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Guest Blog – Collecting Celtic Jewelry: A Beginner’s Guide by Leigh
March 12th, 2010 Pic: www.celtsand vikings.com |
Many people of Celtic origin are intrigued by the history and meaning of the symbols found on Celtic jewelry designs. If you share this very natural curiosity about your ancestry, you may be interested in starting a Celtic jewelry collection of your own. It can be difficult to choose from the many stunning choices currently available in the marketplace. I’ve compiled a comprehensive guide to the common symbols found on today’s special pieces. With this useful outline, you can begin to decide on what means the most to you. |
The Insular Art Period -
The Insular Art Period was a rich period in Celtic art. During the post-Roman era in Great Britain, starting around 600 AD, Celtic artisans crafted unforgettable designs out of precious metals. Each piece was rife with intricate knot work, zoomorphic (animal) symbols, and delicate spirals.
As well as metal work, artisans also carved stone crosses and drew rich, illuminated texts, such as the Irish Book of Kells. The Insular Art Period lives on today in the spirit and quality of modern-day Celtic jewelry designs. For a truly authentic piece, look for jewelry that is handcrafted by the master artisans of Ireland itself.
Today’s designers take their cue from the Insular Art Period, referencing the High Crosses and Celtic crosses that stand in the churchyards of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. They use the influences of the past to create timeless symbols of spiritual faith and dimensional beauty.
Some Irish craftsmen spend years in apprenticeships before they are ever permitted to finish traditional jewelry designs. Their skill and passion add an heirloom quality to today’s collectible rings, pendants, and earrings.
Knot Work In Past And Present -
Knot work is a common feature on today’s Celtic and Irish jewelry – but what does it mean? The hidden symbolism inherent in the curving, never ending lines of traditional knot work has a mysterious quality that leaves us curious.
Celtic knot work is used to symbolize the interconnectness of all things, and the eternal nature of God’s own love. It is a feature on many art treasures, such as the Book of Kells, which features rich, gilded borders. The Book of Kells now rests at Trinity College in Dublin, where onlookers can enjoy its pictorial depictions of the four Gospels of the New Testament.
Celtic knot work is also known as interlace, and it is used to great effect in the Book of Kells. Rich, bold colors make the beauty of the interlace come to life.
On today’s rings, pendants and earrings, knot work is a common feature. It can flank engagement stones, or be found in the careful engraving on Celtic Cross pendants. Its beauty and versatility give great individuality to modern Celtic jewelry.
All over the world, the delicate, interwoven lines of interlace are recognized as uniquely Celtic. By choosing a starter piece of Celtic jewelry that features knot work, you will be choosing an ancient symbol that may have also been worn by your ancestors, thousands of years ago.
Zoomorphic (Animal) Symbols –
On ancient Celtic instruments, such as the Irish bodhran, there are often painted animal symbols that pique the imagination. But what do they symbolize? You may also have wondered at the zoomorphic symbols that appear on today’s Celtic jewelry designs.
Zoomorphic symbols have been used for centuries to illustrate the sacred animal symbols of Great Britain’s most illustrious families. The Clans of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales used animals because of the traits they were thought to possess. For example, the Book of Kells features both a winged lion and a winged bull.
Giving spiritual, magical qualities to animals is a tradition in Celtic art and mythology. Serpents are also a common zoomorphic symbol. The serpent was thought to be a facet of Pagan worship in the ancient times before Christ, when Druid beliefs were commonplace.
Animal symbols are often carved in interlace fashion, combining two time-honored symbols of Celtic history. Jewelry may feature interlace birds, reptiles, or other animals that underscore the Pagan belief in uniting with nature itself.
Shamrocks -
The Shamrock is found throughout Ireland, on objects as diverse as beer bottles, national flags, and gold and diamond pendants. The Shamrock is a symbol of the Patron Saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick. Saint Patrick grew up in the Pagan faith, but in his teen years he converted to Christianity. His life was spent in the service of Christ, and he spent thirty years building schools, monasteries, and churches that celebrated the power of the Gospel.
Saint Patrick used the trefoil, or three-leaf, design of the Shamrock to convert Pagans to Christ in Ireland. He felt that the three leaves were a natural symbol of the Holy Trinity (The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit). The dedication of Saint Patrick is celebrated each year on March 17th, as Saint Patrick’s Day parades and festivals are held.
