Celtic Symbols

Celtic ancient jewellery is composed of various symbols and designs like trinity knots, spiral, Celtic crosses, and knot work which had religiously significant meanings for the Celts. Celtic sterling silver jewellery and Celtic & Irish charms and earrings are quite popular all over the world. Cross pendants and trinity knot bracelets are also liked by a lot of people. Many kinds of stones and metals were used in this type of jewellery to decorate and create swirls and interlocking designs. Celtic crosses are worn as an identity of Irish and Scottish roots. These crosses are still available in sterling silver and often complemented with gemstones and diamonds.

Irish Claddagh jewellery and tattoos are also quite popular. The Claddagh symbol is around 300 years old. This type of jewellery is named after a village in Ireland called the Claddagh. The symbol consists of two hands supporting a heart with a crown. This is a unique concept which can be applied to a number of examples from everyday life. Some people say it represents the love between a mother and her child, while others claim that it symbolizes the eternal love between husband and wife. You can find Irish Claddagh rings in 18k gold decorated with a beautiful heart-shaped gemstone. This type of a ring can also be given as a lovely present to your loved one.

Three-legged emblem in Celtic ancient jewellery represents three aspects of life or three spheres; land, sea and sky. It is also known as the triskele or triskelion. This symbol has its roots in the ancient Sicilian culture and has been seen on various Greek coins. The three-legged spiral symbolized the trinity in many cultures after the pagan and medieval times ended. It is now seen on contemporary jewellery articles from various countries. Other popular symbols in Celtic art include the clockwise spiral, the anti-clockwise spiral, two spirals with clockwise rotation, a double spiral and some variations of these basic patterns.

While looking for ancient jewellery some people are also interested in finding lucky and astrological jewellery. One can find lovely pendants for each sign of the Zodiac in Celtic jewellery. These pendants are made of metal alloys and pewter. Celtic astrology is quite interesting. You will find symbols engraved on these pendants based on some ancient scripts. According to Celtic astrology, people who are born in the month of January are trustworthy and ambitious. Those born in October love to travel. December represents evil and bluntness. Similarly, all months represent some characteristics.

In Celtic ancient jewellery you can find beautiful rings, bracelets, brooches, necklaces and earrings. Bangles with engraved sign language can also be found in this category. If you like antique items, you will love this type of jewellery. Celtic necklaces are composed of shields and heart-shaped pendants made of sterling silver with beads and gemstones. Celtic engagement rings are quite popular in Ireland and Scotland. Many people also love to wear Celtic charms in bracelets and chains. In addition to these, one can find lovely coin jewellery and Celtic warrior jewellery in this category which is unique and simply exquisite.

There’s been a growing interest in tattoos lately,and Celtic tattoo designs are no exception. Celtic tattoos have become a favorite design choice. It is no secret why these are so popular. They are oftentimes done in blackened color with lots of shading and the symbols used are intricate and beautiful. It’s thought that Celtic tattoo designs trace their origins back to a clan that inhabited the British Isles called the Picts. Just about all historians think that the Picts tattooed themselves by puncturing their skin with red-hot tools to produce complex and permanent artwork on their body. Later on, they began to using a blue pigment derived from the leaves of a native plant.

The designs created by the Picts began to have a mysterious religious and symbolic significance. Celtic artwork and symbolism embodied a mix of Druid and Christian religions. The Celts didn’t have a printed language and alternatively communicated their customs and beliefs by word of mouth. Once the first Christian missionaries arrived to the British Isles they established written communication within the Celtic culture. At the same time the monks adopted many of the active Celtic beliefs, and symbols into the Christian religion. This was done in order to bridge the gap between the Druid beliefs and those of the Christians. A great deal of this work was saved by the Christian monks in the “Books Of Kells” which is today housed at Trinity College in Ireland. Therefore the early tattoo designs of the Picts evolved over time and blended with Christian beliefs to form what we know of as Celtic artwork today. The Celtic Cross and Shamrock are two such designs that have survived the test of time.

