cauldron
American Heritage Dictionary:
Top
caul·dron
also cal·dron (kôl'drən) 
n.
n.
- A large vessel, such as a kettle or vat, used for boiling.
- A state or situation of great distress or unrest felt to resemble a boiling kettle or vat: a cauldron of conflicting corporate politics.
[Middle English, alteration of cauderon, from Norman French, diminutive of caudiere, cooking pot, from Late Latin caldāria, from feminine of Latin caldārius, suitable for warming, from calidus, warm.]
Related Videos:
Top
cauldron
Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology:
Top
cauldron
[Ar]
A large metal bowl with a rounded base used for cooking and serving food. Two types of bronze cauldrons are known from the later Bronze Age of northwest Europe: Class A with necks, usually ribbed, whose bodies are made from three sheets of bronze, one circular in form to made the bottom and the other two rectangular to make the sides; and Class B which lack necks and are made from numerous small rectangular sheets of bronze riveted together. Both types are fitted with a pair of free-moving ring-handles to allow them to be suspended over a fire or source of heat.
Top
The cauldron was widely used in the Celtic nations from ancient to medieval times, as abundant archaeological and literary evidence testifies. The best-known surviving cauldron from ancient times is the ornately decorated silver one possibly made in Gaul and found at Gundestrup, Denmark, for which it is now named. It may be a Rosetta Stone for interpreting both mythology and literature; see GUNDESTRUP CAULDRON. Cauldrons were used for domestic and sacrificial as well as other ritual purposes. At the same time it is clear that the cauldron was a prestige possession and restricted for the most part to the homes of the rich. It could symbolize both plenty and the powers of resuscitation, and could have implied powers over fertility. The ruler of the Otherworld characteristically has a cauldron in his role as dispenser of feasts. The Bruidne or feasting-halls of Ireland were equipped with inexhaustible cauldrons. Not surprisingly, then, many commentators have seen links between the cauldron of Celtic tradition and the Arthurian Grail.
There are many famous cauldrons in Celtic narrative. The cauldron of the Dagda was one of the treasures of the Tuatha Dé Danann. The cauldron of Gwigawd was one of the treasures of Britain. The Partholonians of Brea had the first cauldron in Ireland. Cúchulainn twice brought magic cauldrons back from Scotland. Ceridwen had a cauldron of inspiration or wisdom from which Gwion Bach tasted before he became Taliesin. A cauldron of regeneration attracts much attention in Branwen, the second branch of the Welsh Mabinogi. Bendigeidfran obtains it mysteriously in Ireland, and gives it to Matholwch in compensation for the mischief of Efnisien. Other cauldrons belonged to Diwrnach of Ireland in the Welsh story of Culhwch ac Olwen; Arawn, king of Annwfn; and the historical king of early Scotland (Fifeshire), Eochaid Buide.
Word Tutor:
Top
caldron
IN BRIEF: A large pot or kettle.
Vegetables and broth were added to the stew in the caldron.
LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!
Random House Word Menu:
Top
categories related to 'caldron'
See crossword solutions for the clue Wikipedia on Answers.com:
Top
Cauldron
For other uses, see Cauldron (disambiguation).
A cauldron (or caldron) is a large metal pot (kettle) for cooking and/or boiling over an open fire, with a large mouth and frequently with an arc-shaped hanger.
|
Contents
|
Etymology
The word cauldron is first recorded in Middle English as caudroun (13th c.). It was borrowed from Old Northern French or Anglo-Norman caudron [1] (Norman-Picard caudron, French chaudron). It represents the phonetical evolution of Vulgar Latin *caldario for Classical Latin caldārium "hot bath", that derives from cal(i)dus "hot".[2]
The Norman-French word replaces probably the initial Old English word ċetel (German (Koch)Kessel "cauldron", Dutch (kook)ketel "cauldron"), Middle English chetel. The word kettle comes from the Old Norse variant spelling ketill "cauldron".[3]
Symbolism and mythology
Cauldrons have largely fallen out of use in the developed world as cooking vessels. While still used for practical purposes, a more common association in Western culture is the cauldron's use in witchcraft—a cliché popularized by various works of fiction, such as Shakespeare's play Macbeth. In fiction, witches often prepare their potions in a cauldron. Also, in Irish folklore, a cauldron is purported to be where leprechauns keep their gold and treasure.
