Calcutta Cup

• Type: Muggle Artefact (Sporting Trophy)
• Owners: The winning national Rugby team of England or Scotland.
• Maker: Crafted by Indian artisans in Calcutta (India).

The Calcutta Cup is an ornate trophy made of silver. It stands approximately 18 inches high and features a circular base upon which sits a domed lid. The cup is distinguished by three finely detailed, curved handles in the shape of king cobras. A sculpted elephant sits atop the lid. The surface of the cup is intricately engraved with Indian-inspired patterns. The trophy was famously crafted from melted-down silver Rupees that were the remaining funds of the Calcutta Football (Rugby) Club after it disbanded.

As a Muggle-made object, the Calcutta Cup possesses no inherent magical properties. It cannot fly, speak, or otherwise act of its own accord. Its sole function in the Muggle world is as a ceremonial prize awarded to the victor of an annual Rugby match. It is conceivable that a wizard could place Enchantments upon it, but there is no record of this ever occurring.

The cup was created in 1878 after the Calcutta Football (Rugby) Club, composed primarily of British expatriates, was disbanded. The club members decided to melt down the remaining 270 silver Rupees in their bank account to create a trophy to be presented to the Rugby Football Union in England. The intention was for the cup to be competed for annually as a challenge trophy. The first match for the cup was held in 1879 between England and Scotland, and it has remained the prize for this specific fixture ever since.

The Calcutta Cup is not mentioned within the original seven novels detailing the life of Harry Potter and the events of the Second Wizarding War. Its existence is confined to the Muggle world. However, an object of this nature might be a subject of interest for a wizard studying Muggle Studies or for a specialist in Muggle artefacts at the Ministry of Magic, such as Arthur Weasley. The concept of a non-magical sporting trophy serves as a point of comparison to wizarding awards like the Quidditch Cup or the Triwizard Cup.

The Calcutta Cup is a real-world trophy in the Muggle sport of Rugby Union; it is not a canonical object within the *Harry Potter* universe created by J.K. Rowling. Its inclusion in a wizarding encyclopedia serves to document notable Muggle artefacts that may be of peripheral interest to the wizarding community, particularly given the proximity of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to major centres of the sport in Scotland.