According to Welsh Arthurian tradition, King Arthur’s dagger was named Carnwennan (also known as Carnwenhau). The Welsh word “carn” means hilt, “gwen” means white, and with a suffix meaning “little,” the name translates to “Little White Hilt.” Arthur mentions Carnwennan in the Welsh tale Culhwch and Olwen as one of the few items he does not want to give Culhwch. The Welsh Triads from the 13th century mention Arthur’s sword Caledfwlch, his spear Rhongomyniad, and his dagger Carnwennan:
“The sacred weapons that God had given him: Rhongomiant his spear, Caledfwlch a sword, and Carnwennan his dagger.”
“The Twenty-Four Knights of Arthur’s Court”, The Welsh Triads.
The Magical Power of Carnwennan
Even though Arthur was only a regular person, he had access to some powerful weapons, and his dagger or knife, Carnwennan, was among them. It has been said that whoever wields this edged weapon can effectively hide in the shadows.
Arthur’s sword was the Caledfwlch-Excalibur. A sword so brilliant it could kill 500 soldiers with a single stroke and blind his enemies. Or his shield, Pridwen, was impervious to harm.
In addition to his other magical items, Arthur had the invisibility granting Carnwennan. The dagger was providing a kind of presence concealment to Arthur or to its wielder. In European folklore, invisibility-granting items are rather prevalent. These are often recognized as caps or invisibility cloaks.
The invisibility attribute of Carnwennan was probably the main reason Arthur named his dagger among the things he could never give up for any reason:
Then said Arthur, “Since thou wilt not remain here, chieftain, thou shalt receive the boon whatsoever thy tongue may name, as far as the wind dries, and the rain moistens, and the sun revolves, and the sea encircles, and the earth extends; save only my ship; and my mantle; and Caledvwlch, my sword; and Rhongomyant, my lance; and Wynebgwrthucher, my shield; and Carnwenhau [Carnwennan], my dagger; and Gwenhwyvar, my wife. By the truth of Heaven, thou shalt have it cheerfully, name what thou wilt.
The Mabinogion / Kilhwch and Olwen
The Origin of Carnwennan as a Weapon
In Culhwch and Olwen, Carnwennan is the weapon Arthur uses to cut in two the witch Orddu (“the Very Black Witch”, who is the daughter of the witch Orwen (“the Very White Witch”). Arthur achieves this by throwing the dagger Carnwennan at the witch from the entrance of her lair.
“And then Arthur rushed to the door of the cave, and at the door he struck at the witch, with Carnwennan his dagger, and clove her in twain, so that she fell in two parts.”
The Mabinogion / Kilhwch and Olwen
Other than this instance, the Welsh Arthurian legends are the only ones that include Carnwennan. The dagger is also not one of the various weapons of Arthur mentioned in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae.
Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur describes Arthur killing a giant with an unnamed dagger, which is probably not Carnwennan or at least the dagger is not described in detail.
What Are the Weapons of King Arthur?
Caledfwlch (Excalibur), Rhongomyniad (“Slaying Spear”), Wynebgwrthucher (“Face of Evening”), and Carnwennan (dagger) are among Arthur’s weapons listed in the Welsh stories the Mabinogion.
Geoffrey of Monmouth writes in Historia Regum Britanniae:
“…and across his shoulders, a circular shield called Pridwen, on which there was painted a likeness of the Blessed Mary, Mother of God, which forced him to be thinking perpetually of her. He girded on his peerless sword, called Caliburn, which was forged in the Isle of Avalon. A spear called Ron graced his right hand: long, broad in the blade and thirsty for slaughter.”
Historia Regum Britanniae, IX.4.
These two accounts agree that Arthur was armed with a variety of cold weapons, including a sword, a shield, a spear, and, in one account, a dagger called Carnwennan. In addition to that, “The Sword in the Stone” and Excalibur/Caliburn are, in some tellings of the stories, two distinct swords, with the former going unnamed.
Carnwennan at a Glance
What is the origin of Carnwennan as a weapon?
According to the Welsh Arthurian legends, King Arthur used the dagger Carnwennan to cut in two the witch Orddu. He achieved this by throwing the dagger at the witch from the entrance of her lair. The Welsh word “carn” means hilt, “gwen” means white, and with a suffix meaning “little,” the name translates to “Little White Hilt.”
What is the magical power of Carnwennan?
Carnwennan was among the powerful weapons that Arthur had access to, and it was known for its invisibility granting attribute. It provided a kind of presence concealment to Arthur or to its wielder. The dagger was so significant to Arthur that he named it among the things he could never give up for any reason.
What are the weapons of King Arthur?
In the Welsh stories, the Mabinogion, Arthur’s weapons include Caledfwlch (Excalibur), Rhongomyniad (“Slaying Spear”), Wynebgwrthucher (“Face of Evening”), and Carnwennan (dagger). Geoffrey of Monmouth also mentions Arthur being armed with a sword, a shield, a spear, and a dagger in his Historia Regum Britanniae.
Is Carnwennan mentioned in other Arthurian legends?
No, Carnwennan is only mentioned in the Welsh Arthurian legends. It is also not one of the various weapons of Arthur mentioned in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae. Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur describes Arthur killing a giant with an unnamed dagger, which is probably not Carnwennan or at least the dagger is not described in detail.
References
- Le Morte D’Arthur, Volume I (of II) – by Thomas Malory, the Project Gutenberg, eBook.
- The Historia Regum Britanniae and Four Mediaeval Chroniclers on JSTOR
- The Mabinogion – Ancient Welsh tales of myths and legend – Historic-uk.com.
