Celtic Jewellery - Beautiful and Inspirational Art of Celts

The ancient Celts, who dominated mid and Western Europe for several years, later lived in Ireland for many centuries. They left a strong influence on culture, art and linguistics of Europe. The jewellery of Celtics was inspired by nature and intricate designs using gold, silver and bronze. These items were produced by Celtic craftsmen. Their creation was remarkable with simple motifs consisting of spirals and animals as prominent figures in Celtic jewellery. One of the well known designs of Celtic pieces was the knot work, crosses woven into knot work was a very sophisticated jewellery design. The knot work designs were used in rings, bracelets, earrings, brooches and pendants.

The Celts had a strong belief in the interconnectedness of life, and they reflected this belief through their interlaced jewellery patterns. The pieces of jewellery were so fine that they were also called the ‘work of angels’. The knowledge about Celtic culture was never found in the written form, and word of mouth was the only source to get to know about their culture and beliefs. The enchanting designs of knot and other interlace patterns was also use in wood carving and textiles. These extraordinary patterns were also used to adorn the bible monuments and for jewellery making.

Cross is a symbol of faith and ethnic heritage and it is often used as a sign of Irish, Scottish or Welsh identity. Celtic cross enclosed in a circle is an icon of eternity that stresses upon the endlessness of God’s love as shown through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The cross also represents the four quarters of the earth and the four elements; earth, water air and fire. The knot work design is prominent in all the exquisite designs. The Celtic knot work art represents love and the eternal nature of things. You can find the knot work rings, earrings pendants and brooches in silver and gold metals.

Claddagh design is also a popular and elegant design of Celtic jewellery. It symbolizes love and friendship. The design usually has three parts; the crown at the top which is representative of fidelity and devotion, the heart in the center of the design representing love and the hands that surround it represent friendship.

Another captivating design of Celtic items consists of Pentacles. It is a five-point star backed by a circle. Pentacles are believed to represent the five elements; earth, air, fire, water, and spirit, or the five stages of Life; birth, youth, adulthood, old age, and death. And the star in the design symbolizes the continuity and connection between the extremes.

Celtic jewels should be bought from retailers dealing in authentic Celtic ornaments. Copies of Celtic pieces are also available on the market so you need to be careful while buying Celtic jewels to get the original and valuable pieces of jewellery. You can also shop for Celtic jewellery online by selecting your choice of metal, stones if you want, and size which is the most important part. The size of original Celtic articles of jewellery is hard to change so always buy the right size of jewellery.

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