Celtic Tattoo Designs And Their Origins
Julius Caesar first mentioned Celtic tattoos in his Gallic Wars (Commentarii de Bello Gallico). According to him, Celts tattooed heir faces in order to scare their enemies. It didn’t help them much against disciplined Roman legions, but it is a common point among most of ancient cultures that used tattoos. Celtic tattoo designs today mostly come from Irish Illuminated Manuscripts, mainly The Book of Durrow and The Book of Kells, from 5th and 6th century AD. These illustrated manuscripts provide excellent insight into the world of Celts tattoos.
Some of the most popular designs are the Celtic cross, Awen symbol or Irish Claddagh. Women often choose motherhood or sisterhood symbols. But one of the most interesting designs is a Celtic knot. A knotwork cannot be translated literally.
It represents more a feeling or a state of mind, rather then physical object. This intricate pattern represents the never ending circle of life, spiritual growth, death and rebirth. Their deep meaning and symbolism is what makes them so popular.
When getting a tattoo, it is very important to know what it means. For Celts, it was more then just a pretty picture, or a mean to scare their enemies. Every symbol was deeply enrooted in spiritual life and each had a purpose.
There are plenty of people out there who have tattooed symbols on their bodies without realizing what they actually represent. Imagine a guy’s surprise when he comes from a tattoo studio, showing off his new tattoo to his friends and someone explains to him that he has a sisterhood symbol on his shoulder. To avoid similar embarrassments, always make sure that you check with the tattoo artist what does the tattoo stands for.
Doing a Celtic tattoo design is very popular way of honoring one’s Celtic heritage today. These ancient symbols offer inspiration we both need and lack in modern world.
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