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. In Wicca and some other forms of neopagan or pagan belief systems the cauldron is still used in magical practices. Most often a cauldron is made of cast iron and is used to burn loose incense on a charcoal disc, to make black salt (used in banishing rituals), for mixing herbs, or to burn petitions (paper with words of power or wishes written on them). Cauldrons symbolize not only the Goddess but also represent the womb (due to the fact that it holds something) and on an altar it represents earth because it is a working tool. Cauldrons are often sold in new age and metaphysical stores and may have other symbols of power inscribed on them.
The holy grail of Arthurian legend is sometimes referred to as a "cauldron", although traditionally the grail is thought of as a hand-held cup rather than the large pot that the word "cauldron" usually is used to mean. This may have resulted from the combination of the grail legend with earlier Celtic myths of magical cauldrons.
Real symbolic cauldrons include:
- the Gundestrup cauldron, made in the second or first century BC, found at Gundestrup, Denmark
- a Bronze Age cauldron found at Hassle, Sweden
- the cauldron where the Olympic Flame burns for the duration of the Olympic Games
Mythical cauldrons include:
See also
References
- ^ T. F. Hoad, English Etymology, Oxford University Press, 1993 (ISBN 0-19-283098-8). p. 67.
- ^ HOAD 67.
- ^ HOAD 252.
Iles, J., THE ELEMENT ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WITCHCRAFT. London: HarperElement, 2005.
Starhawk, THE SPIRAL DANCE, A REBIRTH OF THE ANCIENT RELIGION OF THE GODDESS. SPECIAL 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION. New York: HarperSanFrancisco, 1999.
Tuitéan, P. and Daniels, E., ESSENTIAL Wicca. Freedom, CA: The Crossing Press, 2001.
Webster, G., CELTIC RELIGION IN ROMAN BRITAIN. Totowa, NJ: Barnes & Noble Books, 1987.
Zimmermann, D. and Gleason, K.A., THE COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO Wicca and Witchcraft.Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books, 2000.
-
A Witches'-Caldron Table
External links
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Translations:
Top
Cauldron
Dansk (Danish)
n. - kedel, heksekedel
Nederlands (Dutch)
(heksen)ketel
Français (French)
n. - chaudron
Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - καζάνι, χύτρα
Italiano (Italian)
calderone, caldaia
Português (Portuguese)
n. - caldeirão (m), caldeira (f)
Español (Spanish)
n. - caldera, calderón
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
大锅, 大汽锅
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 大鍋, 大汽鍋
العربيه (Arabic)
(الاسم) مرجل, قدر كبير
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - קדירה, יורה
If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.
Post a question - any question - to the WikiAnswers community:
Copyrights:
American Heritage Dictionary
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Read more
Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology. Copyright © 2002, 2003 by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.
Read more
Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
A Dictionary of Celtic Mythology. Copyright © James MacKillop 1998, 2004. All rights reserved.
Read more
Word Tutor
Copyright © 2004-present by eSpindle Learning, a 501(c) nonprofit organization. All rights reserved.
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; sign up free. Read more
eSpindle provides personalized spelling and vocabulary tutoring online; sign up free. Read more
Random House Word Menu
© 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier.
Write Brothers Inc.
All rights reserved.
Read more
Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary
Collins Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary © Anne Bradford, 1986, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2008
HarperCollins Publishers
All rights reserved.
Read more
Wikipedia on Answers.com
This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Cauldron.
Read more
