The Holy Grail is the cup into which Joseph of Arimathea, after the crucifixion, collected blood from the wounds of Christ … This relic is credited with mystical properties - from the fulfillment of desires to the achievement of immortality. But no one knows what it really is. Here are a number of artifacts that could theoretically represent this sacred vessel: The Legend of the Grail
The philosopher Rene Guénon claims that even before Christianity, the Grail was entrusted to people by the highest deities. It is allegedly made of a radiant stone that fell to Earth from the crown of the Archangel Lucifer, and is a large goblet of extraordinary beauty.
According to one version, one of the guardians of the Grail, Parsifal, who belonged to the Rosicrucian brotherhood, temporarily donated the relic to the Grandmaster of the Round Table, a secret brotherhood headed by the legendary King Arthur.
Apparently, the knights of the Round Table not only guarded the sacred vessel, but also used its magical power. In early British folklore, there are many legends about magic bowls. One of them tells of a cornucopia that gave its owner food and drink that never dried up in it. Another says that a terminally ill person could be healed if the Grail was with him for at least eight days …
At different times, different people rushed in search of the Holy Grail (it is believed that it is kept somewhere in the dungeons of Glastonbury Abbey, where the body of King Arthur is also buried).
Lycurgus Cup
This Roman glass goblet depicts the Thracian king Lycurgus. The bowl is capable of changing color depending on the lighting. If the light falls on it from the front, then it turns green. If behind - then red. Most surprisingly, nanotechnology was used in the manufacture of the cup: microscopic particles of gold and silver 50 nanometers in size were added to the glass - probably hence the color effect … True, the details of the production are unknown.
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The cup is only about 1600 years old, so it hardly has anything to do with Jesus Christ. But it is possible that it was this cup, which is also credited with magical properties, that at one time became the source of the legends about the Holy Grail.
Sacro Catino
One of the names of this artifact is the Genoa Bowl, as it is kept in the Church of San Lorenzo in Genoa. True, the relic looks more like a hexagonal dish. Sacro Catino was captured as a trophy during the First Crusade. Nobody knows exactly what the origin of the bowl is, when and where it was made. But in the 13th century, Christians were convinced that the Genoese Cup was the Holy Grail.
The bowl was originally thought to be made of emerald. Although later researchers came to the conclusion that it is just green Egyptian glass. Indeed, when the artifact was damaged during the invasion of Napoleonic troops, it became clear that it was made of glass …
Nanteos Cup
This piece of wood, only ten centimeters high, is located in Wales. Once upon a time, apparently, it really was a cup. According to legend, in the past, the cup had healing powers. It was these wooden drinking vessels that were used in Palestine during the time of Jesus. The artifact was repeatedly stolen, but in an incomprehensible way it always returned to its place. True, scientists believe that it was made only in the XIV century, so it could not be a "contemporary" of Christ …
Ossuary of Jacob
Some researchers believe that the Holy Grail may not have been a cup or goblet at all, it is just an allegorical designation of a relic. Therefore, one of the "candidates" for the title of Grail is the Ossuary of Jacob - an ancient limestone box for keeping bones, on which the inscription in Aramaic is engraved: "Jacob, son of Joseph, brother of Jesus."
For the first time, the artifact surfaced at a certain Israeli antiques dealer, who claimed that the remains of Christ and his relatives were kept in the ossuary. Upon learning of this, the Israel Antiquities Authority declared the relic a fake and initiated a criminal trial that lasted five years. However, it was not possible to prove the fact of the hoax.
Grail burial site
If you believe the Celtic and Norman legends, then Joseph of Arimathea, after the crucifixion of Jesus, moved to Britain and buried the Grail in Glastonbury Abbey. At the same time, he stuck his staff into the ground on a hill at the site of the burial of the vessel, from which a bush of thorns later grew, revered by the locals as sacred. Indeed, today in Britain there is a plant of Palestinian origin …
But that's not all! In Glastonbury there is the Chalice Well spring, which, according to legend, originates from the grail burial site. Its water allegedly has a red color, since the blood of Jesus got there from the cup, and also has the taste of iron because of the nails with which the Savior was crucified … However, scientists believe that this phenomenon is explained more prosaically: the soil from which the source flows includes a large amount of iron oxide, hence the characteristic color and taste …