In jewelry designs, Shamrocks are a potent reminder of Saint Patrick, and of Ireland. The Shamrock remains the most recognizable of all Irish jewelry motifs.
About the Author
L Maher is a content writer who writes and researches about gorgeous and extraordinary Celtic jewelry, as well as Irish culture and history. Get more information regarding Celtic jewelry.
Stonehenge a Memory Aid says Austrailian Researcher
March 7th, 2010 Pic: Lulu P |
La Trobe University’s Lynne Kelly believes Stonehenge was built as a sacred site to pass down knowledge to the generations of Neolithic Britons who settled on the plains surrounding the structure between 2400 and 3000BC |
Ms Kelly said the original bluestone circle was installed to act as a memory system to recall oral histories of the Neolithic culture that had operated as a hunter-gatherer society before settling in the area.
“Stonehenge was initially a circle of stones and it had a henge around it,”
Ms Kelly said.
She said the site was used to perform seasonal ceremonies of song and chant carried down from the culture’s history, with the stones acting as symbolic markers or memory trigger to each event.
“The Neolithic Britons who built Stonehenge, like other cultures starting to settle, lacked a written language with which to preserve their knowledge.The most reliable recording system they had were mnemonic methods, whereby knowledge ranging from animal behaviour to astronomy could be communicated through chants and rituals.”
Ms Kelly said the giant stones for which Stonehenge was now famous were not installed until 500 years later, and had been aligned with the solstice to act as a calendar for the continuing ceremonies.
She acknowledges she came across the theory by chance two years ago following a visit to Stonehenge.
“It was there as a tourist that I realised this method of using a physical site as a mnemonic is actually known the world over and could be applied here,” she said.
Ms Kelly has discussed the theory at length in a doctorate for the university and presented her findings at the National Communications Association convention in Chicago last November.
She will also publish a book on the topic later this year.
SAVE NEWGRANGE BULLETIN
March 6th, 2010 Pic: Newgrange saga in lap of the gods |
The Irish Government is proposing to build a dual-carriageway, within 500 metres of the Bru Na Boinne World Heritage Site in Ireland.
The EIS claims it will impact a number of the 44 archaeological sites discovered within 500 metres of the 3.5km bypass, and there is a high likelihood of more being discovered. Many of these sites are no doubt part and parcel of the Archaeological Ensemble of the Bend of the Boyne. |
The bypass will be visible and audible from the Knowth passage tomb, and although just outside the buffer zone the road still passes through an area protected under the County Development Plan and the European Landscape Convention and the Valletta Convention.
http://www.meath.ie/LocalAuthorities/Publications/PlanningandDevelopmentPublications/CountyMeathPlanningPublications/CountyMeathDevelopmentPlan2007-2013/File,6743,en.pdf
It also appears to be in breach of the 2002 management Plan for the Site. The seven volumes of the Plan can be downloaded from the right hand toolbar
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savenewgrange/
While the closing date for written submissions was in February, it is expected that the Irish Planning Board, An Bord Pleanala, will hold an oral hearing into the matter in the coming weeks.
Save Newgrange was set up in January, to help ensure that the Bru na Boinne receives the legal protection it is guaranteed, under Irish, EU and international law. We have made the Environmental Impact Statement available for download at http://www.savenewgrange.org
We hope to avoid another Tara scenario, where objections by international experts and expert bodies, like the Archaeological Institute of America, the World Monuments Fund, and the Landmarks Foundation were received too late to be considered by the planning board. So, we are hoping to receive objections from such experts and present them at the oral hearing. Their Tara statements and others can be found at http://www.hilloftara.info
The WHS site is already adversely affected by the M1 motorway, completed in 2003, which straddles the western boundary of the site. A report made by UNESC/ICOMOS after a reactive monitoring mission shows that the continued listing of the site is in question, as a result of various inappropriate developments since incription in 1993. The report can be found here:
http://whc.unesco.org/archive/2004/mis-659-2004.pdf
Ironically, there is another public consultation under way, called Brú na Bóinne Research Framework by the Heritage Council.
http://www.heritagecouncil.ie/archaeology/heritage-council-initiatives/bru-na-boinne-research-framework
Thank you for your kind consideration.
