Deep Antiquity Within Later Arthuriana

Many folks who are familiar within Arthuriana from a tertiary source, there is a rough, flawed understanding that these are deeply ancient rooted ‘myths’. This has led many comparative mythicists to make conclusions that are otherwise suspect, like taking fairly well established historical figures and placing them into the realm of myth in search of ‘Celtic’ equivalents to Indo-European mythic tropes. This is not limited to Arthur himself, but spreads to others, such as the historical Myrddin, and the grandsons of Arthwys ap Mar, Peredur and Gwrgi. That is not to say there is not deep memory to the Arthurian Legends, it just comes in unexpected places.

What I believe to be one of the earliest ‘weavings’ of historical fact into a legendary framework is Taliesin’s ‘Preiddeu Annfwn”¹ which would seem to be a retelling of Arthur’s final battle and death at the Battle of Camlann.

"And when we went with Arthur, sad journey,
save seven none returned from Caer Vandwy."

This poem is full of deeper references to the ancient mythic corpus that an often thin veneer of Christianity sits over. The composer of Preiddeu Annwfn, Taliesin, was no doubt a Christian, however, he was an extremely learned man and knew much of the lore of ages past. The poem references Gwair, a figure who is likely related to Gwydion from the Mabinogi, a figure with many deep mythic connotations. Taliesin draws upon the ancient Bronze cauldrons so important to his Celtic forbears, wonderfully wrought prized possessions, giving what is essentially the first ‘Grail-Quest’ among Arthuriana, simultaneously inspiring a folkloric retelling of Preiddeu Annfwn in the incident with Diwrnach in the later tale, Culhwch and Olwen. As such the Grail may have deep roots surpassing Arthuriana. If Preiddeu Annfwn is indeed a ‘Marwnad Arthur’ Death-Song of Arthur, then that implies that the Cauldron-myth poetically interspersed is certainly older than learned Taliesin, dating to well before the 6th century. Diwrnach’s Cauldron appears in the list of the ‘Thirteen Treasures of Britain’ under the variation of the name Dyrnwch. The Cauldron itself has often been linked to ancient Celtic cauldrons like the famous Gundestrup cauldron, a work of fine silver. Though the Cauldron was found in Denmark, the metalwork itself seems to be of Thracian origin, with the artistic motifs being distinctly Celtic.