Tools of the Craft: Cauldron

We’ve all seen the image, a witch standing behind a large black cauldron stirring her bubbling brew. Next to the broom, the cauldron may be the most well-known of all the pagan tools. But how did the cauldron come to play such an important role in Wicca?

A cauldron is a large metal pot with a lid and a handle. It is most often suspended by an apparatus over an open fire and is used for cooking and brewing purposes. Derived from the old Norse and Germanic words meaning “hot place” or the Old French word caudron stemming from the Latin caldarium meaning “hot bath,” cauldrons are a part of our ancient history.

Depending upon the culture, cauldrons could be found both inside and outside the home. Remember, electricity didn’t exist for centuries, and living in a cold climate meant that you depended upon fire for your heat. The burning logs under a cauldron provided that heat, which was not only protection from the cold but also provided the food necessary for survival. Thus, it is easy to see how the cauldron came to symbolize protection and life.

But how did the cauldron become associated with witches and magick? It’s a long story, but basically, women were historically tasked with cooking, so they spent the most time around the cauldron preparing meals. As time progressed, people began making other things in their cauldrons, most notably alcohol, which is where the brewing portion comes into the tale.

These women brewers honed their craft to perfection, but their purpose began to twist as time went on. Brewers didn’t always make alcohol; they also made medicine to help heal those who were ill. Then during the Burning Times, it was believed that witches used their cauldrons to make potions such as flying ointments using ingredients ranging from bat’s blood to newt eyes. It was rumored that witches carried their sacred pots to their satanic sabbats to boil children for their ritualistic feasts.

But this is only one theory of how cauldrons became associated with witches. In fact, cauldrons appear in all sorts of myths. The Welsh goddess Cerridwen’s cauldron, Awen, also referred to as the Cauldron of Inspiration, is one of the most famous cauldrons. When Cerridwen attempts to give her son wisdom, she asks her assistant, Gwion Boch, to stir Awen.

As Gwion stirs, three drops fall onto his thumb, and he instinctively licks the potion off. Upon ingesting the contents of the cauldron, he transforms into the bard Taliesin. For the Welsh, the cauldron symbolizes wisdom and transformation. It also symbolizes wisdom amongst the Norse. To obtain his divine power, the god Odin drank magick blood from a cauldron. However, the Greek goddess-priestess, Medea, was not quite as kind with her cauldron. She sought to destroy King Pelias using her magick cauldron. But she wasn’t always attempting to destroy another with her cauldron. It is said that she could also restore people’s youth using it. Dagda of the Irish Celtic pantheon has a cauldron that never runs out of food during a feast, heals all who are ill, and can grant immortality.

The cauldron is a symbol of creative forces. Whether it be to produce a meal or brew a potion, the heat from the cauldron transforms the ingredients. It takes wisdom to incorporate the correct ingredients in the precise amounts to produce the final product. As a magickal symbol, it is also a representation of the divine feminine. Both in form and function, the cauldron mimics that of the womb. Whatever is placed inside is transformed into something else and given life. It is also connected to all four elements; Water is placed inside to make brews, and food from the Earth is cooked to sustain life. Fire must heat the ingredients to transform them, and as the items boil or cook inside, steam is produced, which rises into the Air.

Traditional cauldrons generally have three legs. For the Celts, the sacred number three represented the triple goddess (maiden, mother, crone), but it is representative of life, death, and rebirth for others. And still, for others, it is the three main lunar phases during each waxing (Waxing Crescent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous) and waning period (Waning Gibbous, Third Quarter, and Waning Crescent).

In modern practice, the cauldron is used in a variety of ways. For most practitioners, it is a necessary altar tool. It is used to brew herbal remedies, burn loose incense on charcoal disks or paper petitions, burn offerings of herbs or candles, simmer seasonal potpourri, and scry.

Over the years, the singular image of a large iron pot has morphed into many different shapes, materials, and sizes; however, they have retained their three legs throughout time. Cauldrons can be small enough to fit in your palm or large enough to hang over a fire pit. The sides of a cauldron can be simple or ornately decorated. It can be made of copper, pewter, stainless steel, or even clay. In fact, some kitchen witches refer to their slow cooker as an electric cauldron!

To be deemed a cauldron, the vessel must be shaped so that it can hold a liquid and be made of a material that will not burn whether it has a lid or not doesn’t really matter. In the end, it is up to the practitioner as to which type they choose to use. What matters is that you select a cauldron that will meet your own magickal needs. For many Wiccans, they accumulate a collection of cauldrons that can be used for various types of magickal purposes.

If you are new to the Craft, take time to find a cauldron that is right for your practice. And if you are a long-time practitioner, take time this season to honor the history and uses of such a fascinating magickal tool!