The Battersea Cauldron

Hermione threw the new ingredients into the cauldron and began to stir feverishly.‘It’ll be ready in a fortnight,’ she said happily.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Cauldrons are one of the most potent symbols of witchcraft. They probably came in all shapes and sizes, and were used historically for different purposes, including creating potions. This magnificent example was not necessarily associated with witches, but still has a fascinating history. It is almost three thousand years old, created by riveting together seven plates of sheet bronze. The craftsmanship is so fine that it can only have been made for a wealthy owner. Sometime around 1861, more than two millennia after it had been manufactured, this cauldron was fished out of the River Thames at Battersea in South London.

“The Battersea Cauldron is a true survivor. Even today, its condition remains superb. It seems unlikely that the cauldron was dropped into the Thames by accident. It may have been deposited as a votive offering.”

Julian Harrison
Lead Curator

THE BATTERSEA CAULDRON (C.800–600 BC)

British Museum