The carnyx (plural: carnyces) is a wind instrument that was commonly used by Celtic people during the Iron Age, from about 200 BC to about 200 AD. It is a type of trumpet made of bronze and shaped like an S. The instrument was held so that the long, straight middle part was vertical, while the short mouthpiece end and the wide bell were horizontal, pointing in opposite directions. The bell was shaped like the head of a boar or another animal with its mouth open.

The Celts used the carnyx in battles, likely to encourage soldiers to fight and to scare enemies, as recorded by Polybius. The instrument's tall size allowed its sound to be heard clearly above the heads of people during battles or ceremonies.

Etymology

The word carnyx comes from the Gaulish base carn- or cern-, which means "antler" or "horn." This same base is also found in the name of the god Cernunnos. The word carnyx is related to the Welsh words corn and carn.

Archaeology

In Iron Age Britain, animal symbols were used to show strength and fierceness. Examples include a boar on the Witham Shield, the snouted Deskford carnyx in Scotland, and a pair of dragons on a sword scabbard from the River Thames.

There is evidence that the carnyx was held by a leader, as suggested by a figure resembling a Gaulish king named Bituitos.

In 2004, archaeologists found a first-century-BC Gallic pit at Tintignac in Corrèze, France (45°20′00″N 1°45′30″E / 45.3333°N 1.7582°E / 45.3333; 1.7582). The site had over 500 pieces of metal objects, including seven carnyces, one of which was nearly complete. Before this discovery, only five carnyces had been found in modern-day Scotland, France, Germany, Romania, and Switzerland. Four of these had boar heads, and the fifth looked like a serpent-like monster. These items were likely part of a ritual deposit from after the Roman conquest of Gaul. The Tintignac finds helped identify fragments found in northern Italy decades earlier as parts of a carnyx.

The first carnyx found in Britain was dredged from the River Witham at Tattershall Ferry (53°05′23″N 0°12′53″W / 53.08981°N 0.21462°W / 53.08981; -0.21462), Lincolnshire, in 1768. It was likely a votive offering placed in the river during the Iron Age. Made from hammered bronze sheets joined with tin solder, it was damaged during an attempt to study its metal composition.

Another carnyx found in Britain is the Deskford Carnyx, discovered in 1816 at Leitchestown (57°39′31″N 2°48′15″W / 57.6585°N 2.8041°W / 57.6585; -2.8041), Deskford, Banffshire, Scotland. It was likely placed as a ritual deposit. Only the boar’s-head bell remains. It is now displayed in the Museum of Scotland. The Deskford Carnyx was made mostly of brass, a metal used by the Romans after they conquered southern Britain. This suggests the carnyx may have been made from recycled metal. The Museum of Scotland dates its creation to 80–250 CE, noting it was locally made and distinct from other carnyces found in Europe.

In 2025, a collection of Iron Age military items was found in west Norfolk, within the former territory of the Iceni tribe. The items were buried around the first century AD. These included a bronze carnyx, a bronze war standard shaped like a boar’s head, and five shield bosses. The carnyx is nearly complete and described as "the most complete carnyx ever found." It is unique for having the animal’s ears intact.

Roman coins suggest the Celts used a war trumpet called a carnyx. These were different from Roman trumpets, which did not have monster-like heads. The carnyx was used similarly to Roman standards. A dragon-headed carnyx appears on Trajan’s Column. The carnyx is also similar to a Dacian trumpet and a La Tène dragon standard. A dragon-headed carnyx is shown being held by a Gaulic woman on Augustus’s breastplate.

• The carnyx also appears on the side of the Gundestrup cauldron.
• A small bronze boar carnyx from the Iron Age was found in Suffolk, England, in 2021.

Literature

The name is mentioned in written records. Carnyces are noted in accounts of the Celtic attack on Delphi in 279 BC, as well as in descriptions of Julius Caesar's military campaign in Gaul and the Claudian invasion of Britannia in 43 CE by Aulus Plautius. Between 60 and 30 BC, Diodorus Siculus wrote:

Objects from Tintignac

Objects from Tintignac were displayed in the 2012 exhibition "Les Gaulois, une expo renversante" ("The Gauls, a stunning exhibition").

• The carnyx of Tintignac, discovered in Corrèze, France
• A carnyx found at Tintignac
• A carnyx found at Tintignac
• A helmet shaped like a bird's head, found at Tintignac

• The Leichestown Deskford carnyx and its reconstruction, Museum of Scotland
• A piece from a carnyx, Switzerland

Modern reconstructions

The reconstruction of the Deskford Carnyx was started by Dr. John Purser in 1991. The project was funded by both the Glenfiddich Living Scotland award and the National Museums of Scotland. Dr. Purser, a music expert, worked with a team that included Fraser Hunter, an archaeologist; John Creed, a silversmith; and John Kenny, a trombonist. The reconstructed Deskford Carnyx was displayed at the National Museum of Scotland in April 1993 after being silent for 2,000 years.

In 1993, John Kenny became the first person in 2,000 years to play the carnyx. Since then, he has given talks and performed on the instrument around the world, including in concert halls, on radio, television, and film. Many musical pieces have been written for the carnyx, and it appears on seven CDs. On 15 March 2003, Kenny played the carnyx alone in front of an audience of 65,000 people at the Stade De France in Paris.

On 15 June 2017, a special piece of music called "The Music of the Forest" was first performed at Slaidburn Village Hall. The piece, created by composer Christopher Gibbs, included the reconstructed carnyx. It was performed by the Renaissance Singers of Blackburn Cathedral, led by Samuel Hudson. John Kenny played the carnyx during the performance.

In 2024, the Football Association of Wales asked a Belgian metalsmith to create a reconstructed carnyx for use in pre-match performances. The instrument was first played before a UEFA Nations League game on 19 November 2024, against Iceland. The performance was done by a trumpet player from the Barry Horns fans' brass band.

Gallery of reconstructions and reenactors

• French museum exhibit
• The Deskford reconstruction at the Museum of Scotland
• German reconstructions
• French reconstruction

In popular culture

The carnyx appears in the opening battle scene of the 2000 film Gladiator and is used as a musical instrument in the soundtrack of its 2024 sequel, Gladiator II. It is shown in several battle scenes of the 2001 French film Druids. A carnyx is visible near the beginning of the 2012 Pixar computer-animated film Brave. The carnyx is included in the soundtrack related to the Gauls in Sid Meier's Civilization VI. In the Asterix series, the bard Cacofonix is often shown carrying or occasionally playing a carnyx.