Pentagram Cast Iron Cauldron with Lid, 3 Inches

Cast iron with three legs. Iron holds heat evenly and the tripod stance keeps the cauldron steady on the altar, with air underneath so the surface below stays cooler.

A pentagram on the front. The five-pointed star of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit marks this as a ritual vessel, and it faces you as the work burns.

A fitted lid for safe burning. Set the lid on to smother a burn instantly, contain smoke between rounds, and keep ash and charcoal covered when the ritual is done.

• Size: sold as a 3 inch cauldron; 4.5 inches tall including the lid, 2.25 inches across the mouth
• Weight: about 1.6 lb
• Material: cast iron; sizes and shapes vary slightly and small casting imperfections are normal
• Design: pentagram on the front, three legs, fitted lid
• Color: black

A cauldron is used for burning, brewing, and transformation in Wicca and modern witchcraft, where it stands for the Goddess, the womb, and the element of Water even when what is inside it is fire. In practice it is the safe place to burn petitions, bay leaves, loose incense, and resin on charcoal, and in a spring rite it holds water and flowers instead. A cauldron marked with a pentagram, the sign of the five elements in balance, is a ritual vessel first and a pot second.

The lineage runs through Welsh myth, where Cerridwen's cauldron brews awen, the inspiration that transforms the boy Gwion into the bard Taliesin, and through the folklore of witches' brewing that Gardnerian Wicca reclaimed as sacred in the twentieth century. You can use this cauldron for releasing work, burning what you are done with and covering the ash; for candle magic, setting a chime candle in sand inside it; and for kitchen-witch offerings on the altar. Transformation and rebirth are its whole purpose.

1. Set the cauldron on a heat-safe surface and add a shallow layer of sand or salt to the bottom to protect the iron and steady whatever you burn.
2. For a petition or bay leaf, write your intention, light it from a candle, and drop it in. Watch it burn down and speak the words of the working as the smoke rises.
3. For resin incense, light a charcoal tablet with tongs, set it on the sand, and add a small pinch of resin at a time.
4. When you are finished, set the lid on to smother the burn. Let everything cool completely, then empty the ash outside or bury it.
5. Wipe the inside dry after each use; cast iron rusts if it sits damp, so skip soap and water and keep the lid on between rituals.

Some witches keep the cauldron for fire only and never let it hold water. Your practice sets that rule.

• Swift Lite 33mm Charcoal (10 tablets): Charcoal tablets for burning resin inside the cauldron on a bed of sand.
• Frankincense Resin Tears, 1 oz: Frankincense resin to burn on the charcoal for consecration and cleansing work.
• Pentagram Charcoal Tongs, 6 Inches: Pentagram tongs to light and place charcoal without burned fingers.
• Parchment Paper by Espiritu, 3" x 4", Set of 12 | Spell & Petition Paper: Petition paper sized for writing, folding, and burning in a small cauldron.
• The Flame in the Cauldron: A Book of Old-Style Witchery by Orion Foxwood, Raven Grimassi: Old-style witchery that puts the cauldron at the center of the practice.

Can I burn things in this cast iron cauldron?

Yes, this cast iron cauldron with lid is made for burning: petitions, bay leaves, loose incense, and resin on a charcoal tablet. Put a layer of sand or salt in the bottom first, set it on a heat-safe surface, and use the lid to smother the burn when you are done. Keep burns small and the room ventilated.

What size is this cauldron?

The cauldron is sold as a 3 inch size; the supplier lists it at 4.5 inches tall including the lid and 2.25 inches across the mouth, and notes that sizes and shapes vary slightly. It is a small altar cauldron: right for a bay leaf, a folded petition, a chime candle, or a single charcoal tablet.

What does the pentagram on the cauldron mean?

The pentagram is the five-pointed star that represents Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit in balance, and it is the most widely used symbol in Wicca and modern witchcraft. On a cauldron it marks the vessel as ritual equipment and adds a layer of protective, elemental intention to whatever is burned inside.

How do I care for a cast iron cauldron?

Care for a cast iron cauldron by keeping it dry: wipe out ash with a dry cloth, never soak it, and store it with the lid on. If rust ever appears, scrub it off with steel wool and rub a thin coat of cooking oil into the iron. A layer of sand inside protects the base from heat.

Can I use this cauldron for candle magic?

Yes, fill the cauldron with sand and press a chime candle into it; the iron catches drips and the lid snuffs the candle when the working is done. Many practitioners burn a petition in the cauldron first, then set the candle on top of the ash so the two parts of the spell share one vessel.

Is this cauldron safe for indoor use?

The cauldron is safe indoors on a heat-safe surface with a bed of sand and the burn kept small: a leaf, a folded paper, or one charcoal tablet at a time. Open a window, keep it away from curtains and pets, and use the lid rather than water to put out a burn.