According to tradition, the quest for the grail used by Jesus at the Last Supper spans vast Mediterranean lands, from Palestine to the Atlantic, and intertwines with similar traditions in other cultures, such as the Ark of the Covenant of the Israelites.
The Holy Grail is a vessel capable of transmitting divine qualities to all it holds. Its earliest origins may be traced back to cave paintings representing the vulva, a symbol of fertility and the mystery of life, which later transformed into an inverted triangle and, eventually, into a goblet or chalice.
In Central Europe, the search for this sacred object inspired the tales of the Knights of the Round Table, whose adventures slaying dragons and rescuing damsels in distress captivated the European imagination throughout the Middle Ages. In Andalusia, the search for the Holy Grail is particularly focused in Jaén and its surrounding areas.
The journey begins in the quarter of La Magdalena in Jaen, where, according to legend, a fearsome dragon terrorised the locals. It was slain by a man condemned to death who bargained his freedom in exchange for ridding the town of this menace. Juan Eslava attributes to the dragon the role of guardian at the entrance to a cave on the hill of Santa Catalina, which housed a table of gold and precious stones, known as the Table of Solomon, another treasure linked with the Holy Grail in mythical tradition. There is a monument to the legendary dragon in a fountain in this quarter, and what is said to be its skin is on display at the Church of San Ildefonso. According to tradition, the monster appeared through the archway of La Magdalena.
Jaen, whose name derives from the Arabic Xauen meaning "sanctuary," is steeped in magical traditions. In the La Magdalena quarter, many houses feature the Knot of Solomon, a triangle formed by the union of three circles. This secret emblem was used by followers of the wise author of the Song of Songs to recognise each other.
This ode to love, as a generating and fertilising principle, is the source of an ancient tradition that has been persecuted by the hierarchies of established religions. It appears in various forms, one of which is the Galactrofusai, the Virgins of the Milk, who, while suckling their child, transmit the divine essence. Our Lady of Soterraño belongs to this tradition, with the image of the Virgin now called La Antigua, venerated in the main chapel of Jaen Cathedral.
Jaen is rich with legends of hidden treasures, such as the Table of Solomon, the Holy Grail, and gold and precious stones. One such legend speaks of a treasure hidden in a house where the niche of Jesus of the Three Eggs is found. In the surrounding districts, in the hamlets of Mariblanca and Pilatos and on Pitas Hill, hens are said to peck at the spot where the treasure is buried, leading to the name "Golden Eggs."
Heading south from Jaen, we reach the Sierra de Otíñar, a centre of archaeological finds. On Veleta Hill, there is an ancient dolmen, and to the south, in La Tinaja gully, lies the Cave of Los Soles, with prehistoric engravings representing Venus, the goddess of fertility, surrounded by suns. Returning to Jaen and heading north on the local Cuevas road, we reach Perulera Hill.
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