What is the Holy Grail? A chalice? A philosophers' stone? The
             bloodline of Christ? In Arthurian romances the quest for the ever-elusive
             Holy Grail and the secrets therein was the highest spiritual pursuit one
             could embark on. In today's times it is a mental, rather than a physical,
             journey, and while not fraught with the danger it once was, it is still, for all
             practical purposes, an exciting and adventurous journey. To discover the
             truth of the identity of the Holy Grail, one must first look to see what it
             originally was, and how it evolved to become what is commonly known
             as the Holy Grail today. There are many ways of doing this. For example,
             one can look at it through the romances concerned mainly with the quest
             for the Grail and the heroes in it, or through the romances whose chief
             concern was the history and lore surrounding the Grail itself. Both
             examples will be addressed. The best way to start any adventure is from
             the beginning; thus, this is where the paper shall start, and then continue
             to move chronologically through time and the development of the Grail
             Perceval ou Conte del Graal (Perceval, or the Story of the Grail),
             written by Chretien de Troyes around the year 1180, is regarded by many
             as the oldest of the Grail romances. The first glimpse of the grail is at a
             castle inhabited by a "maimed King", and also known as the "Fisher King".
             He is a man in perpetual torment, who sustained a mysterious wound in
             the thigh caused by the thrust of a javelin. The King's unhealing wound
             subsequently causes the country around the castle to become barren
             and becomes known as the Wasteland. When Perceval is admitted to the
             hall, he sees a procession of youths carrying mysterious objects passing
             "...a squire came forth from a chamber carrying a white lance by the middle of the shaft; he passed between the fire and those seated upon the bed. Everyone in the hall ...