These wonderful places are the spiritual and historical heritage of the Irish people and we support the Save Newgrange and Save Tara Causes in preserving them for future generations. If you feel you or your organisation can help support this important cause in anyway please contact :
Vincent Salafia Email : salafia@gmail.com
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&ref=search&gid=438725795435
Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savenewgrange/
Celtic Gods and Heros: Celtic Gods of Mainland Europe by John Patrick Parle
March 5th, 2010 Pic: CMP |
Whilst browsing the web. I came across this facinating article by John Patrick Parle and thought our readers may enjoy it …. Speakers of Celtic languages once dominated a swath of Europe stretching from Spain to areas of modern-day Turkey. At various times in their heyday from 500 to 100 B.C., these Celtic peoples controlled what is now France, southern Germany, northern Italy, Switzerland, Austria, the Balkans, and other adjoining territories. |
These Celts of continental or mainland Europe are often separated for analytic purposes from the insular Celts of Ireland and Britain.
Experts on the Celts are quick to point out that the religious practices and the homaged Celtic deities were not consistent throughout the vast territories populated by the Celts. Indeed, the gods of the ancient Celts were often localized deities of the tribe or the geographic region. Gerhard Herm quotes Celtic researchers in reporting that some 374 names of Celtic deities have been identified in Europe, and that only sixty-nine of these appear in more than one geographic area. This claim is bolstered by Barry Cunliffe who asserts that although there were more than 200 Celtic gods and goddesses, their recognition was not consistent or unchanging across Europe.
The Celtic gods had much to do with nature and its cycles, especially in the earlier periods of Celtic history, before human characteristics were deified. Gods and goddesses were often connected with sacred springs, rivers, groves, or tribal shrines in the outdoors. Celts approached their gods for help with healings, fertility, bountiful crops, and other forms of good fortune. Julius Caesar commented that the Celts were "superstitious," and that they offered many sacrifices and amends for justice to appease their gods.
Most likely, the mainland Celts did not give human form to their gods and goddesses until later in the Iron Age, perhaps in the first or second century B.C. According to Simon James, only a few religious statues have been found dating to the early Celtic period. Then there is an interesting story about the Celts’ attack on Delphi, Greece in 279 B.C. Diodorus Siculus reports that the Celtic leader Brennus the Younger mocked statues of the Greek gods at the temple–"when he came only upon images of stone and wood he laughed at them, to think that men, believing that gods had human form, should set up their image in wood and stone."
But once the Celts had greater interaction with the Etruscans, Romans, and Greeks, the Celtic gods began to take human form. By the first century A.D., the Roman writer Lucan reports that Celtic woodcarvers created statues that were "grim-faced god-images, coarsely hewn from rough tree-trunks, bleached by the weather." It is possible that the Celtic deities of the European mainland became quite anthropomorphic, with many human characteristics. This was clearly the case in Ireland and in Britain, as told by the mythic literature. But such Celtic mythic tales were not written down in mainland Europe, so we don’t know a great deal about the traits and stories of their gods. (Many of us end up trying to extrapolate based on Irish and Welsh mythology.)
To read the rest of this fascinating article please visit Article by John Patrick Parle
Guest Blog – Celtic Torc Jewelry By Tim Lazaro
March 4th, 2010 Pic: mharrsch |
The Celtic torc is crafted as a rigid piece of twisted metal that is open ended at the front. Produced in the period of the European Iron Age the ancients wore this adornment as an arm ring, a bracelet, a circular neck band or as a necklace. In the British Isles the Iron Age spanned from about 800 BC until after the Roman conquest in about the 5th century CE. This time span is testimony of the Celts superior craftsmanship during a time which is not depicted as the ‘civilized era’. Even after Roman occupation the Celts continued to develop their craft and became noted for their beautiful jewelry |
. In fact their jewelry exceeded the quality of Byzantium wares. Celtic torcs became very popular throughout Europe from about the 8th Century and were worn as a symbols of power status. Since then and today the Celts are revered for their symbolic designs and beautiful patterns depicted in their jewelry.
