Oldest Symbol of the Sun Ever Found in Ancient Celtic Art
For centuries, Celtic symbols and signs held incredible power for the ancient Celts in every way of life.
The word "Celtic" refers to people who lived in Uk and Western Europe from 500 BC and 400 AD. Celts were of the Iron Age and lived in pocket-sized villages led by warrior chiefs.
Ireland has been home to diverse civilisations for thousands of years with its rich history and culture.
Some of these Celtic symbols take even become symbols of Ireland itself.
It'due south no surprise that Celtic symbols and their meanings are an integral role of Irish history and culture.
But did you know that these symbols have more than profound and surprising meanings?
Celtic Symbols That You Will Detect In This Article:
Click to jump to any one of them:
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- The Awen – represents the harmony of opposites in the universe.
- St Brigid's Cross – Brigid's Cross is tied to Brigid of the Tuatha de Danaan, which, in Irish Celtic Mythology, is known as a life-giving goddess.
- The Celtic Cross – Co-ordinate to one theory, the Celtic Cantankerous represents the 4 cardinal directions.
- The Green Human being represents the lushness of vegetation and the arrival of spring and summer.
- Irish gaelic Harp – The national emblem of Ireland
- The Dara Knot – The nameDara comes from the word "doire," which is the Irish word for "oak tree."
- The Shamrock – The national blossom of Ireland.
- The Celtic Tree Of Life – Symbolises the Druid belief in the connection between heaven and earth.
- The Trinity Knot – symbolises eternal spiritual life, one with no beginning and no end.
- The Triskele – represents three stages of life: life, decease, and rebirth.
- The Claddagh Band – represents love, loyalty, and friendship.
- The Shillelagh – The Irish fighting stick
- Quaternary Celtic Knot
- The Celtic Bull
- The Ailm Celtic Symbol
- Serch Bythol – The Celtic symbol for eternal love
- Beltane – Celts symbol for the beginning of summertime
- Celtic 5 Fold Symbol – The holy Celtic symbol.
- The Eternity Knot or Eternal Knot
- St Brigid's Cross – 1 Feb – Celtic Symbol
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1. The Awen or the Three Rays of Low-cal – Celtic Symbols
This neo-Druid symbol, a popular pattern for tattoos, jewellery and artwork, is said to have been invented past Iolo Morgannwg, an 18th-century Welsh poet.
Nevertheless, studies suggest that the symbol might be older than initially thought.
The word "Awen" means inspiration or essence in the Celtic linguistic communication, and it kickoff appeared in the ninth-century book "Historia Brittonum."
The Awen was said to represent the harmony of opposites in the universe.
For instance, the 2 outer rays represent masculine and feminine energy, while the ray in the eye represents the residuum betwixt them.
There are multiple meanings for the Awen Celtic symbol.
One interpretation is primary exterior lines are symbolic of both men and women while the within line represents residual.
You lot can learn more about the Awen here.
2. St Brigid's Cantankerous – Celtic Symbols
St Brigid'southward Cross
Widely believed to be a Christian symbol, Brigid'south Cross is tied to Brigid of the Tuatha de Danaan, which, in Irish Celtic Mythology, is known every bit a life-giving goddess.
It is woven out of rushes and sometimes harbinger on the feast of Imbolc to marking the beginning of spring.
When Christianity came to Ireland, the goddess Brigid became St Brigid of Kildare. Many of the goddess's attributes, including the symbol and her association with the destructive power and productive employ of burn, were transferred to the latter.
Read more: How to brand your own St Brigid's Cross hither.
Hang this traditional St. Brigid'due south Irish Cross on your wall for protection. St. Brigid, alongside St. Patrick, is one of Ireland's patron saints.
3. The Celtic Cross – Celtic Symbols
Like with the Brigid's Cantankerous, many people have associated the Celtic Cantankerous with Christianity. However, studies suggest this symbol predates Christianity for thousands of years.
The symbol has appeared in many ancient cultures. According to ane theory, the Celtic Cantankerous represents the four key directions.
Another theory says that it represents the 4 elements of earth, burn, air, and water.
The Cantankerous is rich in powerful representation and an ideal reflection of the Celts' hopes and ambitions.
While the Cross is indeed a Christian symbol, it has its roots in ancient pagan behavior at the same time.
Information technology is remarkable how widespread the distinct shape of the Irish gaelic Cantankerous is in the modern era.
You can learn more than about the Celtic Cantankerous here.
4. The Green Man – Celtic Symbols
In many cultures, the Green Human is represented every bit the head of man-made foliage.
