For hundreds of years, an enormous depiction of a naked man has dominated a steep hillside in the rural Cerne Valley in southwest England. This 180-foot-high figure, known as the Cerne Giant, was created by removing turf to expose the white chalk beneath. One of the figure’s arms is outstretched, while the other brandishes a club. However, its most famous feature is the unmistakable erect penis, 36 feet in length, which has led to the figure being called “The Rude Man of Cerne.”
The Cerne Giant has long baffled those who sought to explain it. Recent research, however, has revealed more about its creation and significance, with a history that ranges from the Romans and Vikings to the English Civil War.
Theories and Origins
The Cerne Giant is one of many huge chalk “drawings” found throughout the English landscape, especially in the south. While some were cut in the last few hundred years as symbols for towns or regiments, a few are prehistoric, such as the Uffington White Horse, which is more than 3,000 years old. The Cerne Giant, however, is the most perplexing of these chalk figures. Some have said the giant was an ancient depiction of a pagan god, while others believed it was a piece of political satire from the 17th century. More recent research combines archaeological and cultural evidence to suggest the Cerne Giant was carved into a hillside more than a thousand years ago to mark the place where local Saxons mustered arms to defend their farms and homes against invading Vikings. The new research also proposes that the Cerne Giant originally portrayed Hercules, the Greco-Roman demigod, who was a prominent hero in early medieval England.
Recent Findings
Medieval historian Thomas Morcom, now of Norway’s University of Oslo and formerly a doctoral student at the University of Oxford, is a co-author of a study published in March 2024 in the journal Speculum. Along with University of Oxford medieval historian Helen Gittos, Morcom’s study builds on archaeological research carried out by the National Trust. This research used optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) studies of the sediments around the Cerne Giant to determine that it was first cut into the earth in the 9th or 10th centuries A.D.—more than a century before the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.
Historical Context
The finding was a surprise to National Trust archaeologist Martin Papworth, who led the excavations. He had expected the giant to date from the 1600s, perhaps during England’s Civil War in the 1640s. One theory was that the naked figure was an obscene lampoon of the parliamentary leader Oliver Cromwell. However, the OSL dating has pushed back the timeline, suggesting the giant has been a part of the landscape for much longer than previously thought.
Papworth broadly agrees with the interpretation put forward by Morcom and Gittos, although he thinks the Cerne Giant may have marked a place of early Christian pilgrimage rather than a mustering place for armies. The idea that the giant could have been a prominent marker in the landscape for local armies to muster is intriguing, especially considering the turbulent times of the 9th and 10th centuries when Saxons were defending their territory against Viking invasions.
The Cerne Giant and Hercules
The suggestion that the Cerne Giant originally portrayed Hercules adds another layer of complexity to its interpretation. Hercules was a prominent figure in Greco-Roman mythology and a symbol of strength and heroism. His depiction in early medieval England could signify a blending of pagan and Christian traditions, or perhaps a cultural appropriation of a powerful symbol to serve the needs of the local population at the time.
Conclusion
The Cerne Giant remains one of England’s most enigmatic and fascinating landmarks. Its creation and significance have been the subject of much speculation and research, with recent findings shedding new light on its origins. Whether it was a marker for local armies, a place of pilgrimage, or a symbol of strength and heroism, the Cerne Giant continues to captivate the imagination and curiosity of those who encounter it. As research continues, we may uncover even more about the mysterious history of the Rude Man of Cerne.
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