The symbolism of the torc
The word torc is derived from the Latin "torques" which means to twist. The two open ends of the torc were crafted with ornaments such as cubes or figures of animals. They have been found bearing human figures but these are less common. The main body was formed by twisting strands of metal such as bronze and gold and at times silver.
They first appeared in Scythian art during the Early Iron Age in Europe dating back to about 500 BC. Yet Celtic torcs have been found in Wales dating back as far as the 12th Century BC European Bronze Age. What they symbolized in Celtic culture and beyond was nobility and high social standing
Torcs in war
Many Celtic depictions of gods and goddesses show them wearing torcs and in Roman literature too. Some scholars believe that until the 4th century BC it was an ornament favored by women yet after that period it becomes part of Celtic warrior jewelry. It was also awarded as a decoration to warriors who proved great deeds during battle.
The Dying Gaul for instance shows a wounded Celtic warrior wearing nothing but a torc around his neck. In 361 BC the then Roman consul challenged and killed a Gaul. What is important is that he took his torc as a symbol of his defeat. This speaks of the high regard torcs held for warriors. After that battle the Romans adopted it as a decoration for their elite soldiers. During battle, if it was taken it usually meant that the wearer had either lost his life or his freedom.
The torc is also attributed to divine beings and many Celtic gods are depicted wearing one or more as seen in the god Cernunnos. Cernunnos is seen wearing a torc around his neck and one hanging from his antlers. He is also seen holding them in his hand. Many artifacts have been found in archaeological digs around Britain and Europe. Cassius wrote of the great Boudicca female saying that she wore nothing except a "great necklace of twisted gold". With these depictions in mind it is easy to acknowledge the powerful symbolism attributed to it.
Torcs as decoration
They were at times worn on the arm or wrist but were most often worn around the neck (Celtic torc necklace) and were hinged at the back. There are examples of torcs that were able to be closed but traditionally they were open ended. When they were worn decoratively they served the purpose of informing people about who you were, what your social and economic standing was and from which tribe you came from. They were also often inscribed with symbols that depicted the wearer’s family history.
Alternative thoughts
The Celts left no written record of the real meaning of the torc and scholars today attribute alternative thoughts. Some say that it is a symbol of nobility, strength, hierarchy and status. Others concentrate on its shape and the possible connotations to deeper spiritual or lunar principles such as intuition, metamorphosis, emotion, creation and transformation.
Ancient Celtic torcs have a place in today’s modern world. For instance the hippie movement during the 60’s is thought to have brought them back in to fashion. Today we see them in the form of rings, bracelets and necklaces and many groups have adopted the torc as their symbol and use it to bestow honors upon their members.
About the Author:
Tim Lazaro is a Celtic Symbols enthusiast. For more great tips and advice on the Celtic torc visit http://www.allaboutcelticsymbols.com
Russell Crowe Helps The Clanranald Trust
March 3rd, 2010 Pic:The Clanranald Trust |
If you have listened to previous episodes of CMP. I’m sure you will remember music from the fabulously vibrant Scottish Band Saor Patrol from SPO5a and SP06 Soar Patrol is the band Of the charity The Clanranald trust in Scotland, and they have been given a wonderful new gift. The BBC says:
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Hollywood star Russell Crowe has arranged for a £60,000 prop from his new Robin Hood film to be given to a battle re-enactment group in Scotland.
The battering ram will be used by The Clanranald Trust in a medieval fort it is building in a forest near the Carron Reservoir in c The trust’s chief executive, Charlie Allan, became friends with Crowe during the filming of Gladiator. He played the German warrior who held the severed head of a Roman negotiator.
Mr Allan said:
"Russell and I have kept in touch over the years and he knew a bit about the fort we’re building. "While we were on the set (of Robin Hood) near Farnham in Surrey he suggested trying to get some of the props.
I had my eye on some tents, which I thought would look good until we got our long houses built. He said he’d do what he could to help and the very next day he came to me with a huge grin on his face, grabbed me by the sleeve, pointed at the battering ram and said, ‘It’s all yours’."
Mr Allan said the Australian actor had spoken to the executive producer, Charles Schlissel, who said he would be delighted to help.
He added:
"It was a fantastic gesture. The battering ram, which we called Rosie on set, will be great for our fort."
