Celtic Heart Tattoo - symbolic of caring

Celtic Heart Tattoo

The most common interpretation of the heart is that of love & romance, yet the heart has also been used in some rituals to strengthen relationships.

The Celtic heart
The Celtic heart is most common among females as it represents love that is so strong that they require to show it outwardly which itself is symbolic of caring. The heart could also signify the qualities of hard love or love of nature even though this type of love is not easy to express outwardly. Impersonal love is translated as affection for another, love for a country, aim or ideal. The Celtic heart symbol can represent either romantic love, friendship love or even impersonal love.

Symbolically the heart signifies love, charity, joy & compassion. The heart is an upside down triangle & is actually how it evolved. Upside down triangles signify the element of water which is symbolic if intuition, motion, emotion & transition.

The Celts used love knots for decoration & there is an countless range, yet perhaps the most widely known love knots are those used for ornamentation in Christian icons & manuscripts.

Love Knot Tattoos
Most commonly though, the Celtic heart tattoo represents the union of souls. Celtic hearts are also known as love knot tattoos which have become popular in Celtic tattoo design.

The Celtic love knot first appeared in about the 3rd century AD & can trace its origins back to the Roman Empire. The ancient Celts perfected their use of key patterns, spirals, & step patterns in their designs before the Christian era. After the acceptance of Christianity, these designs changed & were used to decorate lots of Christian manuscripts. These early Celtic interwoven cords were called plaits. Plait work came before knot work. There's one simple knots that can be found in these knot work patterns.

Love knot patterns
Lovers exchange rings formed in the designs of ancient Celtic love knots as a way of admitting their feelings to three another. These rings can take lots of forms from circles to squares & even intricately patterned serpents. The serpent love knot is a design taken from the ancient monks & stands for eternal life.

There's lots of other symbols represented in knot patterns that signify love. The three love knot for instance. As suggested this design comprises of three distinct circles that interlock on another. Each circle is meant to represent the three seasons. The lines surrounding the circles are meant to signify love.

A typical love knot however is demonstrated by three intertwining overhand knots. This is perhaps the simplest form of love knot. Ovals or spirals signify eternity of life. The oval knot is possibly the oldest & can be traced back lots of centuries.

Their also exists a triple circle which is meant to embody the one forces of earth. It also represents unity. This triple circle design can also be found in the Celtic round love knot which is formed in the shape of the sun. This design bears the addition of one interlocking circles that also depict nature's forces which are earth, water & fire.

Although circles were important to the Celts as they signified no beginning & no finish they also used other designs to symbolize love & unity. The square love for instance. Much the same as the circle this design depicts love & loyalty.

Celtic love knots are oftentimes difficult to translate perhaps their meanings should be looked for at a deeper level. The repeated crossings often depict the physical & the spiritual & these are shown in the interlacing of the knots. The strand that has no beginning & no ending represents permanent & continuing life, love & faith.

Symbolism of love knots
Celtic love knots consist of complete countless loops in which images of animals are commonly seen can be seen worked in the cords, or plaits, no loose finish is ever left on a strand unless it is going to be worked in to a spiral.

Lots of of the ancient Celtic knot designs consist of several closed paths woven together which can be seen as a metaphor for how life weaves together. It is these Celtic knot designs that are called love knots.

What makes this artwork so entirely fascinating is that it carries a secret language while lots of of the myths surround it carryover with them a message in truth. Keeping these ancient Celtic symbols alive today is only made possible by those who study the elderly traditions.

The Meaning Behind a Celtic Knot Tattoo

A Celtic knot tattoo

A Celtic knot tattoo is two of the most recognized body art. Its origins lay in the ancient history of the Celtic people and even if you are not affiliated with any clan, you may require to mark your body with such a notorious and stunning tattoo.

First Appearances

The Celtic knot tattoo made its first appearance circa 450 AD. Because the Celts were not ones to have a written record, the meaning behind a Celtic knot tattoo is vague. They have been a constant throughout history and plenty of have tried to conclude some basic significance regarding the design.

