Celtic Tattoos

Published on 11 March 2024 at 21:46

Public popularity gained and till this popular Celtic patterns Tattoo, as a cultural confirmation 

"So-called Celtic tattoos, magic and fake historical information are easier to find online than hard factual information and that doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon." I found this entry on a website and initially disagreed - until I researched much deeper the Celtic origin and the available facts. 

Celts - would like to think that the Celts are the ancestors of the Irish, but historically Celts are a clan derived from a common family tree. The Celts who lived in modern day territory of Ireland, similar to the Picts, about whom we have written before, have left behind interesting and still undeciphered writings on stone. Engravings in stone obelisks, among which are found the familiar crosses, which magnificently depict the influence of Christianity in this land. 

The English term Celt comes from the ancient Greek term Keltoi (Κελτοί), which was adopted in Latin as Celtae. On the other hand, the Roman Empire, which ruled much of Southern Europe at the time, called Celts "Gauls", meaning barbarians. The Scottish historian George Buchanan (1506 – 28 September 1582) was the first to use the term "Celt" as a comprehensive ethnic and cultural term in his 1582 work, Rerum scoticarum historia. 

The Celts, an ancient and intriguing civilization, left their indelible mark on history, with the first historical record occurring around 700 BC as described by the Greeks. This remarkable group was made up of loosely binded tribes who lived north of the Alps, mainly inhabiting the region surrounding the Danube River in central Europe. In the following centuries, their influence spread east and west. The earliest archaeological evidence of the Celts comes from the excavation of a chieftain ‘s cemetery in Hallstatt, Austria, near Salzburg, dating from around 700 BC. It is assumed that around 400 B.C. The time of the great invasion of the migrating Celtic tribes, named as Insubres, Boii. Rome crushed the Celts around 390, and raiding bands roamed the entire peninsula and reached Sicily. The Celtic territory south of the Alps, where they settled, came to be called Cisalpine Gaul (Gallia Cisalpina), and its warlike inhabitants always threatened Rome until the Romans completely defeated them.

Let's emphasize again - Ancient Celts were different tribal groups in parts of Western and Central Europe. Although these different tribes did not have a unified state, the ancient Celts were linked by the Celtic language, and their features (similarities) in art, religion and burial traditions were passed on. 

A new external enemy, the Germanics or known at that time as the Cimbri. Their attack was first felt in Bohemia, the land of the Boii, and Noricum, the Celtic kingdom in the eastern Alps. Historically, the origin of these people is linked to Jutland (Denmark). The physical superiority of these warlike tribes was attested in 113 B.C. When Rome sent its legions to the Noricum terrain, they were defeated. Then the Cimbri were joined by the Teutones and together they ravaged widespread havoc in Transalpine Gaul. Easily overcoming all Galliclic, Celticic and Roman re resistance stance. As a result, the Celts, who originally inhabited one territory, were pushed back by the warlike Cimbri. The only direct historical 

source was Caesar's account of the migration of the Belgic tribes to Britain, but the inhabitants of both islands were considered by the Romans to be closely related to the Gauls. 

Celts in Ireland 

The specifics of this migration remain mysterious, as there is little reliable information about how and when the Celts asserted themselves as the dominant ethnic group in Ireland. It is widely believed that their arrival developed gradually. As the centuries passed, the Celtic presence in Ireland grew stronger, and in the fifth century AD, with the arrival of Christianity a significant change took place. The synthesis of Celtic culture and Christian faith in it. As an example - St. Patrick (or Saint Declan) created a symbol to convert unbelieving Druids to the Catholic faith. Aware of the importance of the sun and its life force among pagans, Saint Patrick decided to combine the Christian cross with the Celtic circle symbolizing eternity. 

In the Roman Empire from the 1st century BC, Celtic people continued to flourish in more distant parts of Europe, such as Ireland and northern Britain, where Celtic languages are still spoken. Linguistically, it has survived to the present day. In Celtic-speaking Ireland, the Scottish Highlands, the Isle of Man, Wales and Brittany. 

