Celtic history

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Celtic History and Symbolism

Celtic History

"The Celts were a southern European people of Indo-Aryan origin who first surfaced in Bohemia and travelled west in search of the home of the sun. Science has recently established their basic blood group as 'O', in keeping with their modern descendants, which designates them as a separate race from the aboriginals of the southern Indian subcontinent, where the 'B' blood group predominates.

    History tells us that there were two main Celtic groups, one of which is referred to as the 'lowland Celts' who hailed from the region of the Danube. These people left their native pastures around 1200 BC and slowly made their way across Europe, founding the lake dwellings in Switzerland, the Danube valley and Ireland. They were skilled in the use of metals and worked in gold, tin and bronze. Unlike the more familiar Celtic strain these people were an agriculturally oriented race, being herdsmen, tillers and artificers who burned rather than buried their dead. They blended peacefully with the megalithic people among whom they settled, contributing powerfully to the religion, art, and customs they encountered as they slowly spread westwards. Their religious beliefs also differed from the next group, being predominately matriarchal.

    The second group, often referred to as the 'true' Celts, followed closely behind their lowland cousins, making their first appearance on the left bank of the Rhine at the commencement of the sixth century BC. These people, who came from the mountainous regions of the Balkans and Carpathians, were a military aristocracy. Reputed to love fighting for the sake of it they were frequently to be found among the mercenaries of the great armies of those early times. They had a distinct class system, the observance of which constituted one of their major racial features. These were the warlike Celts of ancient history who sacked Rome and Delphi, eventually marching victoriously across much of Europe and the British Isles.

    But in spite of their martial inclinations they were also known for their qualities of chivalry, courage and dauntless bravery, their more aggressive tendencies being balanced out by a great sensitivity to music, poetry and philosophy. Unlike the lowland Celts these people buried their dead, and their elaborate religious rituals held in honour of Lugh are well recounted in the pages of the recorded past."

~From "Practical Celtic Magic" by Murry Hope

Celtic symbols

Celtic symbolism is often used in Witchcraft, below are some of the most common with brief explanations

symbol circle CIRCLE. The circle, or the "one", is a Celtic symbol that is also seen almost universally in many different cultures of the world. Like most things it has many interpretations. It is some say it is moon and/or the sun. It is the circle of life, in that life has no beginning or end, it surrounds all. It is a representation of the eye of god/ess watching over. It is a powerful symbol often used in conjunction with other symbols - for example the Pentacle (merging of the Pentagram and the circle).

symbol spiral SPIRAL. Spirals are said to have some form of link to the other world and is a representation of the cosmos i.e. the universe and its many parts. The single spiral represents the Goddess, Sun, spirituality and rebirth. The spiral turning clockwise (beginning on the left) represents the wintertime Sun and rebirth . The spiral turning counter-clockwise (beginning on the right - as shown to the left) represents the summertime Sun and spirituality.

symbol spiral2 TWIN SPIRALS. The dual centred spiral Celtic symbol is also a common symbol. It is said to be similar to that of the Chinese Yin and Yang due to its shape and symbolic representation of the positive and the negative sides of nature. It is therefore primarily used to promote balance.

symbol spiral3 TRIPLE SPIRAL. A triple spiral has several interpretations. The trinity of, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and the triple goddess - maiden, mother, crone. This Celtic symbol was allegedly believed by the Celts that all life moved in continuous cycles i.e. three phases such as birth, death and rebirth (reincarnation). It also symbolized the belief in the mind, body and soul (spirit).

awen symbol AWEN AKA. The Three Rays. A representation of the light seen at the point of death - the glory of the other world greeting you to its radiance. It can also represent that the right hand ray symbolizes the masculine and that the left hand ray symbolizes the feminine. The central ray is the mediator for the two again pointing to the subject of balance. Similar to the energy representations in the triple spiral and Yin/yang. It has also been used to represent the rays of the sun feeding the earth and giving a bountiful harvest.

five symbol THE FIVE CIRCLES. A.K.A The Wheel of Life. As you can see this Celtic symbol is of four circles joined as one by the additional central circle. It is said that the druids (who we discuss in another website section) believe this to be a representation of their universe. I.E. the meeting of the elements.

symbol druid THREEFOLD. It is said to represent the sister goddesses: Eiru, Fotla, Banba, or the Triple goddess herself - Maiden, Mother, and Crone. Often varied in it's depiction, it's energy is again linked to the general symbolism of the Triple spiral.

symbol druid 2 TRIQUETRA. Very well recognized and commonly used. It is said to represent the three levels of human thought i.e. the physical, the mental and spiritual. Although the three points are distanced from each other they are merged together as one, symbolizing a connection similar to that of the original triple spiral shown above. It is also a symbol often merges with the circle.