Cernunnos

Although Cernunnos is a Gaulish horned god, his worship was widespread in the Celtic era, and he was venerated over the channel in Britain in various similar forms.

In appearance he had stag antlers sprouting from his head, wore a torc around his neck, and was depicted with a ram headed serpent. He may have been seen as lord of the animals, and the spirit of the woods, a powerful archetypal nature spirit and male partner of the earth mother. Later, in Christian times his image was transposed on to that of the Devil, who also appeared with horns.

The archetype is still powerful today and it may be an ancient folk memory of Cernunnos who haunts Windsor Great Park in Berkshire as 'Herne the Hunter'. In Britain he is associated with place names with the prefix Cerne. The similarity between this name and Herne the hunter is unlikely to be coincidence.