The Meaning Behind Celtic Symbols

The Celtic Knot

Most Celtic artwork starts with a common knot design. These are attractive knots of interlaced lines that cross over one another repeatedly to produce an exquisite design. These knots don’t have a start or an end they are simply a perpetual knot that goes on eternally. These interwoven lines are thought to symbolize the spiritual and the physical realms of life, which become entangled with each other.

Celtic Tree Of Life Tattoo

Among the favorite themes of Celtic tattoo designs is the Tree Of Life. This in all likelihood goes back as a symbol to the Druidic religion, which was a nature, based religion. Trees frequently symbolize life, growing from a seed into a tree much like a person grows from a child into an adult. Trees are often seen as a life giving plant and are venerated in many naturalistic faiths. There is also an association with Christianity in the Adam and Eve story in which Eve eats the fruit from a tree.

The Celtic Cross Tattoo

Among the most popular and most lasting Celtic designs is the Celtic Cross. The symbolism here is obviously Christian and comes from Jesus on the cross. These are beautiful crosses done with interlacing lines of Celtic knots.

Celtic Heart Tattoos

Another favorite Celtic design theme is a heart. Celtic heart tattoos are once again intertwined knot work in the shape of a heart. Generally done in black color only but can also be done in color. These are exquisite designs and make great tattoos. These are particularly popular among women.

More Symbols Include:

Anchor: Steadfastness
Bell: Weddings, Anniversaries.
Chain Links: Linking of Lives, # of children, Years together.
Cross: Faith, Marriage.
Diamond: Wealth, Good Fortune.
Dragon: Symbol of Wales, Protection.
Flowers: Affection or Courtship, Friendship.
Heart: Love.
Horseshoe: Good Luck and Happiness.
Key: Home
Knot: Everlasting, together forever.
Leaves: Love Grows.
Ship: Smooth passage through life.
Vine: Love Grows.
Wheel: Willingness to work for a loved one.
Double Spoons: The Couple Together Forever.
Triple Spoons: Family.

The history and evolution of Celtic tribal tattoo designs has been highly influenced by different cultures. When Ireland was conquered by Romans, the Christian priests in Rome converted the Celtic people to their religion. At this time, Celtic people did not have any written language, instead they used interlacing designs to express their love for nature and God. The Christian priests were greatly inspired by these designs and started using them in their Bible manuscripts.

If you have deep interest in the history and heritage of the Celtic people, then celtic tribal tattoo designs are the best way to convey your passion. In fact, not only celtic descendants are proud to ink these tattoos, but people from all over the world are getting them inked. The Celtic tribal tattoo designs with their interlacing knots and attractive depiction of natural objects are mainly concerned with representing some emotional feeling rather than realistic symbolization.

Celtic knots are more popular in Celtic tribal tattoo designs because of the artistic flare that can be shown. The knots have complete loops and they have no end or beginning. Celtic tribal tattoo designs with unending knots symbolize the permanence of life, love and faith. Spirals are another popular type of celtic tribal tattoo design, which includes double, triple or quadruple swirls and truly are awe-inspiring.

The main reason for the popularity of Celtic tribal tattoo designs is that it is not gender or race specific. In a way Celtic designs tend to treat humans as equal because the meaning of these tattoo designs is much deeper in meaning than gender or race. This is what I love about these tattoos, they have carry strong meaning – isn’t this what a tattoo is all about? Express who you are and what you believe, and why not make it look great!

Celtic tribal tattoo designs can be tattooed as armbands or on the lower back, ankles, shoulders, upper back and almost anywhere on the body. There are endless varieties of tribal Celtic tattoo designs available on the internet. It is possible to design your very own with the help of a professional at a surprisingly low cost.

Due to the intricate nature, the Celtic tribal tattoo designs are not easy to design. It is highly recommended for anyone considering Celtic tattoo designs to make sure the tattoo artist knows exactly what he is doing and has a passion for this particular style of tattoo. You need to look for several things before selecting an artist to design Celtic tribal tattoo designs. Be sure to see the artist’s portfolio of Celtic designs. It is important to ensure the quality of hisher art. Apart from this, it is essential to look for a professional atmosphere in the shop.