Seen in many buildings and structures in Ireland and Britain, the Dark-green Man symbolises rebirth and the co-dependence between nature and man.
He represents the lushness of vegetation and the inflow of spring and summertime.
The Dark-green Homo'south tradition is carved onto Christian churches across Europe, including examples such as the 7 Green Men of Nicosia in Cyprus, a series of seven green men carved in the thirteenth century onto the facade of St Nicholas Church building in Nicosia.
You can larn more about the Green Human being here.
5. The Irish gaelic Harp
The national keepsake of Ireland, the Irish gaelic Harp, is one of today'southward well-nigh widely recognised Irish gaelic symbols autonomously from the Shamrock.
Information technology is on the Irish gaelic Euro coins and is the Guinness logo, which many consider the country'south national potable.
Information technology is believed that the Phoenicians brought the harp to pre-Christian Europe from Egypt as i of their trading goods.
Since the 10th century, information technology has been an essential symbol for the Irish people, personifying its spirit.
The harp so threatened the British Crown that in the 16th century, the British ordered all harps to exist burnt and all harpists executed.
You can larn more about the Irish harp here.
six. The Celtic Symbol For Strength – The Dara Knot
We are halfway through this cracking list. I idea this would be an splendid identify to talk about the Celtic symbol for strength.
The most notable of these is the Dara Knot. The name Dara comes from "doire," which is the Irish give-and-take for "oak tree."
- Trees continued the earth of the spirits and the ancestors, living entities, and doorways into other worlds.
The most sacred tree of allwas the Oaktree.
A basic Dara Knot – The Celtic Symbol for Forcefulness
The intertwined lines have no beginning or stop. This is known as the Celtic symbol for force because of the illustration that we all have our roots, and this symbol rises from the sources and has no end.
Oaktree symbolises power and force, and so the Dara knot is the all-time Celtic symbol for strength.
7. The Shamrock – Celtic Symbols
If there'south 1 symbol widely associated with the Irish, information technology'southward got to be the Shamrock.
At present the national bloom of Republic of ireland.
The Shamrock is a pocket-sized clover and was an important symbol to the aboriginal Irish druids considering its three eye-shaped leaves correspond the triad.
The Celts believed that everything necessary in the globe comes in threes.
Similar the three ages of man, the moon phases, and the three dominions of earth, sky, and sea.
In the 19th century, the Shamrock became a symbol of Irish nationalism and rebellion against the British Crown, and anyone caught wearing it was executed.
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You can acquire more than about the Shamrock here.
eight. The Celtic Tree of Life or Crann Bethadh – Celtic Symbols
They are often represented past a tree with branches reaching to the sky and the roots spreading into the earth.
The Celtic Tree of Life symbolises the Druid belief in the connection betwixt sky and globe.
The Celts believe that copse were the ancestors of man and connected to other worlds.
Here are some interesting facts about the Celtic Tree of life:
- Copse continued the world of the spirits and the ancestors, living entities, and doorways into other worlds.
- The almost sacred tree was the Oaktree, representing the Axis Mundi, the world'south centre.
- The Celtic name for oak, Daur, is the origin of the give-and-take door– the root of the oak tree was the doorway to the Otherworld, the realm of Fairy.
- Countless Irish legends revolve around trees. Ane could autumn asleep side by side to a particular tree and awake in the fairy realm.
- This is why the tree of life symbol itself relates qualities to it, such as wisdom, force & longevity.
- The Celts believed their enemies would be rendered powerless if their sacred tree was cutting down.
- The Celts derived the meaning of rebirth from the seasonal changes they would see each tree go through(Summer to Winter so on).
You can learn more virtually the Celtic Tree Of Life hither.
9. The Triquetra or the Trinity Knot – Celtic Symbols
Like all Celtic knots, the Triquetra is made with ane continuous line that interweaves around itself.
Celtic knot significant:
It symbolises eternal spiritual life, i with no outset and no end.
Christians experience that it started with the Monks, who brought these designs and their teachings of Christianity when attempting to convert the Celts of the day.
However, the Triquetra has been speculated to be the oldest symbol of spirituality.
In the ninth century, the Book of Kells appears equally a ornament with no particular religious significance. The symbol has been found in Norwegian churches dating to the xith century.
This symbol matches the Celtic conventionalities that everything important in the world comes in threes.
You might recognise it from Thor's hammer in the modern-day picture show.
You can acquire more than almost the Triquetra here.
x. The Triskele – Celtic Symbols
Another Irish gaelic symbol representing the triad'southward Celtic belief is the Triskele or the triskelion.
