Gundestrup cauldron

The Gundestrup cauldron is an Iron Age silver vessel displayed at the National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen. The object consists of thirteen silver panels that form a round shape with a diameter of 69 centimeters and a height of 42 centimeters, decorated with detailed relief scenes.

Peat cutters found the dismantled vessel in 1891 at Rævemosen bog near the village of Gundestrup in Himmerland, northern Jutland. Researchers date its creation to somewhere between the 3rd and 1st centuries BC, likely outside Scandinavia, before it was later deposited in the Danish peat landscape.

The panels show a series of mysterious scenes that scholars often interpret as references to ancient rituals or myths, though their exact meaning remains debated. Visitors can spot human figures in different poses, including one figure flanked by two smaller shapes, as well as animals like deer and serpents arranged on the interior.

The museum in Copenhagen is accessible for visitors who want to view the vessel up close, with the object displayed in a glass case. The lighting and positioning of the display cases allow for studying the reliefs and details on the silver surface.

Analysis of the silver composition shows the material came from several sources, while craftsmen used gold for gilding, tin for soldering, and glass for the eyes of the depicted figures. This technical variety points to multiple places of manufacture or phases of work.