It is wise to view online galleries for a variety of Celtic tribal tattoo designs. This is possible by paying a small onetime fee. Meeting and discussing through the forums with the tattoo artists in various forums can help clear doubts before proceeding, therefore avoiding unpleasant experiences and ensuring you are the envy of all who get a glimpse of your new symbol.

Celtic cross tattoos are the most powerful symbols to convey the love for God. The Celtic cross has rich and colourful history. Ancient Celtic people did not have written language and they used symbols and patterns to express their emotions. When their regions were conquered by Romans, the Christian Priests in Rome preached Christianity among Celts. The priests were greatly inspired by the Celtic art and they begun using them in their Bible manuscripts. Nowadays, Celtic cross tattoos are admired by thousands of people for their elegant beauty.

Celtic cross tattoos stand for an emblem of ancient history. It reveals the endlessness of god’s love. There are plenty of Celtic cross designs available on the internet, you can select any simple design to be worn as an arm band or complicated design to adorn your upper or lower back.

By selecting a Celtic cross tattoos, you can express the mystery of life. The designs with intermingling knots signify the continuance of life. They are too complex to design yourself, you will need to seek a talented tattoo designer and tattoo artist to complete them properly.

Most of the people love to choose Celtic cross tattoo designs for their spiritual meaning. Yet there are some people, who wish to wear them simply for their awe-inspiring appearance. Celtic cross tattoos are normally designed in black colour. However, nowadays, various other shades are also available. You can select purple, blue or red colour to emphasize some parts of the tattoo. The cross designs are available in numerous models. They include Celtic cross with flowers, knots, Jesus and so on.

Aquarian cross is an inspiring Celtic cross tattoo design and it includes traditional knotworks. The symbol of Aquarius adorns the middle part and it certainly appears graceful with its intertwining knots. Celtic cross tattoos can be customized to your taste and preference and this feature increases its popularity.

Skibbereen cross is one of the popular designs of Celtic cross tattoos. It is an equal-armed cross with bold patterns. The exciting feature of this design is that it can be reproduced into various designs. The symmetric knot works in these Celtic cross tattoos are impressive, they look amazing on the upper arm.

The flexibility of Celtic cross tattoos is the most exciting feature. You can increase or decrease the size as per your wish. You can add backdrop colour to the cross design which can improve the entire appearance.

Celtic cross tattoo design is renowned for its simplicity and gracefulness. Unlike other tattoo designs, they have close links with religious connotations. Celtic cross tattoos are worn by many people as a symbol of ethnicity. Irish, Scottish and Walsh people love them to wear so that they can show their respect for culture and heritage. Some people link the four points in the cross with four seasons that have great influence in the lives of mankind.

Even if there is no definite reason, you can select the Celtic cross tattoo design for their fabulous appearance. You can look fashionable with them. Due to the intricate nature of the cross designs; you need a brilliant tattoo artist who can ink them perfectly.

How do you enunciate the word Celtic?  Is it pronounced “keltic” or “seltic?”  If you and your friends have been in an argument over how the word is pronounced you can stop.  You are both correct. But is one more correct than the other?

The controversy arises because of the several things.  The origin and manipulation of the word “Celtic” is not very clear, and depending on what language it derived from and time period, or even where you live, the pronunciation could be different.

The most popular theory is that it derived from the Greek word Keltoi, which means “people who hide.”  From this Greek term it is believed that the classical Latin term Celtus (keltus) was derived.  These terms referred to particular tribes of people speaking unique languages such as Cambric, Cornish, Manx, and more, who lived throughout Europe at the time.

The English words “Celt” and “Celtic” didn’t come into use until the early 1700’s, when scholars were describing early inhabitants of Great Britain.  It was an academic term used by scholars studying these early settlers.  As used then, “Celtic” appears to have come from the French word celtique (selltique).  That French word is thought to have come from the Latin word celticus.  Modern British Latin pronunciations were different than classical Latin so the “ce” in “celticus” would have been said like an “s” in the 1700’s.   In classical Latin it would have been a “k” sound.  The “ce” in French words is also pronounced like “s.”  If all of this is true than the 18th century enunciation of the words “Celt” and “Celtic” would have been “selt” and “seltic.”

