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Originally posted by RooneyX: Firstly, the Holy Grail is a symbol and not an actual object that goes back long before Jesus. In Sanskrit literature it is a cup in which the sacred soma is squeezed. But more specifically the whole Christian grail legend doesn't even date back to Christ but to medieval times. What can be said is that writers of Arthurian legend, like Chretien De Troyes, were heavily influenced by Arab writers and Arabian tales such as Buliqya. That story is a great influence on the story of Perceval and the search for the Grail. Buliqiya itself derives from the legend of Gilgamesh in which he goes in search of a sacred plant in the underworld with which he can revive his dead Lancelot-like friend, Enkidu (in fact, the Excalibur story is first found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, more specifically the part about the copper axe and the lightning sword that only Gilgamesh could lift from the ground). There is also a version in the Koran, very much the same, of a man journeying in the underworld to find the secret of eternal life but in this version Moses is the traveler who visits 'Al-Kadhr' or 'the green man'. If you've read up on the recent sensationalist Grail theories there are references to the same character in the building works of the Knights Templar and Freemasons. |
I may be wrong, but I was under the impression that the whole grail thing was derived from gaelic stories. It was a common thing for stories to be told about heros who went in search or magical/mystical cauldrons (rather than grails) in much the same sort of circumstances as told in the tail of the search for the Holy Grail (not the Monty Python one - I don't think that the ancient British/Irish tribes believed all that much killer bunny rabbits
). These stories go back years and years before some french guy decided to take British legend and Christianise it (wasn't Arthur meant to be from the 5th or 6th century originally, and the French thing is 12th?) - don't quote me, but I'd say the type of story (not the specific Arthur one) went back to well into the BC's. Saying that - didn't the Celts come from over India way? That'd probably be the connection... Anyway, I believe they may have been more influenced by what I've said than Arab stories. But, once again, don't quote me 
I have nothing to back the above up with, it's just something I was interested in a few years back. i'm sure our trusty friend google would help, though
Anyway - I read the Bible Code once. I was really excited about reading it (I was 14 at the time I think). I don't remember how far I got into it, but I would not recommend it. There are some seriously tenuous links which form the basis of huge and sweeping statements and theories. Not my cup of tea. Although, I think I'll check out the DaVinci Code, since I'm currently sans novel.