Celtic Symbols

There is an undeniable aura that surrounds Celtic designs and Druid traditions. Although I have strong family ties to both Ireland and Scotland, you don’t need a Celtic heritage to be enticed by the culture. It’s been said that as long as you respect Mother Earth and feel an affinity with the Celtic people you too have a Celtic soul.

The meanings behind all of the spirals, knots, labyrinths, and crosses have intrigued many people for many centuries. Since you will find all of these symbols in this book, a brief explanation of some of the more popular interpretations are listed on below:

Celtic Knots:

Quite possibly the most recognized of all the Celtic symbols is the knot. The elaborately interwoven design with no end and no beginning is thought to be an expression of the Celts’ belief in eternity. The Druids and the ancient Celts believed in a life without end, with death only being a transition into a new phase. While all knot patterns contain this element of life-everlasting, certain designs are believed to carry more specific meanings.

For example, the triquestra or trefoil knot points to the importance the Druid’s placed on the number 3, the number of fate. This design was such a hallmark of the Celtic people that Irish Christians found a way to bring it into their new faith by adopting the symbol as a representation of the Blessed Trinity.

Spirals:

There seems to be a lot of debate as to the true meaning of spirals in Celtic art. The direction of the spiral and the number of rotations appears to affect the meaning behind the image, therefore we will discuss some specific configurations.

Triple Spiral- is also known as the triple Goddess or triskele, symbolizing the maiden/mother/crone phases of life or the three phases of the Moon.

Double Spiral- signifies balance. Also believed to portray the equinox, a time when day and night are equal in length.

Clockwise Spiral- While the Druids tended to favor the Moon in their symbolism, this design is actually a representation of the Sun. A loosely wound spiral would embody an expansive summer sun while a tightly wound spiral expressed the shortened days and long nights of winter.

Labyrinth or Step Patterns:

Symbolic of the journey we take in life, the labyrinth was often used during prayer or meditation. Focusing on the design reminds us that life is full of options, and open doors, as well as obstacles to overcome.

Circles:

Finally, we come to the simple circle, the building block for mandalas as well as Celtic imagery. Much like Gods’ love, the circle is never ending. It is a universal symbol of the cycle of life; birth-death-rebirth. The intertwining of circles is the basis for many Celtic knots with the number of circles often symbolizing something more.

Note that by combining 3 circles the aforementioned triquestra knot is formed in the center. On the other hand, five circles linked together form the circle of being; a Druid illustration of the four earthly elements being forever united by a fifth element, balance.

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.

Celtic cross tattoos are the most powerful way of expressing your faith in God’s love. The cross is regarded mainly as a symbolization of Christianity nowadays. The Pagan followers consider it as the symbol of sun demonstrating its life-giving qualities. The designs of Celtic cross tattoos have gained the attention of thousands of people from all over the world and they are the most popular tattoo designs now. People of Celtic ancestry wear the cross tattoos to show their respect to their ancient culture.

Celtic cross tattoos with knotwork are a more complicated design since they symbolize the complexity of nature. The knots in the spirals and mazes show the reflective nature of the four seasons, the circle around the cross depicts the ancient religious meaning.

The Celtic cross is represented well in the Book of Kells. In fact, many religious cultures have The Celtic cross as the system of symbols. Hence, there is no wonder why many people have a high regard for Celtic cross tattoos.

Celtic cross tattoos have a deep connection to pre-Christian religion. When the ancient Celtic people converted into Christianity, naturally the Celtic cross became a symbol of Celtic Christianity. Ireland offers so many variations of the Celtic cross. Celtic cross tattoos are awesome in appearance, there is no denying this, and the legend of Celtic history now continues to grow in the form of Celtic cross tattoos.

Celtic cross tattoos are indeed found in ancient Bible manuscripts. Many elaborate Celtic designs are inspired by the fabulous drawings found in those books. These Celtic cross tattoos are not only beautiful but when used as tattoos – they are also flexible. You can use them to be tattooed as small armbands or you can ink them in the entire back area. The designs can be either simple or complicated. Whatever the design, they express the importance of emotions rather than a physical object which shows the powerful meaning of life.

Many Celtic cross tattoos feature the beautiful artwork of ancient Celtic knot work. These represent ethnic heritage and faith. The four points in the cross represent the four parts of man or the four elements that include earth, wind, fire and water or the four points in the compass. Celtic cross tattoos with circle symbolize the love of God or the majesty of the Sun God according to Pagan beliefs.

Though different people may have different meaning for the symbol, Celtic cross tattoos are something that can evoke the spiritual emotions of people. Again, the flexible style and decorative nature of the designs gain great popularity among tattoo lovers. Importantly, the size of the cross can be reproduced easily to ink them anywhere on the body.

It is important to know the meaning of the Celtic cross tattoos before wearing it. A common person may not understand the meaning of these symbols. However, I must admit there is a growing awareness of Celtic culture nowadays; it is almost a popular trend to be versed in Celtic culture. You need to take the appropriate care to avoid misrepresenting the design. Be sure to check out online galleries – there is a plethora of quality designs available only if you know where to look. Choose the right design, think hard about the placement, ignore the critics and you will have no regrets.