The Clanranald Trust is a charitable organisation which aims to raise awareness of Scottish culture and heritage through interactive education. It is in the process of building a replica medieval Motte and Bailey Fort in the Fintry Hills, which
will serve as a an visitor attraction.
The idea is to provide an arena where groups and individuals can experience the
atmosphere of an authentic medieval working community. So far the trust has spent about £350,000 on the project but still needs to raise £250,000 to complete the fort.
Saint David and Saint David’s Day Adapted from a talk given at OICCU Meeting Point, in Regent’s Park College.
March 1st, 2010 |
If you were lucky enough to be in Wales on March the first, you would find the country in a festive mood. Every self-respecting man, woman and child would be celebrating St. David’s Day in one way or another. But who was St. David, and why is he so important to the Welsh? And just how is St. David’s Day celebrated in Wales today? Well, Saint David, or Dewi Sant, as he is known in the Welsh language, is the patron saint of Wales. He was a Celtic monk, abbot and bishop, who lived in the sixth century. During his life, he was the archbishop of Wales, and he was one of many early saints who helped to spread Christianity among the pagan Celtic tribes of western Britain. |
For details of the life of Dewi, we depend mainly on his biographer, Rhigyfarch. He wrote Buchedd Dewi (the life of David) in the 11th century. Gerallt Gymro (Giraldus Cambrensis), who wrote a book about his travels through Wales in the 12th century, also gives some information about Dewi’s early life. Dewi died in the sixth century, so nearly five hundred years elapsed between his death and the first manuscripts recording his life. As a result, it isn’t clear how much of the history of Dewi’s life is legend rather than fact. Read the rest of this entry “
The Ancient Seahenge Rebuilt in Norfolk Museum
February 24th, 2010.jpg "Click to enlarge") Pic: www.druidry.org |
An iconic ancient monument uncovered by the tides on a Norfolk beach (England) will soon be complete for the first time in a decade. Scientists have been studying and preserving the Seahenge timber circle since it was excavated at Holme, near Hunstanton, in early 1999. |
There were protests after archaeologists decided to remove the upturned oak stump and ring of 55 posts from the sands. But the 4000-year-old structure shed new light on how our ancestors lived, showing Bronze Age society was more advanced than had previously been believed.
After Seahenge was excavated, 3D laser scanning revealed the earliest metal tool marks on wood ever discovered in Britain.
Thousands have been to see the timbers, which went on show two years ago at King’s Lynn Museum. Experts had spent nearly a decade drying out the posts and immersing them in special wax. But the much larger central stump – an upturned tree which may have formed an altar – took a further two years to be preserved by maritime archaeologists at the Mary Rose Trust, in Portsmouth. Now the stump is ready to be installed at the centre of the timber circle. Lynn Museum will close for four
months from January 30 to allow the work to take place.
Derrick Murphy, Norfolk’s cabinet member for cultural services, said:
"Why our ancestors built Seahenge remains a mystery, yet we can state categorically that it is one of the most significant historical discoveries ever to be found in Britain. The installation of the central stump within the gallery at the Lynn Museum marks a fitting end to this chapter of the story of Seahenge. We are certain that the exciting display of this unique find will be of huge interest to both local people and visitors to the area."
Following a major redevelopment, the Lynn Museum reopened to the public in April 2008, with a new gallery devoted to Seahenge. Since then thousands of visitors have flocked to view the timbers. Archaeologists at Flag Fen, near Peterborough, dated the stump to the spring of 2049 BCE. Axe marks in the trunk showed metal tools were far more common than had previously been believed, while the number of people involved in building the circle showed society was more organised than had been thought.
The museum will re-open in early summer. During part of the closure, the nearby Town House Museum will be open and will offer free admission from February to March 2010.
European Trading by Bronze Age Celts
February 22nd, 2010.jpg "Click to enlarge") Pic: Telegraph.co.uk |
We know from many of the stories that the Celts travelled across the sea to other countries. Now a ship wreck off the Devon coast in England proves that bronze age communities in Britain were trading with continental countires including the Celtic Iberian region of Northern Spain. Archeo News and Telegraph.co.uk tell us:
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One of the world’s oldest shipwrecks has been discovered off the coast of Devon (England) after lying on the seabed for almost 3,000 years. The trading vessel was carrying an extremely valuable cargo of tin and hundreds of copper ingots from the Continent when it sank.
