The Alans and the Grail

Given the affinity of the descendants of the Alans for telling stories about cups, the importance of cups in the Alanic religion, and the extent of Alanic influence in the church of Gaul, the chances are good that Robert de Boron may have had an Alanic source for his Grail material as well. ¹ In his Merlin Robert credits a character named Alain with the transportation of the Grail from Rome to Britain. ² This odd story makes eminent sense in light of the history of the Alans who settled in southern Gaul. Chretien seems to have parts of the traditions of both Brittany and southern Gaul available to him. He presents a character called Amagnon, a name that closely resembles that of the Nartamongse of the Nart sagas (see chap. 8), and his description of the branched candlesticks that accompany a graal, or "deep dish," ³ is suggestive of the treasure from the Temple of Solomon, which was said to include "the lampstand and the lamps, the table, the libation cups and censers, all of solid gold." ⁴