It is usually proper to speak words the way your particular language enunciates them and not how they were spoken in another time period by another group of people.  Since the term “Celt” came from a French word pronounced with the “c” sounding like an “s”, and nearly all English “ce” words enunciate like an “s” (cement, cereal, cent), it would have been correct at the time that the word “Celt” was pronounced like “selt.” 

Celt pronounced as “selt” actually remained popular until the mid 20th century.  Because of this, old sports teams adopting “Celtic” as part of their name pronounced it as “seltic.”  That is why the Boston Celtics and the Glasgow Celtic football club pronounce it “seltic.”

In the 20th century the Germans of academia got into Celtic studies more and they pronounced the “c” as a “k”, because that is how it is enunciated in their language. It spread around the academic world that scholars were now pronouncing “Celt” like “kelt.”  How this trend really got started is unknown.  It may have been because of the old Greek word “Keltoi” or not.  It is interesting to note that the Welsh and Gaelic pronunciation is “kelt”, and always has been.  Perhaps that also played a part in the change.  Whatever the reasons, scholarly circles now consider “kelt” to be the correct pronunciation among the educated.  Of course this does run counter to English grammar rules for words starting in “ce.”

The argument still goes back and forth as to the completely correct pronunciation of “Celtic”, but you can be sure that there is a valid argument on both sides and neither may be more correct than the other, in case you are ever again in a disagreement with friends or family on the subject.

English and French sound very dissimilar when you hear them spoken, but these two languages actually share quite a few commonalities, especially when written. Understanding the history of the two languages will help you understand the similarities and differences that they enjoy.

History of Modern French

Both French and English started in European countries. French is a “Romance” language, which means its origins lie in the ancient Roman Empire. Latin was the language of the Roman Empire, but since the Empire had such a vast reach, many areas developed their own dialects of the language, often mixed with the languages of the native people. When the area that is today known as France was invaded by Germanic tribes in the 400s, the language took on a decidedly Germanic flavor. The native tongue of the new governing body was mixed with the Latin the people were speaking to create a new dialect, decidedly Latin, but with Germanic pronunciations.

As the Germanic tribes maintained control of the area, the language digressed further from Latin and became its own distinct tongue. This required the language to be codified, or written, so that political and legal process could take place much easier. The language was named “French” for the Frankish people that lived in the area where it was predominantly spoken. French became the official language of the new country in 1539 by the Edict of Villers Cotterets. The grammar of the language has remained relatively the same since the early 1600s, which is when the language was standardized by the French Academy. Today it is the official language of 22 countries, and the co-official language of many others, including Canada, Switzerland, Madagascar, and Belgium.

History of Modern English

English is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. A truly global language, it is the language of finance, technology, and diplomacy. This is surprising in light of the fact that the language originated on the tiny island of Great Britain.

The English language is not a Romantic language like French. Because the island was isolated from the Roman Empire, it was not influenced as heavily by Latin as the inland languages were. However, French and English share one main commonality, and that is the influence of invading Germanic tribes.

While different tribes invaded England than invaded France, they spoke similar languages. Prior to the Germanic invasion, the people of Great Britain spoke a Celtic language. However, the Germanic people spoke a language that eventually developed into Old English. This was the language spoken on the island until 1100.

In 1066, France and England’s histories overlapped, when the William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy, conquered the island and brought French to the land. While the people did not speak France, the government did, and the language began to influence the language of the common people, eventually developing into Middle English, a combination of French and Old English. This gradually developed into Modern English, the language that is spoken today, and the invention of the printing press made it possible to unify and standardize the language.