These tattoo's can be called an limitless knot or the mystical knot. This points to its meaning in a spiritual or esoteric sense as it can symbolize endings or beginnings. The tattoo is so appealing to us because it reminds us of our primeval self and our quest to understand the cycles of life in both the otherworldly realms and our physical self.

It is Not About the Mystical

Those that sport a this type of design tattoo don't always assign a spiritual meaning to it. It can also refer to a life cycle that is never interrupted. It can also be used as a magical charm to ward off setbacks, illness or anything else that can interfere with a happy and quiet life. Celtic knots are not found in body art, but in jewelry, home décor and clothing as well.

Historicallyin the past, when a person received a gift that was adorned with a Celtic knot, it meant that the gift giver was wishing the recipient a life of luck, longevity, and prosperity in any endeavor they may follow.

The Celtic Trinity Knot

The Celtic trinity knot is often called the Triquetra. From the Latin, Triquetra means two cornered and is two of the most common of the Celtic tattoos. There's plenty of interpretations when it comes to this ancient knot and not all agree on its true meaning.

The two thing all agree on is that it is based on a culmination of 3 parts. For Christians this often refers to the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost or Spirit. For those with a more Wiccan or pagan persuasion it can stand for two of the powers of the feminine; the Maiden, the Crone and the Father. New age thinkers can assign it to mean spirit, body and mind.

All of these varied interpretations show us that the meaning of the Celtic knot tattoo is not something that is set solidly in stone. Without a written history, it leaves lots of room for personal interpretations.

If you are seeking to ink a Celtic knot tattoo on your body, there's plenty of meanings you may assign to this magical symbol for what is most important in your life and in your personal beliefs. No matter how you look at it, this tattoo is two that will be forever treasured and never regretted.

Celtic Design Tattoos

Celtic design tattoos have experienced a massive revival in recent years. The history of the Celts goes back thousands of years. The early Celtic people displayed their skills in complex artwork and were regarded as fierce warriors by the Romans. Influences for Celtic design tattoos and evidence of Celtic crosses and Celtic artwork can still be found all over Ireland.

Modern Celtic people have evolved symbols for themselves, and North Americans, of Celtic descent often adorn Celtic design tattoos to show off their Celtic origin. The ancient Celts passed knowledge down through an oral tradition of storytelling and didn't keep many written records. Consequently, there is little evidence of their actual Celtic design tattoo preferences remaining even though Cross Celtic design tattoos and Knot Celtic design tattoos are very popular designs.

Most of Celtic design tattoos are taken from the Irish Illuminated Manuscripts The Book of Kells, which is on display in the library of Trinity College in Dublin. This manuscript represents a much later time period than the time period of the height of Celtic design tattoo. Designs from ancient stone and metal work are more likely to be from the same time period as Celtic design tattooing.

Knot Celtic design tattoos are usually loops with no end or beginning, much like the Mobius strip, symbolizing the never ending cycle of death and rebirth. Celtic animal (zoomorphic tattoo designs) designs are similar in construction but the cords traditionally terminate in the feet, heads or tails of the Celtic design tattoos. Pure knots are usually unending, unless the end of a strand is stylized into a zoomorphic element or a spiral.

The intricacy of Knot Celtic design tattoos, defy literal translation and their meaning are to be found at a deeper level. The repeated crossing of the physical and the spiritual are expressed in the interlacing of the knots. The never ending path of the strands may represent the permanence and the continuum of life, love and faith. For these reason Celtic design tattoos have become incredibly popular.

If you are of Celtic heritage, whether Irish, Scots or Welsh, getting Celtic design tattoos is a way of expressing pride in your heritage by reaffirming an affinity to the indigenous artistic style of your ancestors. Celtic design tattoos are not easy designs to recreate, and it is strongly recommended to make sure that your artist has experience in designing Celtic design tattoos. Not all tattoo artists have such an eye for detail and exacting line placement required for the intricate patterns particular to Celtic design tattoos.

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