WHAT IT IS The last word in treasure hunts
WHY YOU WON’T DO IT Many intrepid adventurers have failed in the quest before you
The Holy Grail has fascinated us for the best part of a thousand years and provided the object of countless heroic quests from the legends of King Arthur to The Da Vinci Code. But despite experts disagreeing even on basics such as what a grail is, there’s no shortage of candidates and possible locations.
The Holy Grail legend is widely thought to be an amalgam of Christian and Celtic traditions, and first took form in an epic poem written by Frenchman Chrétien de Troyes in the late 12th century. It tells the story of Perceval, a Welsh knight, who comes upon the grail when dining at the castle of the mysterious Fisher King. It contains a single communion wafer that miraculously provides sustenance for the Fisher King’s sick father. A little later, the grail’s back-story was developed in the work of Robert de Boron. His tale has Joseph of Arimathea collecting Christ’s blood in the grail as Jesus was being crucified. Joseph then has the grail sent to Britain for safekeeping, and King Arthur and his knights go in search of it. So how might you succeed where the knights of the Round Table failed?
Firstly, you will need to establish in your own mind just what the grail is. Traditionally, it was a vessel (some say a cup, others a plate or bowl) used by Christ at the Last Supper. In more recent times, some have seen the grail as a metaphor. For instance, (spoiler alert!) The Da Vinci Code reworks the idea that Mary Magdalene is the grail – recipient of the holy bloodline after marrying and having children with Jesus. Whatever your choice, it will be based on faith and instinct rather than concrete evidence.
Most legends suggest the true grail can only be recognized and found by a wise, heroic figure, so if that sounds like you, decide where you’re going to start your search. Famous grail candidates include:
• The Antioch Chalice, found in Antioch in modern-day Turkey in 1911 and now in the possession of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.
• The Jerusalem Chalice, a silver cup described by an Anglo-Saxon pilgrim in the seventh century but never found.
• The Genoa Chalice, located in Genoa Cathedral, and crafted in Egyptian glass.
• The Valencia Chalice, a red agate vessel displayed in Valencia Cathedral (shown opposite).
• Other theories have it buried beneath Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland, while Glastonbury Tor in Somerset, southwest England, is yet another possibility.