It was the year 1996 and my family was watching Riverdance on VHS.

I sat in complete
awe as the dancers flew across the screen. The lightness of their feet and the ease with which
they danced had me hooked. I started taking Irish dance classes the next month. Ever since then
the Irish culture has fascinated me. I love the language and have always loved the jewelry. So for
this essay I decided to research Celtic Jewelry to learn what it is all about. The intricate designs
have much symbolism that dates back thousands of years. It is quite remarkable how talented the
metal smiths were for the time period that Celtic Jewelry started appearing. Today Celtic
Jewelry can be found all over the globe and is loved by people for its intricate beauty and sense
of kinship.
Roots of Celtic Jewelry date back to the second millennium BC. Ancient use of the
spirals and other symbols on this jewelry is well documented; however it is not before 450 CE
that we have actual documents. The Celtic people make up the inhabitants of Ireland, Wales, and
Scotland. Ancient Celts were fierce warriors who fought with Rome and Greece. It is quite clear
that they were and are a people of tradition and kinship. From what we know of early Celtic
jewelry, it stood as a status symbol. As social differences became more prominent, the elite
wanted to express their high status. Pagan mythology is full of stories where Celtic jewelry
played an important role in society. Silver, which represents the moon, was worn by the less
wealthy, and the most spiritually, wealthy people wore gold which represents the sun. Warriors,
priests, and noblewomen wore torques around their necks to show status. They also believed that
these pieces of jewelry held power to ward off curses, and protect them in battle.
Celts used much symbolism in their jewelry. It is thought today that the wearer can
interpret the meanings for their own jewelry, but the original symbolism still stands. The beliefs
and mythology of early Celts is shown in most of the Celtic Jewelry designs. They believed in

reincarnation, where a person would experience rebirth until they had fulfilled their earthly
mission. The Celtic knots that appear in much of the jewelry come from sacred geometry and
symbolize the immortality of human civilization. They are sometimes called mystic knots.
Monuments and manuscripts from the early Celtic church are decorated with the Celtic interlace
and spirals, so they are thought to have been what made the designs so popular. Spirals in Celtic
Jewelry symbolize also the continuity of life and spiritual growth. Celts often showed the
connection between the physical and spiritual in their artwork and jewelry. Being a people of
much faith, the early Celts wanted to represent their beliefs by wearing them.
The Claddagh Ring is a very popular Celtic Symbol and definitely one of my favorites. It
is two hands holding a heart with a crown on top. This Symbol has the meaning of friendship,
love, and loyalty. It is even given as a wedding ring to this day. Another popular piece is the
Celtic Triskele, which is the triple spiral that is one of the main symbols used in the jewelry. This
three sided design predates the Celts even! The three sides represent the three realms; land, sea,
and sky. Many Celts also wore a Celtic Tore, which is traditionally a neckband decorated with
human and animal figures.
When Christianity swept across the Celtic region, the Celtic cross was born. It looks
different than the Roman crosses at the time because it also includes a circle around where the
cross intersects. This circle is meant to be a halo and symbolizes the bridge to the other worlds as
well as a higher energy and knowledge. Of course the Celts had to put their own spin on
something so bold. The traditional cross wasnt intricate enough for their taste. Some believe
Saint Patrick was the one that reimagined the Cross.

Early Celtic jewelry was much simpler with less fine detail. Which I guess goes without
saying, as the technology and materials used werent as advanced. However what they did do
was still very intricate for the time. Once the late Bronze Age came to pass around 1400-1200
BC, casting gold and wire making and twisting were invented. These techniques allowed for
more detail. They started using complex clay molds to cast the metal with. Then the Iron Age
happened around 1200 BC to 400 AD. Corpses that have been dug up from this time period are
usually fully dressed and adorned with tons of jewelry and ornaments. It is clear that jewelry
became even more prominent during the Iron Age. Most corpses wear Torques, especially the
women. Roman influences start to appear during this time as well. Gemstones and silver were
introduced, as well as the use of glass for beads. Although Celtic jewelry has gone through quite
an evolution, the use of enamel and Celtic knots has stayed as a staple throughout the
generations.
As you can see, Celtic jewelry holds much spiritual and religious meaning. As the beliefs
and traditions of the Celts evolved throughout time, their jewelry did as well. At first they were
very mythological thinkers, holding onto pagan stories of ancient gods and goddesses. Then
Christianity came around and the Celtic Cross was born. Through it all the idea of kinship and
love stayed as staples for the jewelry.
Today Celtic jewelry can be found all around the world. People wear it not only for its
intricate beauty and tradition, but for its symbolic value as well. I have always been drawn to the
Celtic knot design and the traditions of the Celtic people. Having mostly Scottish Welsh and
Irish ancestry, I feel very close to home when it comes to this topic. Its cool to see how
something like jewelry can connect people to the past even to this day.

Bibliography
"Celtic Jewelry - Antique Jewelry University." Celtic Jewelry - Antique Jewelry University. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 09 Nov. 2014.
"Symbolism of Our Celtic Jewelry Designs | Celtic Jewelry." Celtic Jewelry Symbolism of Our
Celtic Jewelry Designs Comments. Web. 3 Nov. 2014.

"The History Of Celtic Jewelry." - Agonist Learning Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2014.

"Ancient Celtic Jewelry." ANCIENT CELTIC JEWELRY. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2014.

Celtic Jewelry:
The Art of Warriors

Sophia Knapp
Jewelry: Art 1040