Celtic Symbol Meanings

Comment by Jen Delyth on January 15, 2009 at 2:14pm

Hello.. I just finished my first book "Celtic Folk Soul, art, myth and symbol" which touches upon "Symbol meanings".. so this group is of interest to me. I enjoyed some indepth research time when writing the book, getting to deepen my knowledge of this vast subject.
Important to emphasise what is known, and what is conjecture, and what is modern symbols (we are a living culture after all). I'm particularly interested in archetypal symbols (jungian approach) through our Celtic cultural idiom.
Jen

Comment by Celtic Networks on January 15, 2009 at 2:44pm

That is a very good point. I also feel it is important to emphasize what is known, what is conjecture, and which symbols are modern. I also feel it is important to give credit to the source of the origional information, but realize that interpretation of the symbols from memory is important too (when the source has been forgotten).
Shane

Comment by Cherrie Ann Button on February 3, 2009 at 5:35am

Looking forward to this as i always try to add as much symbolism as i can to my work and in many ways this has become a trade mark with some of my friend trying to spot all those thing i have hidden with in my images. I also think we should also be aware that some of the symbols we use have taken on new meaning as anyone whose been following the yahoo group will know only to well

Comment by Joe Adams on March 6, 2009 at 11:20am

Hi, This could be an interesting project . I have often been frustrated by the confusing claims made for Celtic symbols and can,t count the times I have been asked at shows what the meaning was of various designs and figures. Or asked by a retailer to add a made up blurb to the description. It seems that there are at least a half dozen separate and even contradicting meanings for each symbol which in many cases I am not sure they are even symbols. My approach to Celtic art symbolism has been to use the symbol in a manner similar to the Christian concept of speaking in tongues. That is, Where one speaks there must be one to translate. We have the symbol but also the contextual signifier. For instance there are some instances where 3 dots (symbol) which may represent the trinity are placed on a figure (signifier) perhaps to signify a holy person bearing Gods mark. 3 dots at the end of a line coming from the mouth could represent a person speaking Gods word. I try to avoid jamming too much meaning into each symbol on its own. Another approach I Use is to create my own symbolism along with ancient symbols that I am fairly confident of creating elements in a picture without laying claim to authenticity of the Celtic context. I use the above picture as an example. Im not sure what exact incident set me off to make this picture but I remember it had something to do with the gross disreguard for accumulated wisdom by those that claim to be the guardians of our (western) culture. As old wisdom is thrown out I see our culture disintigrate year by year as we march into a relativistic future. I didn't want to believe that this was produced by people having the best interests of society at heart. So I assigned it to the spirit of the age. The spirit of the World Whore. Thus the original title: "World
Whore devouring the seedfruits of the tree of life". The bird represents this spirit. Short lived, flighty, greedy and irresposible. It has kicked over the vase representing the source of wisdom (God). The right foot blocks the past (disregard for history) The left foot is in the middle going neither ahead or backwards. The bird is eating the seedfruit. 7 point symbol of solomon (wisdom) which it cannot swallow (knot). The seedfruit flows from a vine having 3 stems of 3 berries each, 3 the trinity and 9 the number of company or companionship representing the companionship of God which has been rejected in an effort to go right to the fruit of wisdom. In its rush the bird has entangled itself in the vines.
I look forward to learning more about Celtic symbols here from those who have given the subject more study than I. Perhaps some sane approach to the problem can be formulated. All the best. Joe

Comment by Jean Huntley-Maynard on March 6, 2009 at 11:28am

I'm a Celtic quilt artist and also am constantly asked by my customers what a particular knot symbolizes. Most of the time I don't know! I also do zoomorphic wall hangings. Fortunately for the animals, I have lots of material from which I can draw. eg. Epona the horse goddess. It's all endlessly fascinating, isn't it?

Comment by Wes Hyman on April 1, 2009 at 12:20pm

Well done Joe. Your picture is very good. I get a sence of the profane trying to wrest the divine from it's source in order that it may shine to the worthless and enlightned alike. In doing so, the profane has trapped itself in it's own idiocy.

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