On Ancient Celtic Astrology and Naked Eye Astronomy – The Gundestrup Cauldron
By Michel-Gérald Boutet, 2017
The Gundestrup Cauldron Astronomical Plates - Iconography
Inner Panel One
A bull representing the “heat of the day,” and Samoindon, “summer’s end.”
The Stag for Sidos, “deer,” the fall constellations of Virgo and Libra. The torque necklace in the sitting horned-gods right hand for Cantos, “ring,” represents
Cantli prinnios, the constellation of Libra, literally meaning: “arborescence, or constellation, of the circle, of buckling, of the song, of the commemoration pillar.”
The horned seated figure, Cernunnos, with the deer antlers for Libra, Scales, holding the serpent (the sub constellations of Serpens caput and cauda) for Scorpio.
A lion or leopard atop a wolf for the winter solstice period of twelve days. Dumanni Prinnios, the constellation of Sagittarius, literally standing for “arborescence of darkening.”
A boy riding a sturgeon or a dolphin for Capricorn.
Two opposing lions for the vernal point, or spring equinox. A bull representing
the return of warm days.
In the background, trefoil plants for the threefold aspects of nature; plants ending
their annual growth cycle for Giamos / giemos < gemos, “winter;” connoting “shoots,” for vegetative; Giiemorotlio > geamhradh, “shoots-cycle;” dark half-year (Autumn + winter-time) or vegetative period.
