Whatever their origin, the knots have become favorites of all sorts of “new age” groups, who see them as Celtic love symbols, Celtic symbols of “Tree of Life” (a concept which had no meaning to the Celts) and a whole range of other things. Wiccans, the modern day pagans who actually follow a number of old Irish traditions, have adopted some very Celtic-looking knot designs as magic symbols. A deeply psychological view of the knots comes from Wikipedia, the popular online encyclopedia, which says “It might even be argued that, from a Jungian point of view of the collective unconscious, the meaning was always there but hidden during the act of creation and revealed in their contemplation.” Phew! The most popular interpretation, put forth in countless websites and books, is that because the Celtic knots are almost always “endless” – complete loops without beginnings or end – they must represent some concept of eternity.

Also known as a High cross, or an Irish cross, Celtic crosses are found throughout Ireland. They are compriised of a normal cross, with a ring that travels completely around the cross intersection.

The major components of the Celtic cross are:

- Cross base
- Intersection
- Ring
- Capstone (including the finial)

Construction of the Celtic cross normally starts with the cross base, which is an extremely heavy stone. Often times, the base had another life before being carved for the cross, such as being used as a millstone. The high cross is seated into a carved socket in the stone base by means of a tenon , forming a very secure and strong joint.

Crosses are decorated with a series of panels, which usually cover the majority of the cross.  Traditionally, these panels are used to show important biblical scenes, or to highlight elements of Celtic design and art.

At the intersection of the cross, the ring is added, giving the Celtic cross its classic and world-renowned look.  Most corsses feature a pierced ring, but the are variants that do not have any open space between the inner circumference of the ring, and the cross intersection.

An additional tenon joint is commonly found above the ring, seating the capstone. The capstone is often portrayed as a small house, complete with roof. This forms the architectural finial [link to wiki here] of the cross.

Sandstone and granite are the two most common stone used to construct these ancient crosses.  Unfortunately, both are susceptible to weather and the elements.  This has left some crosses in varying stages of wear - ranging from the borderline pristine, to crosses where determining the characters in the images is extremely difficult.  

Origins of the Celtic Cross

Although the Celtic cross is tightly associated with Christianity today, this was not always the case. In fact, the Celtic cross pre-dates Christianity, and has its origins in an older religion. As Ireland converted to Christianity, the cross remained an integral symbol, and as such, it took on new meaning. It is generally thought that St. Patrick and others responsible for Ireland’s conversion to Christianity sought to use symbols that the Irish were already familiar with, thus making the transition easier and more accepted.

In Ireland (as well as in Great Britain), Celtic Crosses began appearing as early as the 7th century. Often, these large stone crosses were erected by Irish monks.

 Meaning of the Celtic Cross

In Irish legend, a popular tale credits Saint Patrick with the design of the Celtic cross. The tale goes that St. Patrick combined the Christian cross with the sun (or possibly the moon). This was an attempt to highlight the importance of the cross by combining it with a known Celtic symbol of life.

However, we now know that this style of Cross predates St. Patrick, and that Celtic cross designs were in existence prior to the 5th century (though perhaps not as widespread due to the fact that Irish monks had yet to raise many of the better known examples).

The massive crosses found across Ireland today were generally constructed in the name of Christianity. Other than the obvious Christian reference of the cross, various crosses contain panels with either biblical scenes, or decorative Celtic art. Traditional Irish symbols were often used for the panels, as were significant scenes from the bible, such as the crucifixion, the resurrection, adman ad eve, and so forth.

 Celtic Cross Designs

It is the panels on the Celtic cross that often attract the most attention. Use of Celtic symbols and biblical scenes, combined with great stone-carving skill, add beautiful design elements to many of these crosses. Some panels feature Celtic knot designs, while others attempt to tell a simple story, or give tribute to a great event. Interpreting the meaning of what the artist was trying to convey can be a challenge sometimes. Weathering and other environmental damage can also contribute to difficulty in understanding images. Fortunately, we can still decipher a great number of the image meanings.

It is interesting to note, however, that there is a fundamental difference between earlier Celtic crosses, and the later Christian-based designs. The image of the Celtic cross that we think of today has arms that extend outside of the circle, while earlier examples of the cross have the cross arms completely inside the circle.

The traditional Irish ring is widely known as the Claddagh ring since it is thought to have originated in the Galway fishing village of this name.

The exact history of claddagh rings has not been established, but its design is usually attributed to either a 17th century advernturer-turned-jeweller called Richard Joyce or a Margaret Joyce (not related) who was rewarded for her great works of charity when an eagle dropped an Irish ring into her lap.

All that can be said with any certainty is that the Claddagh ring is a type of 'fede' ring. Fede is the Latin for loyal or true, and rings carrying this message through the emblem of clasped hands date back to Roman times. They were especially popular as betrothel rings between the 12th and 17th centuries.

The heart symbolises Love, hands symbolises Friendship, Crown symbolises loyalty.