Words Common to French and English

The overlapping influence of the Germanic tribes and the French influence on English history cause there to be several words that the two languages share. The pronunciation may be different, but these common words include:

-Anniversary
-Art
-Armoire
-Attaché
-Ballet
-Belle
-Bric-a-brac
-Brunette
-Bureau
-Café
-Chaise lounge
-Chic
-Cliché
-Clique
-Commandant
-Concierge
-Cul-de-sac
-Décor
-Entrée
-Entrepreneur
-Extraordinaire
-Façade
-Faux
-Fiancé
-Forte
-Hors d’oeuvre
-Impasse
-Layette
-Laissez-faire
-Liaison
-Lieu
-Material
-Melee
-Montage
-Motif
-Mousse
-National
-Passé
-Petite
-Rapport
-Reconnaissance
-Restaurateur
-Sabotage
-Saboteur
-Sans
-Touché

The popularity of Iceland’s tourism sector is growing day by day and this ever increasing popularity is encouraging more and more people to turn towards this small country in northern Europe to spend their summer and winter holidays. If you are planning to go in summer, which is the best time to visit there, you must take care of necessary reservations of flights and accommodations in hotels. Also do not forget to book the tickets of cultural and art shows that take place there in summer season only. Through these shows one can get the closer view of Iceland and its language.

The most used language of Iceland is “the Icelandic” and it is one of the very famous Nordic languages group. This group is the sub-group of the Germanic languages. Normally, Germanic language is divided into two groups i.e. North Germanic or Nordic languages and West Germanic. Iceland was first inhabited in around 870 A.D and most of the first visitors were from Norway [west Norway], Sweden and Ireland. Some Celtics were also in the earliest arrivals to Iceland. The language that became the most popular in Iceland was that of the people of Norway. Some traces of Celtic language are also visible in Icelandic language. The only words borrowed from Celtic language are some personal names and some names of places. Till 14th century Icelandic and Norwegian language was almost same. It was after 14th century that they became totally different from each other. This change occurred due to significant changes in the language of Norway. Icelandic language didn’t change and this was due to rich Icelandic literature that was written in read in the same language in 12th and 13th centuries. Now it is said that not even a single word has changed in Icelandic language that’s why the texts written in twelfth century can be read by a ten year boy even now. Another quality of Icelandic language is its uniformity i.e. the absence of dialects. But, Icelandic language has seen a huge change in its phonetics.

Because of its closeness to North America Icelandic is quite popular there. There are many in North America that speaks Icelandic language. These communities came into existence because there was huge immigration of people between Iceland, Canada and America right from the final 25 years of nineteenth century and the initial years of twentieth century. The first immigration is said to have started as early as 1855 but it started on huge amount only after 1870. It is said that first small colony of Icelanders was set around Lake Michigan in Washington in 1870. In 1875, Icelanders reached Canada and formed their first colony there on the west shore of Lake Winnipeg “also called new Iceland”. Many of same colonies were formed in Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Till now also hundreds and thousands of people there can still read, write and speak Icelandic language.

Since nineteenth century, language purism has been the national policy of the government of Iceland. According to this policy, they have decided that instead of using foreign words for new things they will coin the new words [neologism] or will revive the old words and use them after giving then new meanings. The Icelandic committee for language is responsible to guide government and public in general regarding the matters of language based on scholarly basis.

On the 21 November 2006, it was agreed by the EU that Irish would become the 21st official language of the EU. Irish is really an ancient Celtic language called Gaelic. Gaelic is also the official language of Scotland, thus far part of the UK. The two Gaelic languages are somewhat different, quite different in fact. The different languages.within our world are part of what makes it colourful and interesting and the debate about how many different languages that we, the people of this planet should use, will go on as long as the world exists.

About 30% of the Irish speak Gaelic, we are told; this is in the Southern independent part of Ireland, which gained its freedom from the UK in the early 19th Century, leaving only Northern Ireland as part of the UK.

Southern Ireland is part of the EU and has the Euro as its currency, Northern Ireland is part of the UK and as such also belongs to the EU, the UK (which includes Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) does not use the Euro, so it is not the currency for those countries either.

Confused enough yet? The Welsh and the Scottish also have their own Parliaments (Assemblies) and can make certain laws of their own, so for someone going to work in the British Isles, this mix of currency, laws and language create a nice labyrinth to work out!

No doubt all this multi-partisan status exists all over the World in different countries, with differing interests, loyalties and histories. In that sense it seems that Globalisation is a force for the good as it unites the people of this tiny planet and helps them to acknowledge that we are all in this together and maybe it’s time to time to preserve the past, but not try live in it.

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