Cauldrons

In Wicca, a cauldron can be placed in a sacred circle and used to burn items that will be set alight during a ritual. It is a symbol of the womb of the Goddess and rebirth as it was in ancient British Celtic religion and is sacred to the Goddess. Water can be placed into a cauldron for scrying (a method of divining the future) or it can hold the ingredients necessary for a spell or incantation.

In some forms of Wicca which incorporate aspects of Celtic mythology, the cauldron is associated with the goddess Cerridwen. Celtic legend also tells of a cauldron that was useful to warring armies: dead warriors could be put into the cauldron and would be returned to life, save that they lacked the power of speech. It was suspected that they lacked souls. These warriors could go back into battle until they were killed again. More »