Celtic Tattoos
In recent years Celtic Tattoos have enjoyed a revival and are worn by many of the worlds most prominent artists. The Celtic art form provides the individual with a wide array of mystical designs, both personal and traditional. They can be permanent or temporary providing that special lifelong inspiration or the temporary expression of love or meaning.
Here is a special site I found - if you are interested in tattoos. You can get your tattoos rated and ranked by fellow tattoo artists and enthusiasts.
The Celtic culture is very ancient - going back over 2,700 years. However, even today it is still a living force in the modern world, through art, music, writing, and spirituality. Why?
Because the civilization of the Celts has continued without break over the centuries. This unbroken tradition makes a Celtic Tattoo relevant in the modern world
A little BackgroundThe Celts transmitted their culture orally, never writing down their history or any facts. This accounts for the extreme lack of knowledge about them prior to their contact with the classical civilizations of Greece and Rome.
They were generally well educated, particularly on topics such as religion, philosophy, geography and astronomy. The history of the Celtic peoples goes back some thousands of years. At one time all of Europe was Celtic. England was ruled entirely by Celts. Eventually the Romans, Angles and Saxons came and pushed the Celts to the north and west.
One of the great Celtic events of history was the Fifth - Century battle between King Arthur and his Celtic army against the dark pagan hordes in England (as the Celts termed the non-Celtic peoples).
The Celts considered King Arthur’s loss to be the death of civilization. King Arthur himself remains an important figure in Celtic legend. The original historic story is now much embroidered with medieval knights and traditions.
The ancient Celtic Art was full of interlacing patterns, ideal for translation into tattoo designs, elaborate knot work, spirals, animal forms and animal zoomorphism, and a wide array if vibrant colours.
The early Celts displayed their art for example: metal, jewellery, weapons, figurines and pots are some of the many artefacts that come to light.
Knot work tradition in manuscript painting spread the style from Britain and Ireland to Scotland (Pictland and Dalriada), Wales and Northumbria and with the travels of the missionaries from the Celtic church to Europe.
Years later the Viking raiders appropriated many of the Celtic design concepts into their own personalized and more complex style of animal interlace. This help spread the Celtic symbols and tattoo's to the Scandinavian countries. From there it spread throughout Europe.
Modern Celtic peoples have evolved traditional symbols for themselves,people of Celtic descent all over the world, often proudly wear these symbols as tattoos and in many other ways to show that they are of Celtic descent.
For example: the most common Irish symbol is the three –leaved shamrock, although the Harp is often used as well. The harp has been the national instrument for all the Celtic people since the dawn of their history.
The Scottish symbol is the Thistle, along with the wearing of tartans and or the kilt. The Welsh flag is a red dragon on a green and white background. The Welsh Celtic people consider the red dragon their most Welsh symbol, but along with the dragon they recognize the leek and the daffodil.
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Are you considering getting a tattoo
but have concerns
"Will it hurt?" "Will I get an infection?" "How do I know my tattoo artist is qualified?"
Getting a tattoo is a big decision, one that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Make sure that you know what to look for and expect when you get your new tattoo.
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Costs Less than a Double Latta and includes the Audio files |
Knot Tattoo
Celtic knots are complete loops with no end or beginning. Celtic animal interlace is similar in construction but the cords terminate in feet, heads, tails etc.
In your tattoo pure knots should always be unending, unless the loose end of a strand is stylized into a zoomorphic element or a spiral.
As for symbolism: knot work designs are emblematic in modern times of the Celtic nationalities. The symbolism that has come down through the ages is as obscure and indirect as much of the speech and literature of the Celtic people.
Knot work’s meaning defies literal translation and should be sought at a deeper level. The repeated crossing of the physical and the spiritual are expressed in the interlace of the knots. The never-ending path of the strands may represent the permanence and the continuum of life, love and faith.
Celtic symbolism translates well into custom Tattoos.Celtic tattoos are one of the most popular design choices. With their intricate weave, and such a wide variety of art to choose from, it is no wonder that such a different array of people have chosen it as their tattoo. The great majority of the designs used in Celtic tattoos come from illuminated manuscripts as well as ancient art from Ireland, Scotland and England.
Celtic tattoos are usually not strictly representational and they do not attempt to duplicate the world and nature exactly. They are made of lines that form an intricate interweaving formed to complete a cycle – there is no end or a beginning to a Celtic knot.
For people who have a Celtic heritage, whether they are Irish, Scots or Welsh, or of European decent, wearing a Celtic tattoo can be a way of expressing pride in their heritage, by reaffirming an affinity the indigenous artistic style of their ancestors.
Celtic Tattoos are not an easy design for the typical tattoo artist to work with. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to anyone contemplating getting one to view the existing work of the artist and inquire as to his, or her, specific experience in designing Celtic tattoos. Not all tattoo artists have the eye for detail and exacting line placement needed to draw the intricate patterns particular to Celtic art.
Information provided by: Kirstin Cameron and from the eBook - You and Your Tattoo
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