| The meaning of Celtic symbols is not always easy to | | | | Celtic and other pagan drawings, dwellings, caves and |
| determine. There are few, if any written records | | | | tombs. It is thought to be a tribute to the sun, which |
| detailing the meanings. Many of the meanings have | | | | makes a spiral shape in the sky every three months |
| been added in recent times and the original meaning | | | | in its precession or a tribute to the possible endless |
| is unknown. | | | | cycle of life (birth, death and rebirth). Today it is the |
| It has been identified that 8 basic knots form the | | | | symbol Wicca's use as a spirit emblem of their |
| basis for all other Celtic knots. No evidence has been | | | | goddess. |
| found to tie any of these knots to a religious or | | | | Triskeles are one of the most commonly seen |
| philosophical meaning. At some point Wicca cultures | | | | symbols. It is three spirals in a triangular arrangement |
| adopted various knots and attached meanings of | | | | connected by one continuous line. Different meanings |
| their choice to the knots, but these meanings hadn't | | | | have been attributed to this symbol. But since it |
| existed before. The only possible significance as to | | | | appears a lot on tombs it was thought to stand for |
| the meaning of the knots probably lies in displaying | | | | birth, life and reincarnation, or the sun, afterlife and |
| how capable humans are of intricate artwork. That in | | | | reincarnation. It possibly has similar meanings to the |
| itself may have been a tribute to a higher being. | | | | Triquetra. Many have claimed that if the Triquetra |
| The Triquetra is a popular Celtic symbol. It really only | | | | stands for the 3-month sun cycle than the Triskele |
| means "triangle" and refers to any Celtic three | | | | stands for 9-months of pregnancy! |
| cornered shape. Commonly it is seen as three long | | | | The Celtic Tree of Life can be depicted in several |
| interconnecting loops with one circle that goes | | | | ways but carries the similarity of resembling a tree. |
| through the middle of each. It has been found on | | | | Trees were seen as sacred to the ancient Celts. It |
| early stones in Germanic pagan areas and apparently | | | | provided fuel, shelter and food! Life itself was seen |
| had some "religious" meaning, now lost, but may have | | | | possible because of trees, thus the "Tree of Life". |
| been associated with the Germanic God Oden. The | | | | Trees were associated with the supernatural world |
| meaning to the Celts is uncertain, but is used a lot in | | | | as well. They were connected to the world of the |
| most of their early art work. Eventually Christians | | | | spirits and seen as doorways to the spirit world, |
| used the symbol to refer to the Holy Trinity (Father, | | | | especially the Oak. Trees were thought to carry |
| Son and Holy Ghost). Various modern pagan groups | | | | messages to the "other realm". Trees, with their |
| use the Triquetra to symbolize elements of their | | | | roots in the ground and branches in the air, were |
| faith, such as land, water and sky or as the symbol | | | | seen as a connection between realms. |
| of their connection to the ancient Celts. | | | | These are some of the more well known meanings |
| The spiral is one of the most common Celtic symbols. | | | | of Celtic symbols. Many more symbols exist for you |
| There is no written record of the first meaning, but | | | | to explore. |
| the symbol appears nearly everywhere in ancient | | | | |