Experts say the
‘incredibly exciting’
discovery provides new evidence about the extent and sophistication of Britain’s links with Europe in the Bronze Age as well as the remarkable seafaring abilities of the people during the period.
Archaeologists have described the vessel, which is thought to date back to around 900 BCE, as being a
‘bulk carrier’
of its age.
The copper and tin would have been used for making bronze. Archaeologists believe the copper – and possibly the tin – was being imported into Britain and originated in a number of different countries throughout Europe, rather than from a single source, demonstrating the existence of a complex network of trade routes across the Continent.
Academics at the University of Oxford are carrying out further analysis of the cargo in order to establish its exact origins. However, it is thought the copper would have come from the Iberian peninsular, Alpine Europe, especially modern day Switzerland, and possibly other locations in France, such as the Massif Central, and even as far as Austria.
It is first time tin ingots from this period have ever been found in Britain, a discovery which may support theories that the metal was being mined in the south west at this time. If the tin was not produced in Britain, it is likely it would have also come from the Iberian peninsular or from eastern Germany.
The wreck has been found in just eight to ten metres of water in a bay near Salcombe, south Devon, by a team of amateur marine archaeologists from the South West Maritime Archaeological Group. The cargo recovered includes 259 copper ingots and 27 tin ingots. Also found was a bronze leaf sword, two stone artefacts that could have been sling shots, and three gold wrist torcs – or bracelets. The team have yet to uncover any of the vessel’s structure, which is likely to have eroded away. However, experts believe it would have been up to 40ft long and up to 6ft wide, and have been constructed of planks of timber, or a wooden frame with a hide hull. It would have had a crew of around 15 and been powered by paddles.
Archaeologists believe it would have been able to cross the Channel directly between Devon and France to link into European trade networks, rather than having to travel along the coast to the narrower crossing between modern day Dover and Calais. There is evidence of prehistoric field systems and Bronze Age roundhouses on the coast near the wreck site and it is thought the vessel could have sunk while attempting to land, or could have been passing along the coast.
Mick Palmer, chairman of the South West Maritime Archaeological Group, said:
"There is more down there and we will carry on searching for it. We anticipate a lot more will be found."
Ben Roberts, A British Museum Bronze Age expert, told the Sunday Telegraph:
”It is an incredibly exciting find. What we have here is really, really good evidence of trade. We don’t get many shipwreck sites. It is very rare to get a snapshot of this level of activity. It is very possible there were also animals and people going across the Channel too. ‘We hardly ever get to see evidence of this cross Channel trade in action. It is a huge amount of cargo.”
One other Bronze Age vessel has previously been found near Salcombe, where just 53 artefacts were recovered. Another eight Bronze Age items have also been found at a third nearby spot, indicating another possible wreck.
How the Irish (and Welsh) Invented Romantic Love by Brendan Patrick Keane
February 14th, 2010 Pic: My Guide Ireland
The sculpture photographed above is from a 1988 commission entitled Tóraigheacht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne (The Pursuit of Diarmuid and Gráinne), a large bronze relief in Sligo. |
Taken from the magical article by Brendan Patrick Keane on Irish Central. We would like to apologise to Brendan Patrick Keane and www.irishcentral.com for inadvertently breaching copyright and thank them for their understanding and patience in this matter. Ruth & Gary |
"Marriage is not a love affair. A love affair is a totally different thing. A marriage is a commitment to that which you are. That person is literally your other half. And you and the other are one. A love affair isn’t that. That is a relationship of pleasure, and when it gets to be unpleasurable, it’s off. But a marriage is a life commitment, and a life commitment means the prime concern of your life. If marriage is not the prime concern, you are not married…..When you make the sacrifice in marriage, you’re sacrificing not to each other but to unity in a relationship."
Joseph Campbell
When the Irish American scholar Joseph Campbell was growing up in New York City, he was a regular visitor to the Natural Museum of History, where he had discovered Native American peoples, and their metaphorical systems, or what we call mythology. This led the young man to pursue his own knowledge, and dig into his own soul.
[Read more of this magical article by Brendan Patrick Keane on Irish Central]
