Symbols of Celtic culture - one of the most beautiful and popular tattoo styles. All kinds of knots, crosses, images of animals on various parts of the human body are not only an adornment, but also carry a deep philosophical meaning.
The origin of the Celtic tattoo
In the modern world, Celtic symbolism is often called Irish. But this is not entirely true. The Celts are the people of the Indo-European group, which appeared on the territory of Europe about 2 thousand years BC. e. Historical facts testify to their desire for complete independence, which led to the fact that the tribes had to retreat under pressure from the peoples of the Ancient Mediterranean. The area where in the 2nd century BC. e. settled the ancient Celts, became the territory of modern England, Ireland and Scotland. It is with these regions that world consciousness connects a unique symbolic culture. She grew into what we call a "Celtic tattoo."
The main types of patterns
All Celtic tattoos symbolize the continuity and cyclicity of life. They are woven from spirals and loops, with no beginning or end. Not every symbol of the ancient people was used to "imprint" on the skin, but only the main ones.
- Celtic knot - a plexus of lines with clearly defined symmetry. The meaning of such a tattoo is to designate the eternal cycle of life. A node can be either a separate pattern or part of a complex composition. Allocate love knots, symbolizing the unity of loving hearts, as well as triple weaving. The latter among the Celts embodied the Triune Goddess, the union of feminine principles: the Virgin, Mother and the Old Woman. Christianity later represented the triple knot as a symbol of the Holy Trinity.
- Celtic cross - a tattoo, the origin of which ascribes to itself both paganism and Christianity. The tradition of the latter claims that the symbol appeared in Ireland thanks to St. Patrick, who connected the cross and the "sun of faith" - the darkened light of faith in God in no way. The pagans considered the Celtic cross-tattoo a combination of elements (water, fire, wind and earth) or the four cardinal points.
- Celtic tree - an image in the form of stylized branches or arms outstretched to the sky. It symbolizes the Universal Axis and the connection between worlds, where the roots are hell, the trunk is the human present, and the branches are the future or heavenly existence. Often in the roots of the tree is a cross or a Celtic sun.
Popular patterns also include shamrocks, sun (circle), animals (wild boars, wolves, foxes, deer), people, mythical creatures, as well as various combinations of these symbols.
The meaning and varieties of the Celtic cross
Tattoos of various variations of this sign make up approximately 75% of all Celtic-themed designs. However, there is no consensus on the subject, which means the Celtic cross tattoo. Depending on the situation and preferences of the owner, he may symbolize:
- Christian religiosity.
- Divine love for man.
- Fertility and prosperity.
- Hope and faith in the path of truth.
- The sun.
- The memory of the dead.
The connection of the sign with Christianity and paganism, life and death makes the cross one of the most popular ornaments. In a modern tattoo, it is composed with flowers, leaves, runes, letters in the Gothic form, wings and other symbols.
There are 2 types of Irish crosses, each of which is popular in tattoo art:
- Celtic cross with equal rays, inscribed in a perfect circle. The ends of the rays may protrude slightly beyond the circle, and the place of their connection does not have a closing circle. It was in this form that the symbol was depicted on human skin, metal and stone in pre-Christian times.
- St. Patrick's Cross with an elongated lower part. With the spread of Christianity among the Celts, the sign changed and became more in line with the traditional cross, but retained the pagan symbol - the circle.
The Celtic cross-tattoo in both variations contains endless nodes characteristic of the ethnic group located in the rays, which makes the symbol one of the most recognizable in the world.
Features of the application of the Celtic cross
When applying a tattoo, you can use any color scheme. Traditionally, a Celtic cross tattoo is applied in black or green ink. But there is no ban on the use of other tones, and often masters apply a brighter color both for the main drawing and for additional elements (wings, flowers, phrases).
The pagan sign is considered a universal tattoo, equally suitable for men and women. In practice, men often prefer Celtic crosses on their shoulders and backs as tattoos, always choosing a large complex image. Women, on the contrary, choose smaller sizes of tattoos and hidden places of their application - the inner side of the forearms, wrists, ankles and the base of the neck.
For a long time there is no strict pattern of the symbol. When creating a tattoo, any kind of weaving and shape can be used. However, the Celtic cross-tattoo, the sketches of which are created by the tattoo master, remains a sacred symbol.