Celtic cross: tattoo. Symbolism, history

Symbols of Celtic culture - one of the most beautiful and popular styles of tattoo. All kinds of knots, crosses, images of animals on different parts of the human body are not only an ornament, but also carry a deep philosophical meaning.

The origin of the Celtic tattoo

In the modern world, Celtic symbols are often called Irish. But this is not entirely true. Celts - this is the people of the Indo-European group, which appeared on the territory of Europe about 2 thousand years BC. E. Historical facts indicate their desire for complete independence, which led to the fact that the tribes had to retreat under the pressure of the peoples of the ancient Mediterranean. The area, where in the 2nd century BC. E. Settled ancient Celts, became the territory of modern England, Ireland and Scotland. It is with these regions that the world consciousness associates a unique symbolic culture. It grew into what we call a "Celtic tattoo."

The main types of patterns

All tattoos of the Celts symbolize the continuity and cyclicity of the life path. They are woven from spirals and loops, without having a beginning and an end. Not every symbol of the ancient people was used to "imprint" on the skin, but only the main ones.

1. The Celtic knot is a plexus of lines with clearly expressed symmetry. The meaning of this tattoo is to designate the eternal cycle of life. A node can be either a separate drawing or part of a complex composition. Allocate love knots, symbolizing the unity of loving hearts, as well as triple weave. The last among the Celts embodied the Triune Goddess, the union of female principles: the Virgin, Mother and the Old. Christianity later represented a triple knot as a symbol of the Holy Trinity.
2. The Celtic cross is a tattoo, whose origin ascribes to itself both paganism and Christianity. The tradition of the latter claims that the symbol appeared in Ireland thanks to St. Patrick, who united the cross and the "sun of faith" - the darkened light of faith in God. Pagans also considered the Celtic cross-tattoo as a combination of elements (water, fire, wind and earth) or four sides of the world.
3. Celtic tree - an image in the form of stylized branches or hands stretched to the sky. It symbolizes the Universal Axis and the connection between the worlds, where the roots are hell, the trunk is the human present, and the branches - the future or heavenly existence. Often in the roots of the tree is a cross or Celtic sun.

Among the popular patterns also include shamrock, the sun (circle), animals (wild boars, wolves, foxes, deer), people, mythical creatures, and various combinations of these symbols.

The meaning and variety of the Celtic cross

Tattoos of various variations of this sign make up about 75% of all Celtic themes. At the same time, there is no consensus on what the Celtic cross-tattoo means. Depending on the situation and preferences of the owner, it can symbolize:

• Christian religiosity.
• Divine love for man.
• Fertility and prosperity.
• Hope and faith in the path of truth.
• The sun.
• Memory of the deceased.

The connection of the sign with Christianity and paganism, life and death makes the cross one of the most popular ornaments. In a modern tattoo, it is assembled with flowers, leaves, runes, Gothic letters, wings and other symbols.

There are 2 types of Irish crosses, each of which is popular in the art of tattooing:

1. Celtic cross with equal rays, inscribed in an ideal circle. The ends of the rays can protrude slightly out of the circle, and the place of their connection does not have a closing circle. It was in this form that the symbol was depicted on human skin, metal and stone in pre-Christian times.
2. Cross of St. Patrick with an elongated lower part. With the spread among the Celts of Christianity the sign changed and began to correspond more to the traditional cross, but retained the pagan symbol - the circle.

The Celtic cross-tattoo in both variations contains endless knots characteristic of the ethnos, located in the rays, which makes the symbol one of the most recognizable in the world.

Features of applying the Celtic cross

When applying the tattoo, you can use any color solution. Traditionally, the Celtic cross-tattoo is applied with black or green mascara. But there is no ban on the use of other tones, and often masters use a brighter color both for the main drawing and for additional elements (wings, flowers, phrases).

Pagan sign is considered a universal tattoo, equally suitable for men and women. In practice, men tend to prefer Celtic crosses on their shoulders, backs, always selecting a large complex image as a tattoo. Women, on the contrary, choose smaller sizes of tattoos and hidden places of their application - the inside of the forearms, wrists, ankles and the base of the neck.

For a long time there is no strict pattern of the symbol. When creating a tattoo, any kind of weave and shape can be used. However, the Celtic cross-tattoo, whose sketches the tattoo artist creates, remains a sacred symbol.