Celtic Jewelry Meanings

We all are aware of the rich and varied culture of the Celts. From poems to literature, from legendary stories to artifacts, the modern world today is still intimidated by the Celtic culture and traditions. This is the reason why Celtic jewelry is the most popular choice in today's world! Holding a piece of Celtic jewelry always makes one admire its aesthetic beauty, which is so rich in culture and traditional values, that one would be inquisitive to know its significance and meaning. So, let us get into the world of the Celtic culture, and trace the meaning and origin of the beautiful Celtic designs and patterns used in the all time popular Celtic jewelry!

Meaning of Symbols Used in Celtic Jewelry

If you are a true Celtic jewelry fan like me, then I am sure you own at least one piece of a classy silver Celtic Jewelry! The one thing that differentiates this jewelry from the rest of them, is the classy patterns and mysterious knots, which form a beautiful piece of art work to be worn and treasured for the rest of your life! Mentioned below are some such symbols, which are commonly used in Celtic jewelry for women and men!

The Celtic Knots
These knots have been created back in the Polytheistic Celtic times, the evidences of which can also be traced in many Christian monuments and the Book of Kells, dating back to the 8th century! Even before that, the existence of Celtic knots can be traced in regions of Europe and Italy in the 6th century. In fact, there was also a Gospel Book including Celtic knots in Northern Britain which is traced back to the 7th century! If you look at the Celtic knotwork carefully, they appear to be endless, meaning it is very difficult to identify the beginning and the end of these knots. It is because of this unique trait that these knots signify eternity or infinity! These knots are also believed to guard off evil spirits and also symbolize the fact that everything, from the beginning till the end, is interconnected with each other!

The Celtic Triple Spiral
The existence of this ancient symbol can be traced down to 3200 B.C! The number 3 has always been a number associated with many mythological or religious beliefs. Take the Holy trinity (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit) for example. This symbol is mainly associated with the Celtic Triple Goddess, and this symbol signifies her three forms, that of a Maiden, Mother and Crone! Apart from this, the way the Celtic spiral has been portrayed in the jewelry also matters! If your jewelry has a spiral that spins clockwise, it symbolizes that life started from winter season because the sun in winters is symbolized by a clockwise turn! Also if your jewelry has show spirals in opposite directions, it shows that there is a balance between good and evil!

The Celtic Cross
This is my favorite, the amazingly beautiful Celtic cross! Now the Celtic cross is more than just a Christian symbol! The four arms of the Celtic cross signify the four different elements of earth (water, air, fire and wind) and the cross depicts an unbreakable connection between these four elements! You also might have come across the famous Celtic cross which has a circle surrounding it! This circle further emphasizes on this connection!

The Claddagh Ring
These are among the most popular Celtic jewelry rings, which are especially ideal for engagement or wedding rings. If you look at the Claddagh ring, it consists of a heart, which depicts love, a crown, which depicts loyalty, and two hands holding the heart, which represents friendship! People who are in love and are married or engaged to the person they love, should wear the ring on the left wedding ring finger, with the crown pointing away from the heart. A person who is not in love should wear it on the right hand with the crown pointing towards the heart. For people who are not married, but do love someone should wear the ring on the right hand with the crown pointing away from the heart!

Celtic Squares and Circles
The Celtic square design in a jewelry symbolizes a shield which helps to ward off evil intentions as well as evil forces around you and is also one of the symbols for strength! The Celtic circles, on the other hand, symbolizes the eternal cycle of life and death along with eternity!

The Celtic Trinity Knot
Another famous Celtic jewelry design is the trinity Celtic symbol! The Trinity knot has its own religious meaning. This knot was traced back in Germanic coins and was associated with a religious importance associated with the worship of Odin! Usually, a trinity knot consists of a circle which passes the three loops, which are interconnected with each other. This depicts the interconnection of the three elements which together make one whole element! This symbol also depicts the interconnection of the Holy trinity!

Isn't it amazing to hold a piece of Celtic jewelry after knowing its meaning! I don't know about you, but I am the kind of person who tries to find out the meaning behind each and everything that comes my way. And after knowing the meaning of Celtic symbols associated with the Celtic art and culture, every time I gift a piece of Celtic jewelry and tell them the meaning of it, my gift becomes all the more special, and after reading this, I know yours will too!