Sterling Silver Celtic Jewelry and Irish Jewelry
Sterling silver Celtic jewelry and Irish jewelry are two of the most popular genres of specialty jewelry. They are both cultural types of jewelry and they are related to each other as this blog will show as we review the history of Celtic jewelry and Irish jewelry.
Celtic Jewelry History
The Celtic culture didn't have a written language so many the meanings of Celtic symbols and Celtic knots used in Celtic jewelry is unsure. Anthropologists have determined that the meanings of some symbols had meanings that changed from one time period to another. For instance, a Celtic knot in one generation may have a different meaning one or two generations later.
Another thing to keep in mind that most Celtic jewelry designs are "knot" styled. As the popularity of the designs increase and due to the lack of true definitions of the symbols, many silver Celtic jewelry makers use their creative imagination and create Celtic style jewelry pieces that are new.
Some designers give it a definition and others don't. This is both good and bad. For some they want to know with accuracy what a certain design means while others make up meanings that suit them and the style of the design. So for an accurate name of a Celtic knot there are only a few Celtic designs that are really understood and even then not with 100% accuracy.
Besides the cultural element of silver Celtic jewelry, silver Celtic jewelry is popular because of the popularity of geometric designs. So while some are concerned with names of Celtic designs, others are more concerned with the geometric designs. Most people wear sterling silver Celtic jewelry in the form of sterling silver Celtic rings or sterling silver Celtic necklaces.
The Celtic culture lasted from 450 years to 800 years depending on what you read. Sometimes the history of the Celts are as vague as the actual Celtic culture. It was a vast culture that was eventually consolidated to the area of what is now Ireland and the rest of the UK.
There were some changes in the history of the Celts as it evolved into different cultures we know today as England, Scotland and especially Ireland. That's where Irish jewelry comes into play. The Irish people have more closely maintained their Celtic heritage and their Irish Jewelry often reflects a strong celtic influence.
Celtic Eternity Knot Jewelry Symbol
There are essentially two types of Celtic knot symbols. One type of Celtic knot is where the knot is not fully interconnected and the other part is where the Celtic Knot is connected. The interconnected Celtic knot is also called the Celtic endless knot, eternity knot, or infinity symbol. Some of the traditional meaning of the endless Celtic knot remind us of the endless nature of our spirit. It also calls to mind the cycles of birth, death and rebirth. Our spirits have no beginning and no end and life is just a portion of the life cycle.
The Celtic eternity knot can be shown in many different ways. The Celtic necklace shown above is one example of an eternity knot and the other Celtic knot necklace below is another example of a Celtic eternity knots.
This Celtic knot pendant shown below is a Celtic knot that is not connected, not an eternity knot but a stylish Celtic knot pendant.
Celtic Trinity Knot Jewelry Symbol
The Celtic Trinity Jewelry Knot has meanings from two influences, one pagan and one Christian.
Originally is was referred to a Triquetra design. Triquetra is a latin term meaning "three cornered". The pagan meaning to the triquettra knot has to do with three feminine powers or roles: Maiden, Mother and Crone. Another non Christian definition for the Triquetra or Trinity knot is mind, body and spirit.
As with other Celtic symbols, meanings evolved with the introduction of Christianity to the Celtic culture. The pagan Triquetra symbol evolved into the Celtic Trinity Knot representing the Godhead (Trinity), the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Sterling Silver Irish Jewelry
Sterling Silver Claddagh Jewelry
As you can see from the Irish Claddagh Jewelry below there is a Celtic influence in the Irish Jewelry. Notice the Claddagh ring.
This is a traditional Irish claddagh ring. The second claddagh ring has a Celtic Trinity knot worked into the claddagh ring.
The Irish Claddagh symbol is made of three elements: The heart, hands and a crown. The heart represents love, the hands means friendship and the crown symbolizes loyality. Although there is a little dittie that says "In my hand I hold your heart crowning it with all my love." (Unknown)
Sterling Silver Irish Jewelry does have Celtic influences on some pieces if Irish Jewelry but some pieces of Irish Jewelry is exclusive to Ireland like the four leaf clover necklace shown below:
Sterling Silver Irish Clover Jewelry
Irish shamrock jewelry like the shamrock necklace shown above is classical Irish jewelry with no Celtic jewelry influence and they have classical Irish tradition behind them. It is said that besides being a symbol of good luck it was purported to have been used by St. Patrick to represent the Father, Son and Holy Ghost as a teaching aid.
1 comment:
These celtic charms are very nice. Great detail
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