The Gundestrup Bowl: A Reassessment

The great silver cauldron from Gundestrup is one of the most fascinating exhibits in the National Museum of Copenhagen. It was imported into Denmark in antiquity and, since its discovery in 1891, has been the subject of considerable discussion. Although most scholars have agreed in assigning it to a 1st-century B.C. Gallic context, this identification is by no means universally accepted. Other suggested areas of origin have ranged from the eastern Danubian countries and South Russia to Denmark and even to northern India; similarly, estimations of the date of the object have varied from the 1st century B.C. to the 5th century A.D.Although the Gundestrup cauldron is a unique object differences in style between the various plates that make up the body of the vessel point to the fact that several artists were involved in its manufacture. In the centre of each of the seven (originally eight) outer plates are placed human busts, with minor figures occupying secondary positions, while the five, long, inner plates, and the bottom plate, bear varied motifs. From a technical point of view it is an outstanding specimen of the silversmith’s art; particularly fine is the bull on the bottom plate, which is executed with boldness and great skill, The cauldron must certainly be regarded as a product of a vigorous school of craftsmanship.