Celtic Art Symbols

Celtic Art was created almost 5000 years ago but is still seen in modern art. Celtic Art is in many of designs that are seen in modern art with three major designs which are, Celtic Spirals, The Knotwork, and Key Patterns. These designs are seen in common items such as decorations, frames, art and other everyday items. To be able to find the meaning of these symbols,we must understand where Celtic Art originated and the meaning behind the designs. Without this extraordinary type of art, many of the modern style of art would not have been the same.

Celtic Art uses different geometric shapes to create many unique designs. These designs were used in jewellery art, and other types of household items, and metalwork. Celtic Art first appeared

in the Irish Bronze Age (3500-1100 BCE). During this time period, artists made simple shapes out of bronze, copper, and in gold and during those 2400 years the style of art didn’t change, until about 500 BCE when Celtic art took hold of Ireland. Once the Celtic Art spread into Ireland, the Celtic style of art fused in with the Irish Iron Age. The spread was when the Celits invaded Ireland. Along the same time period La Tene was a major influence on how Celtic Art and designs were made. La Tene is the second phase of the European Iron Age. La Tene migrated to Ireland and fused with Celtic Art in the late 500 BCE. In La Tene Art most of the materials were the same as Celtic art, which was primarily made of metal. Metal was an extremely popular material because of the abundant flow of gold, tin, silver, bronze, and many other types of metals. Due to the massive amount of metal that the Celtics had, metal was the main material for their art. The Celtics got their medal from trading with other countries and mining in Europe during the Bronze and Iron Age. The Celtic Art continued to develop and change into the early Christian art period of art. Most of the design and styles of Celtic Art were influenced by Christianity, because Christianity was the main focus of their design of art, which meant that most of designs had deeper meaning than what was seen on the surface design of the art.
In Celtic Art, there were three main elements, which were Celtic Art were Celtic Spirals, The Knotwork, and Key Patterns.

In Celtic Spirals it would consist of three spirals that were all linked together. When looking at the three spirals it may seem as if the spirals are moving representing how the flow of energy moves through different things. The major meaning of the three spirals was that it represented the holy trinity which consisted of 3 parts, father son, and spirit. In Christianity, the father is god, who is the one above all, the son is Jesus, who came to die on the cross for the sins of man, and the spirit is the holy spirit that is sent from God. In addition to the Celtic Spirals, another famous design was the

Knotwork.
In the Knotwork the goal was to make the design look like one continuous line.

In the Knotwork, the Celtics wanted to show how all of the elements in existence were all connected. The Knotwork design could be made by first drawing seven rows of dots the first row four across next three across in between the four dots. This should be done two more times and finish the bottom with four dots. In the end there should be a total of twenty five dots. After that connect the second row of dots to the third row dots and the fifth row of dots to the sixth row of dots. Following that connect the row with three dots to the four dots line and wrap it around the outside creating a corner, do this for the three other sides. From the second and sixth connect it to the first and seventh row of dots creating a circle on top of a square. Lastly, make a checkerboard design in the center of the shape. The Celtic Knotwork was also believed to show how the father, son, and spirit were joined together. Once that is finished, add some shading to create depth of the different layers. The Celtics used this design in crosses, plates, shields, pottery, weapons, and many other everyday items. During the time, the Celtics believed that the knotwork represented how the forces of nature were all as one or how the father, son, and holy spirit are all linked together. Another major method of art that was used in Celtic Art was the Key

Patterns.
Key Patterns were first used in scribes for decorations in manuscripts, and then in metalwork, enamels, carved monuments, and High Crosses. Key Patterns were first seen in Byzantine art, but was adapted by the Celtics to form their own style of art with the Byzantine art. Key patterns were based off the style of making a spiral. When the Celtics first made this type of Key Pattern design, they started with one unit then, turn 180 degrees and then two units, and then so on so forth and end with stacking the two ends together. In modern art, Key Pattern artists use the arrangement as borders or blocks so the design needs to be horizontally or vertically as boarder. In order to make a horizontal Key Pattern artist would rotate the whole design by forty five degrees to make it horizontally or vertically oriented. By rotating the Key Pattern, this design could be used in many different borders.
Celtic Art designs like Celtic Spirals, Knotwork, and Key Patterns have changed how art is designed and looked at. From its endless spirals to its endless lines, these patterns are seen in everyday items like crosses, plate, utensils, pottery, and decorations. Celtic Art had given a new meaning to how artists incorporate meaning in their art designs. Celtics incorporated Christianity into their art with the meaning of what they believed. Even after 5000 years, Celtic Art is still preserved and is still used in modern day art. Celtic Art will continue to change the view of how modern art is seen and how artist incorporate Celtic Art in their art work.