OK! One question remains to be answered - there are no historical evidences, no survive records that have to this day about drawings on Celtic skin. It remains to accept the truth, tattooing in the modern sense wasn’t relevant for a specific culture. All the Celtic symbols that we literally tattoo on our skin today are modernized stone patterns. It is interesting to look at them a little closer and even more surprising is their translation and interpretation. Let's take a look at the most popular of them :) 

Triquetra - a widely used Celtic symbol. Derived from Latin, the term triquetra simply means "three-cornered." Also known as the trinity knot. As for its meaning, it signifies unity in spirit. Another interpretation involves the representation of triple deities. The symbol was used to represent the Great Mother, the Moon Goddess worshiped by the Celts and associated with the three phases of the moon. Another deity associated with this symbol is Morrigan, a triune goddess in Celtic mythology who was considered the goddess of war or fate. It was also used to symbolize eternity and equality. 

Crann Bethadh - Or Celtic Tree of Life, it is a symbol of all life, more than one trunk, rooted below and reaching to the sky with branches above. The force of planet earth which is sustained by the force of the universe. The bonds that are inextricable between each of us and the natural world in which we live. United by a knot, it is an intricate representation that links every root below to every branch above, representing the natural balance between nature and man that binds all life together. 

Carolingian Cross - The Carolingian cross consists of a mixture of Christian and pre-Christian concepts, which has gone through a long path of formation and adaptation. It is drawn from four symbols most often associated with the Carolingian dynasty of France. From this perspective , it symbolizes unity, balance and the eternity of God. 

Awen - Awen is a Welsh, Cornish and Breton word for "inspiration" more often in a poetic sense In Welsh mythology, awen is the source of inspiration for poets or bards. Aven is an inspirational muse for creative artists in general. There is a definition among Neo-Druids - awen is like "flowing energy" or "the force that flows with the essence of life." The Trinity’s attribution to the Celts was very important. That is why so many Celtic symbols were associated with trinities, and Awen is no exception. The three rays were used to represent mind, body and spirit, as well as earth, sky and sea. 

Ailm - One of the oldest ancient Celtic symbols. Ancient Celtic symbol of strength and endurance. It is probably the oldest symbol in Celtic history. Exist another assumption that Ailm means silver fir. In this sense, the Ailm symbol is interpreted as moving forward like a tree growing upwards. It can also be interpreted as a symbol of a spiritual journey. Healing, protection, purification, guidance, fertility, pure energy, clarity, good health, integrity and objectivity are also impartially to this symbol. 

Celtic cross - As one of the most common Celtic symbols, the Celtic cross has important cultural and religious significance. There are many theories about the origin of the symbol. The exact origin of the Celtic cross symbol is unknown and its origin are uncertain. Similar ringed crosses, known as 'sun crosses', were seen in religious imagery, both Christian and pagan, throughout Europe as early as the 5th century and possibly long before that. Various interpretations exist, the Celtic cross is seen as a representation of knowledge, strength and compassion to manage life's difficulties - climbs and falls. The four arms of the Celtic cross are said to represent the four directions of compassion, the four elements of fire, earth, air and water, as well as our mind, soul, body and heart.

Five Fold Symbol - Also known as the Borromean Cross, the five fold symbol consists of five rings with four outer rings connected to a ring in the center. This symbol is depicted as four circles forming the shape of a cross, interlocking in a loop with a circle in the middle. This design is considered to represent the concepts of interconnectedness and harmony. The circle in the middle represents the universe, while the other four encompass the four elements: earth, air, fire and water. Practically, this symbol appears in many ancient cultures around the world. In Celtic culture, the five-fold symbol represents God, spirituality, heaven, the universe, and the passage of time. These people believed in the 5 element. The five-fold symbol connects the energies together, creating a perfect balance in the universe. This symbolism also indicates the importance of balance in human life. 

Celtic knots can't be attributed with clear meaning. Celtic knots have an ancient origin in both Celtic and Scandinavian cultures and have been increasingly used by people in different contexts throughout history. The idea of the universe in Celtic knots comes from the very essence, because there is neither beginning nor end - they symbolize the continuity of life. Other names for the Celtic knot include the 'mystic knot' or the 'infinite knot', these names merge with its spiritual meaning of the relationship between beginning and end. This brings us back to our primordial essence. 

P.S. 

Every Celtic pattern is interconnected in a sacrosanct way as a knot + a circle as an overarching element, which surrounds the already innumerable knotted pattern within itself. Certainly folklore lovers will find their individual Celtic pattern, personally I tend to think more about ethnic heritage and modern fashion trend. There are no clear preserved evidences of the ancient Celts, everything is fragmented and today's researchers and enthusiasts put together a single knot of the Celtic cult with a modernly interpreted meaning.