The recent dating of the Cerne Abbas Giant came as a surprise. This huge, naked figure was cut into a Dorset hillside not, as many have supposed, in prehistory nor in the early modern period, but in the early Middle Ages. This means that, for the first time, it is possible to place the Cerne Giant within a cultural context.
Contrary to conventional views, he is referred to in an early medieval source, and this, in turn, helps to demonstrate that by the eleventh century, he was being reinterpreted in a surprising way as Saint Eadwold. This is only one example of many such reimagining’s, among which one of the most enduring is that he is neither a classical hero nor a saint but instead an image of the pagan god Helith.
For centuries, the Cerne Abbas giant has baffled many historians and archaeologists. Carved into a chalky hillside in the south of England, this colossal, nude figure wielding a club has sparked debates over its origins: a Celtic deity, an ancient symbol of fertility, or a satirical representation of Oliver Cromwell?
Recent research by the University of Oxford suggests a new purpose for this 60-metre-tall figure in Dorset. Rather than a deity or a jest at Cromwell’s expense, the giant could have functioned as a rallying point for West Saxon forces during Viking incursions. The study by Oxford University academics Helen Gittos and Tom Morcom proposes that the giant represents Hercules, symbolising strength and valour. Its towering presence might have inspired troops gathering there to defend against Viking assaults.
Their findings, published in Speculum, the Medieval Academy of America’s journal, strongly suggest the Cerne giant as an image of Hercules, standing alone with a raised club and possibly adorned with a mantle. During the 10th century, the area was under the ownership of the West Saxon royal family, particularly by Æthelmær, a notable figure in the English court and a descendant of King Æthelred I.
Gittos and Morcom propose that such a site was ideal for mustering armies, providing essential resources like water, shelter, and provisions for both men and horses. These locations, strategically placed near major routes and vantage points, required a visible marker. The symbolism of Hercules, revered for masculinity and valour among warriors during the 9th and 10th centuries, made the giant an ideal focal point for monumentalising such a muster site.
Furthermore, the site’s proximity to major routes and ample resources, characteristic of an ealdorman’s estate, support the theory of its use for assembly and rallying. Notably, the first recorded clash between Anglo-Saxons and Viking raiders occurred nearby, strengthening the significance of a monumental figure like Hercules as a rallying symbol.
Cerne Giant as fertility
The locals say the figure is “inspiring,” and childless couples used to dance around a maypole nearby. Legend has it that a woman who sleeps on the figure will be blessed with many children, if blessed is the right word. And having sex on the figure, especially its phallus, will cure infertility.
In conclusion, the researchers suggest that the Cerne giant, once a puzzling enigma, and even a site where women believed they could become pregnant, now emerges as something very different. It is now seen as an active participant in local history and community—a monumental symbol of rallying, a call to arms amidst uncertain times. This narrative better integrates the giant into the historical fabric of the region, transforming it from a solitary mystery to an integral part of local culture and heritage.
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