The Gundestrup Cauldron with its Danubian origin and enigmatic iconography will prove a crucial exhibit for the case argued by those aligning Celtic with Buddhist contacts in earlier times. This remains a controversial topic, relegated to the fringe. Relying less on elusive data than abundant speculation, this debate over Eastern origins for Western artifacts began after Sir William Jones' 1786 discovery of Sanskrit roots for Celtic tongues. Pursuing such patterns, historians and folklorists clashed over the veracity of ambitious claims made by subsequent investigators. Amateurs and professionals both entered a toponomic terrain loaded with traps for such hunters. (Ex