Often seen as the High Priestess or at least a tribal woman who was
touched by the goddess because of her prowess at becoming pregnant and extending
the life of the tribe. Something that was needed during the days of ancient man,
as life spans were short and death by illness or disease was common.
Many legends describe fertility celebrations occurring at the spring gathering
and again in late fall. Each of these coinciding with a spring hunt to bring
food to the tribe after a cold desolate winter. And in the fall to provide meat
for the tribe during the winter months. The most successful hunter won the prize
of sleeping with the "Goddess", most often before the Tribe watching.
Something that is seen as repugnant today, in ancient times, it was a spiritual
event and is revitalized in what we see as the Great Rite of today.
During these rituals, the Hunter would appear dressed or cloaked in the skin of
his kill with the horns of the stag resting victoriously upon his head. Some
legends describe the blood of the beast engulfing both the Horned Hunter and the
Goddess, believing the life taken from the animal is transferred to the womb of
the fertile Mother, thus providing life.
To the Celts as Cernunnos, the Horned God was more than just a fertile being. He
is found throughout the Celtic lands and folklore as the guardian of the portal
leading to the Otherworld. The name Cernunnos is known only through damaged
carvings found at Notre Dame. In these carvings, a deity with short horns
carries the incomplete inscription 'ERNUNNO'. In his earliest of days he was
probably the fertility god to the Gauls. But as time progressed and his legends
grew, he became associated with wealth and prosperity. He was such an important
deity to the pagan Celts, that his image and prowess became a major target for
the early Christian church. It is his image that is believed to have been
adopted for their mythos of the Devil 'deo falsus' or the false god. His status
as the god of Hell would coincide with the view of the pagan Celts as the
guardian of the Otherworld.
As Herne the Hunter, the British version of the Horned God; he is seen as the
leader of the Wild Hunt. As an antlered giant, he is rumored to still survive
and live in the forests of Windsor Great Park. His longevity is owed to the cult
of Cernunnos, who have also linked his generosity to provide for the tribe to
the legend of Robin Hood. Some suggest that Herne was the father to Robin of
Loxley; which is probably more an association since Herne is a much older figure
in legend and myth. In this ability to provide for the tribe as the great Hunter
of the wood, he is forever linked to the Horned God.
As the Greek deity of pastures, flocks and herds, Pan was half man and half
goat. With the legs and horns and beard of a goat. He is the offspring of
Hermes, but his mothers lineage is in question. Either he is the result of
Hermes and Dryope daughter of King Dropys, who's flocks he tended. Or Hermes and
Penelope. His cult is centered around Arcadia where he is reported to haunt the
woodlands, hills and mountains. Sleeping at noon and then dancing through the
woods as he played the panpipes, which he is credited with inventing. He is the
lusty leader of the satyrs (woodland deities), and continually chases the nymphs
(the beautiful nature goddesses). During rituals, his essence is invoked to for
fertility of the flocks or for an abundant hunt. Associating him with the
legends of the Horned God.
As Osiris the Egyptian god of the lower world, he is seen as the judge of the
dead. Linking him to the concept of Cernunnos as the guardian of the gate to the
Other World. He is the brother of Isis, but he is also her husband. Isis as the
goddess of fertility her status as the Mother is propagated by the services
provided her by Osiris. Once again linking his image with that of the Horned
One.
As the Green Man he is the God of the woodlands and vegetation. He is also known
as 'Green Jack", "Jack in the Green" and "Green
George". He represents the spirits of the trees, plants and foliage who has
many powers over nature that promote growth. He has the power to make it rain
and foster the livestock with lush meadows. As Green George he has been
represented as a young man cloaked head to foot in greenery. In early
depictions, the green vegetation emphasized his phallic symbol of fertility as
he lead processions through tribal lands. As the Green Man he shares his
woodland home with the forest fairies often called "Greenies" or
"Greencoaties". What today we call Nature Sprites. The Green Man is
depicted as a horned man peering out from a mask of foliage, connecting him to
the image of Horned God.