Celtic Art

There are many modern 'politically correct' problems surrounding exactly what is Celtic and what is not. The most common error is to talk of 'Celtic knotwork', that complicated and elaborate interlacing of lines, curves and geometric shapes which seems to be appearing everywhere nowadays. This style of design and decoration was in fact brought to Britain in the 6th century AD by Saxon Christian monks and was used exclusively to illuminate the hand-written Christian Gospels. The Saxon people used some of the art for personal decoration. Any of the knotwork that has animal shapes incorporated shows influence from the Vikings. It is indeed a very attractive and distinctive style of decoration - but it is not Celtic.

In Pre-Celtic Britain, there are many ancient places that were elaborately and painstakingly decorated and carved with many different styles of spiral, zigzag, diamond, line and curve but nowhere do these separate symbols and designs overlap or interlace and nowhere is there to be found an example of knotwork. It should also be noted that these elaborate designs and symbols are not Celtic either. They were carved into the rocks by an unknown race of megalith builders thousands of years before the Celtic culture arrived.

It is also a common practice for modern day Celtic groups to employ various symbols, such as the Crescent and V-Rod, the Switch, the Two Worlds etc., as part of their Celtic regalia and ritual but, once again, these ancient symbols are not Celtic they are Pictish. The Picts were a Scandinavian people and the only places where these symbols are to be found, carved on stones etc., are in the North East of Scotland and they are, therefore, as foreign to the British tribes as the 'Celtic' knotwork is.

Another modern addition to this confusing collection of symbolism is the ubiquitous pentagram which is unquestionably non-Celtic (Jewish, from the seals of Solomon if you must know !).

What, then, were the symbols used by the Celts? It is true that they greatly admired all art-forms and decorative styles and that they used these to a great extent on just about everything from household utensils to battle-chariots. But the symbols they used are the ones that are still all round us today :-the trees, the birds, the animals, the hills and lakes and all the other manifestations of the life-force on Earth.

From the life like patterns found on the continent, the British Celts simplified and stylised the art into what is now known as, Curvilinear, or insular British art. It is only in the last 20 years that the now familiar, geometric and esoteric 'Celtic' symbolism has overtaken what was originally a very simple and beautiful system.

Take note that by the 2nd century AD, Celtic (Iron Age) art disappears under Roman influence.

The first selection of art is early Iron Age from the continent.