Avalon (probably from the Celtic word abal: apple; see Etymology below) is a legendary island somewhere in the British Isles, famous for its beautiful apples. The concept of such an 'Isle of the Blessed' has parallels in other Indo-European mythology, in particular Tír na nÓg and the Greek Hesperides, the latter also noted for its apples.
Although primarily known in connection with King Arthur, Avalon is sometimes referred to as the legendary location where Jesus visited the British Isles with Joseph of Arimathea and that it was later the site of the first church in Britain. This location of the Isle of Avalon is usually associated with present day Glastonbury. The first extant reference to Avalon is in Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain as the place where Caliburn, later Excalibur was forged, and as the place where Arthur was taken to heal his wounds. In the subsequent Vita Merlini this place is referenced as 'the island of apples'.[1] Avalon also plays a role in non-Arthurian French literature, such as in the story of Melusine.
It is also said to be the place where the body of King Arthur is buried. He was supposedly brought there via boat by his half sister, Morgana le Fay. According to some legends Arthur merely sleeps there, to awaken at some future time.
As early at least as the beginning of the 11th century the tradition that Arthur was buried at Glastonbury Tor appears to have taken shape. Before the surrounding fenland in the Somerset Levels was drained, Glastonbury Tor's high round bulk rose out of the water-meadows like an island. In the reign of Henry II, according to the chronicler Gerald of Wales and others, the abbot Henry de Blois commissioned a search, apparently discovering at the depth of 5 m (16 feet) a massive oak trunk or coffin with an inscription Hic jacet sepultus inclitus rex Arthurus in insula Avalonia. ('Here lies King Arthur in the island of Avalon'). The remains were reburied with great ceremony, attended by King Edward I and his queen, before the High Altar at Glastonbury Abbey, where they were the focus of pilgrimages until the Reformation.
A nearby valley is named the Vale of Avalon.
However, the Glastonbury legend has frequently been perceived as a fraud due, among other things, to the perceived anachronistic inscription which would have been more fitting to the 10th century than the 6th, the lack of any mention of said discovery in the 10th century, which would not have gone unheard of, added to possible ulterior motives from the abbey. Other theories point to l'Île d'Aval or Daval, on the coast of Brittany, and Burgh by Sands, in Cumberland, which was in Roman times the fort of Aballava on Hadrian's Wall, and near Camboglanna, upwards on the Eden, now Castlesteads. Coincidentally, the last battle site of Arthur's campaigns is said to have been named Camlann.
Others have claimed the most likely location to be St Michael's Mount in Cornwall, which is near to other locations associated with the Arthurian legends. St Michael's Mount is an island which can be reached by a causeway at low tide. The matter is confused somewhat by similar legends and place names in Britanny.
Etymology
According to one theory the word is an anglicisation of the Brythonic 'Annwyn', the realm of fairies, or netherworld, but this would be a major corruption. Geoffrey of Monmouth interpreted the name as the 'isle of apples'. This is more probable, since 'apple' is still aval in Breton and Cornish, and afal in Welsh, in which the letter f is pronounced [v].
Adaptations
Avalon is typically featured in the countless adaptations of Arthurian legend. Some of the popular fantasy novelist Marion Zimmer Bradley's books place special emphasis on Avalon:
- The Mists of Avalon
- Ancestors of Avalon
- The Forest House
- Lady of Avalon
- Priestess of Avalon
- T.A. Barron's series The Great Tree of Avalon features a fanciful Avalon, a massive tree, inadvertently created by Merlin.
- Tomb Raider Legend's storyline revolves around the legend of King Arthur, and the game's ending refers to Avalon.
- The Red Hot Chili Peppers have a song called 'Rivers of Avalon'.
- Led Zeppelin's song 'The Battle of Evermore' references 'the Angels of Avalon'.
- M People's song 'Avalon' from their 1997 hit release Fresco.
- Avalon The 3D Adventure Movie was the name of a computer game for the ZX Spectrum released by Hewson Consultants in 1984.
- Roxy Music's song 'Avalon' from their title album.
- The Christian alternative rock band named Avalon.
- Stephen R. Lawhead's series of books pertaining to Arthurian legend, Taliessen, Merlin, Arthur, and Avalon.