The Triskele is one of the oldest Irish symbols, and you can notice many of them on the kerbstones of Newgrange.
According to researchers, these carvings were made during Neolithic times or effectually 3200 BC.
You can see evidence of this effectually the world, equally you can come across from the image below from Athens, Greece:
Beaked jug (ewer) decorated with triple spirals. Tardily Helladic III, 1400-1350 BC
The spirals could have changed over the centuries, simply the base meanings include:
- Three stages of life: life, expiry, and rebirth
- Three elements: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit
- Three domains: earth, body of water and sky, past, present and future.
Yous tin can learn more than most the Triskele in my latest post hither.
11. The Claddagh Ring – Celtic Symbols
TheCladdagh band (Irish gaelic: fáinne Chladaigh) is a traditionalIrish gaelic ring representing love, loyalty, and friendship (the hands stand for friendship, the heart represents love, and the Crown represents loyalty).
Claddagh Rings are widely known in Ireland every bit the symbol of union and loyalty.
Claddagh comes from the Irish phrase, "An Cladch", which ways "apartment stony shore."
It was the proper noun of the village on the declension of Ireland where the Claddagh design originated. The 'GH' ending is added for phonetic English speakers to create the guttural, phlegmy sound that doesn't accept a graphic symbol in our language.
It is believed that Richard Joyce, a fisherman from the village of Claddagh near Galway, made the ring for her lady love.
The woman eventually became his wife.
For years after, pirates kidnapped Joyce, Waited for him, sold him into slavery, and after regained his liberty.
Y'all might non know a few ways to vesture the Claddagh ring.
Below are the different means the ring can exist worn.
The Claddagh Ring Rules
- The right mitt with the heart's point toward the fingertips: the wearer is single and may exist looking for love.
- On the right paw, the wearer is in a relationship with the heart'southward point toward the wrist.
- The wearer is engaged on the left hand, with the eye's betoken toward the fingertips.
- The left hand with the signal of the heart toward the wrist: the wearer is married.
The women's Claddagh ring is a beautiful part of the long tradition of Claddagh rings.
The Claddagh band's tradition started in Galway, a western urban center facing the Atlantic Ocean. It was often used as a wedding ring, and the way one wears the ring- facing the eye towards the torso or away from it designates whether their "heart is taken."
According to the Claddagh band's story, information technology is better to give the Claddagh as a gift than buy one for oneself, and so this Claddagh ring makes for a perfect gift!
This particular Claddagh ring is fabricated out of sterling silver, while the center in the centre is made out of solid 10K aureate. The ring measures ⅜" broad and comes in a variety of sizes.
This Claddagh ring was designed and crafted by Solvar in Co. Dublin, a company that prepares Irish jewellery from fine metals for the modernistic era. Buy this elegant Claddagh ring for a loved one today!
Some celebrities have worn the Claddagh ring over the years. Including Julia Roberts, Walt Disney and Jennifer Aniston. Read the post on the celebrities wearing the Claddagh ring here.
You lot tin larn more about the Claddagh ring here.
12. The Shillelagh – The Irish fighting stick
Shillelagh (pronounced " shi – ley -li ) is the name for a traditional Irish gaelic stick or stick of blackthorn forest, who, having a thickening at the upper end.
She is known by many names, including bata in Gaelic – which means fighting stick.
The original cane gets its name from the Shillelagh Forest in County Wicklow. The woods was one time famous for its massive stands of fine oaks.
Unfortunately, many of those smashing oaks were cutting downwardly and exported to various parts of Europe.
The Shillelagh was initially used for settling disputes in a gentlemanly fashion — similar a duel with pistols or swords.
What does a Shillelagh expect similar?
Shillelaghs comes in different forms, such as walking or walking stick with a length of upwards to 100 cm, as a pure weapon with a hateful and a concise length.
Irishmen carried the stick just well-nigh everywhere they went. Diverse groups or factions were always present at most social gatherings, and faction fighting was widespread until the famines of the 1840s.
The blackthorn wood was quickly available in large quantities; high hardness and stiffness species grew on each roadside.
In the 19thcentury, it belonged in his form as a walking stick naturally to an Irish gaelic gentleman's appearance; until mod times, disputes were often discharged with the Shillelagh.
How was the Shillelagh made?
Traditionally, the blackthorn sticks, whose thorn batches were left on the stick, were smeared with whiskey butter and smoked over a fire in a fireplace.
This gave them their dark, sleeky surface, along with a very distinct odour.
