Collection: Cast Iron Cauldrons

What Is a Cauldron Used For?

A cauldron is used for anything on the altar that involves fire, smoke, or water. Practitioners burn loose incense and resin on a charcoal tablet in it, burn written petitions and bay leaves, set a chime candle upright in sand, fill it with water for scrying, mix herbs, and leave offerings. The cauldron stands for transformation, since what goes in comes out changed, and in Wicca it is a symbol of the Goddess. Our guide to the witch's cauldron covers its myths, from Ceridwen's cauldron of inspiration to the witches of Macbeth, along with step-by-step safety.

How to Choose a Cauldron Size

Choose a cauldron by what you plan to burn in it. A cauldron under 3 inches holds one incense cone or a pinch of herbs and suits a travel altar. A 3 to 3 1/2 inch cauldron holds a standard 33 millimeter charcoal tablet, a chime candle, or a small petition, which covers most solo work. At 4 1/2 to 5 inches there is room for a 40 millimeter tablet with resin around it, several petitions, or water for scrying. A 6 to 8 inch cauldron is for group ritual, larger burnings, and a small outdoor fire at the sabbats.

Two features are worth looking for. A lid smothers a flame that climbs too high and keeps dust out between rituals, so choose one with a lid if you plan to burn paper. Three legs lift the hot bottom off your altar and let air move underneath, and a wire handle lets you carry the cauldron by something other than its hot body.

Cauldron Symbols: Pentacle, Triple Moon, Triquetra, and Tree of Life

Pentacle. The five-pointed star in a circle stands for the four elements joined by spirit, and it is the most common protective symbol in Wicca. Our guide to pentagram vs pentacle explains the difference between the two.

Triple moon. The waxing, full, and waning moon honor the Triple Goddess as Maiden, Mother, and Crone, and many practitioners choose it for moon work.

Triquetra. The triquetra is a knot of three interlaced arcs found in Celtic and Norse art. Christians use it for the Trinity, and many pagans use it for things that come in threes, such as land, sea, and sky.

Tree of Life. The tree links roots below with branches above, and practitioners often choose it for ancestor work and for grounding.

Plain. A plain or ribbed cauldron fits every tradition and leaves room for your own markings. Our guide to witch symbols covers these and dozens more.

How to Use a Cast Iron Cauldron Safely

To use a cauldron safely, stand it on a stone tile, a metal trivet, or a tray of sand, since cast iron can scorch wood and cloth right through its legs. Pour half an inch to an inch of sand or salt into the bottom before you burn anything. Light charcoal while holding it with metal tongs, add incense a pinch at a time, and burn petitions one small slip at a time. Keep the lid within reach, open a window when you burn charcoal, never leave anything burning unattended, and let the iron cool completely before you empty it. Do not pour cold water into a hot cauldron, because a sudden change in temperature can crack cast iron.

These are ritual vessels, not cookware. They are not prepared as food-safe seasoned iron, so keep them for the altar and brew simmer pots in a pot made for the stove.

How to Care for a Cast Iron Cauldron

To care for a cast iron cauldron, keep it dry and lightly oiled. Empty the ash and sand once they are cold, and do not leave salt in the bottom between rituals, since salt draws moisture and rusts iron. After any water, dry it with a towel and warm it until no damp remains. Every few weeks, rub a thin coat of vegetable oil over the iron and buff it off. If rust appears, scrub it away with steel wool, dry the cauldron, and oil it again. Store it with the lid on, somewhere dry. Cared for this way, a cast iron cauldron lasts for generations.

What You'll Find Here

Small cauldrons. Our small oval cauldron stands 1 3/4 inches tall, and a row of 3 inch cauldrons comes plain, ribbed, wide-rimmed, round-bellied, or cast with a pentacle or triple moon. Several of them come with lids.

Smudge pots. These are wide, shallow cauldrons for burning loose herbs and resin, including a 3 1/4 inch pentagram smudge pot with a lid.

Medium cauldrons. The 4 1/2 inch triple moon and triquetra cauldrons and the 5 inch triple moon and Tree of Life cauldrons all have lids and take a larger charcoal tablet with room to spare.

Large cauldrons. The 6 inch cauldron with handle, the 6 inch Tree of Life cauldron with a lid and swing handle, and the 8 inch cauldron with lid, whose bowl is 6 1/2 inches deep, are sized for group ritual and bigger burnings.

For the cauldron lover. The sage candle in a cast iron cauldron burns for about 12 hours and leaves you a small cauldron to reuse. The Witches Brew cauldron mug holds your tea, and the broom and pentacle journal and the pewter rebirth amulet both carry the cauldron in their designs.

Explore Related Collections

Fuel for your cauldron is in resin, incense powders, and charcoal and incense for charcoal burning. Set it on a heat-safe altar tile, and stand chime candles in its sand. For gazing, see scrying bowls, and grind herbs for it with a mortar and pestle. Pentacle designs across the shop are gathered in pentacles and pentagrams, and the rest of the altar is in altar, home, and sacred space.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cauldron used for in witchcraft?
A cauldron is used to burn loose incense and resin on charcoal, burn written petitions and bay leaves, hold a candle, scry with water, mix herbs, and hold offerings. It stands for transformation and, in Wicca, for the Goddess.

What size cauldron should I buy?
A 3 to 3 1/2 inch cauldron holds a standard charcoal tablet, a chime candle, and small petitions, which covers most solo work. Choose 4 1/2 to 5 inches for larger tablets and scrying, and 6 inches or more for group ritual.

Can you cook in these cauldrons?
No. Our cauldrons are ritual vessels, not cookware, and they are not prepared as food-safe seasoned iron. Use a pot made for the stove for simmer pots and brews.

What do you put in the bottom of a cauldron?
Put half an inch to an inch of sand or salt in the bottom before you burn anything. It spreads the heat and gives charcoal and candles a steady base. Empty salt out afterward, because it draws moisture and rusts the iron.

How do I keep a cast iron cauldron from rusting?
Keep it dry, empty ash and salt after each use, dry it at once after any water, and rub in a thin coat of oil every few weeks. If rust appears, scrub it off with steel wool, dry the iron, and oil it again.

Do I need a cauldron with a lid?
A lid is worth having if you plan to burn paper or herbs, because setting it on the cauldron smothers a flame that climbs too high. It also keeps dust and moisture out between rituals.