For centuries the Holy Grail has remained one of the most enduring legends in Western Culture. To merely mention the words "Holy Grail" is to conjure in one's mind images of a chalice once used by Christ and then sought after by heroes of every succeeding age. But in spite of this popular conception of what the Grail is, both the original stories and their modern interpretations are inconsistent in their descriptions of this relic. What was the Holy Grail? What was the origin of this legend? What inspired many writers of the 12th Century AD to weave a similar tale all roughly around the same time? Many scholars have provided many different answers to these questions, and this book puts those answers to the test. If you have ever wondered about the origin of the Holy Grail legend, whether you are a medieval literary scholar or you have only heard of the legend in passing, this book will allow you to search through ancient myths, medieval stories and scholarly debates so that you may discover the true origin of the Holy Grail.