Sometimes, the knob on the end was hollowed out and filled with molten lead.
This was known as a "loaded stick."
But with sticks made of blackthorn, the knob was the root, and it would not take been necessary to "load" it considering it could pack a pregnant whack!
If you have an old bata or walking stick made of oak, ash, holly or blackthorn, you indeed accept a real shillelagh.
The Shillelagh came to be regarded as a stereotypical symbol of Irishness in pop culture, especially in an Irish gaelic-American context.
Other spelling variants includeshillelah,shillalah, andshillaly.
Did yous ever have a Shillelagh? Annotate below.
xiii. Quaternary Celtic Knot
Meaning: Quaternary simply ways "iv" – in this example – four-cornered.
Celtic Quaternary knot simply means four-sided or four.
Ah, I just finished this lovely web log post nearly the many unlike types of Celtic knots.
Interestingly, the quaternary knot mixes the sailor knot, the Dara knot, and a shield knot.
The main affair to keep in listen with the Quaternary Celtic knot is four-sided.
The belief for what this ways could be debated for hours and hours.
But a few possibilities are:
- The iv Directions, Due north Southward East West
- The 4 Latin Gospels in the Book of Kells
- The four Celtic festivals Samhain, Beltane, Imbolc, Lughnasadh
- The four seasons, Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
- The 4 elements Earth Burn down Water Air
Technically you could make an argument for anything with four sides—fifty-fifty a Rubix cube(haha, but joking).
The Quaternary Celtic knot is very popular with Celtic tattoos because of its diverse meanings. Depending on the era the Celtic symbol could mean different things.
Another version of the Celtic knot with four sides
Source: Wiki
14. The Celtic Bull Meaning And Mythology
If one animal is recognised in Celtic mythology for its forcefulness, it is the Celtic Bull.
In that location was often the relationship between the greatest Celtic warrior and the most powerful animal symbols.
Animals were featured in Celtic jewellery, tapestries, carvings, clothing and anything else that you lot could depict on.
The thought was simply a specific animate being had specific virtues. In this case, the bull was strong, fearless and strong will. While Celtic men often would use the Celtic bull to ensue these attributes, information technology was also a sign of fertility for women.
A carving of a bull on a bed would represent stamina, and well, I exercise not need to go into more details.
While you might be fatigued straight to the symbol of strength, the Celtic bull also surprisingly symbolised wealth.
The bull was a huge nutrient source for Celtic villages and played a massively of import role in the ecosystem.
It is no wonder that the balderdash is nonetheless so pop in tattoos in today'due south society. Specially for men. Even on wall street, the statue of the bull has become an iconic piece.
15. The Ailm – The Celtic Symbol For Forcefulness
If you lot have been reading the post so far, you volition probably be saying, "wait a minute, I thought the Dara knot was the symbol for forcefulness?".
You would exist right; they are both the symbol for force, merely they differ quite a lot.
The Ailm is derived from the letter "A" of the Celtic Ogham alphabet. Ailm represents strength, endurance and resilience. The discussion "Ailm" is causeless to mean "conifer/silvery fir". In tree lore, evergreen conifers are associated with healing i's soul.
This is one of the most of import Celtic symbols.
Information technology is held in loftier regard for so many positive notions.
And then many of today's symbols and brands use this symbol to take advantage of its positive connotations.
16. Serch Bythol – The Celtic symbol for everlasting love – Celtic Symbols
This Celtic symbol of everlasting love is formed from two triskeles.
The triskeles, three-cornered knots, denote the iii aspects of two people, body, mind and spirit. The two triskeles, joined together, evidence a circle, the endless circle of eternity. This is a smashing gift to give someone as information technology not only has a deep meaning but looks only lovely.
In everlasting dear, the effigy represents two people, joined in body, mind, and spirit.
17. Beltane – The Celtic symbol for the first of summer
Yes, who doesn't love the beginning of summer!? Information technology turns out the Celts also celebrated summer. I'd imagine their parties were a bit different from ours.
While Beltane(May Day) is represented in a few unlike means, the most well-known is the maypole. The young Celts would go off to the woods and select the straightest tree they could find. Typically it would be pine or birch.
They would cutting it down with much ceremony, elevate information technology back to the village, and so erect information technology on the hamlet dark-green. It is nearly commonly held on 1 May. About halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice.
Beltane is a Celtic give-and-take that means 'fires of Bel' (Bel was a Celtic deity).
It also celebrates the fertility of the coming year.
If you look up Beltane or May Pole on Google, just be warned that the rabbit hole goes quite deep. I went from lovely Celtic celebrations to all sorts of spells and mythology. Only if yous are interested in that, exist certain to look further into Beltane.
xviii. The Celtic Five Fold – Celtic Symbols
This is an interesting Celtic symbol. Information technology is non spoken near that much online, but it appears in everyday life.
Probably the most noticeable being the Olympics, of class! The Celtic 5 fold is as well known equally the Borromean cross. It is five rings arranged as four outer rings are joined with i cardinal ring.
The Celtic 5 Fold Meanings:
- Celtic mythology represented heaven, spirituality, faith and god.
- But besides could have meant the four classical elements of fire, h2o, air, earth, or the four seasons.
- Four directions: South, Due north, East, West
The extra band would exist our connexion to the universe or balance.
While y'all can compare it to the Olympic symbol, it is very different. The Olympic symbol represents the five continents meeting in unity for the Olympic games.
Whereas the Celtic five-fold has one central band holding the others together(God in this case.) The number five is also often associated with protection.
A Typical Celtic Five Fold Symbol
The very similar Olympic rings
19. The Eternity Knot or Endless knot
This is an interesting one. Information technology overlays into many other histories and is fifty-fifty seen in Tibetan Buddhism. Their agreement of it is pretty similar to the Celts. Because the knot has no beginning and no cease, the eternal knot symbolises the Buddha'due south endless wisdom and compassion. Or, in the Celt'south example, the circle of life. 
The Celt's used this symbol to represent the globe'southward eternity, of life, of love and friendships and relationships. At its centre rests a Celtic triskelion.
Various interpretations of the eternity Knot Celtic symbol are:
- The countless knot iconography symbolised Samsara, i.e., the endless wheel of suffering or birth, death and rebirth within Tibetan Buddhism.
- Coaction and interaction of the opposing forces in the dualistic world of manifestation, leading to their wedlock and ultimately to harmony in the universe.
- The mutual dependence of religious doctrine and secular diplomacy.
- The union of wisdom and method.
- The inseparability of emptiness (shunyata) and dependent origination, the underlying reality of existence.
- Symbolic of knot symbolism in linking ancestors and omnipresence (refer etymology of Tantra, Yoga and religion) (meet Namkha.)
- Since the knot has no outset or end, it likewise symbolises the wisdom of the Buddha.
Wow, that is a lot of meanings! You tin read more about it on the master Wikipedia page.
20. St Brigid'due south Cross – Officially one February the last of my list on Celtic symbols
I couldn't include a St Brigid's Cantankerous as one of the Celtic symbols. Irish people around the world still celebrate this 24-hour interval. St Brigid, born in Dundalk in 450 Advert, is accredited with creating the first unique Cross, which we know today is chosen "St Brigid's Cantankerous."
Even now, in 2021, people effectually the globe made their very own Brigid'southward Cross on 1 February.
Widely believed to exist a Christian symbol, Brigid's Cross is tied to Brigid of the Tuatha de Danaan. Which, in Irish Celtic Mythology, is known as a life-giving goddess.
What other Celtic symbols practice you lot know about?
Be sure to pin this Celtic Symbols image to your Pinterest board, and if you enjoyed these, be sure to scan some incredible Celtic Jewelry here:
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Other hidden Celtic Symbols secretly that have been grown effectually Republic of ireland:
What a view!
This giant100-meter long Celtic Cross is now known as the "Emery Celtic Cross", proudly named after its creator Liam Emery.
Liam intelligently planted two different pine trees species in the shape of this giant Celtic cross design ten years ago in the woods of County Donegal.
The reason is that the outer trees are evergreen and don't drop their needles during Autumn,only the copse used for the actual cantankerous blueprint are not evergreen & plow a golden color correct before they driblet their needles for the cold seasons ahead.
Yous can observe more near these secret Celtic Symbols in my article on them here.
If yous enjoyed this commodity and are in the mood for some Irish humour, I have thirty of the best Irish jokes for you to read here or 15 more Irish jokes hither.
Update:
I have decided to update this article every week with a new Celtic symbol. When I offset published this commodity 5 years ago in 2015, I only had 10 Celtic symbols.
Over the years, I have regularly kept it updated, and you lot volition find only the most upward to date data here from an Irishman.
Thanks for reading,
Stephen Palmer
P.S Love all things, Irish gaelic? Become your weekly dose of Irish straight to your inbox here.
If you enjoy a good Irish joke, you tin can read these 30 Irish jokes or these fifteen more Irish gaelic jokes.
Source: https://irisharoundtheworld.com/celtic-symbols/
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