Celtic symbols have featured on items of jewelry for thousands of years. Many have romantic associations while others have religious origins.
Designs such as the trinity knot or the Celtic cross have had a huge surge in popularity over recent years. The Claddagh ring is widely used as a wedding ring. It’s named after the Claddagh area of Galway where it originated.
Some symbols like the Celtic Cross and trinity knot have come to represent Christian ideas despite the fact that they pre-dated Christianity. They were adopted by early missionaries who gave new meanings to existing Celtic icons to help convert the Irish.
Ironically, in many cases the symbols have gone full circle with people across the world wearing them to represent their Celtic heritage rather than Christian faith.
In this section we look at some of the most popular symbols in Celtic jewelry.
Celtic cross
Dates back more than 1500 years to the Ireland of the druids and early Christianity.
Claddagh ring
Widely used as a wedding ring, and is also popular to mark an engagement or just a friendship.
Tara Brooch
Regarded as one of the masterpieces of early Irish art and craftsmanship.
Trinity knot
Had deep symbolic meaning for the ancient Celts and later the early Christians
Irish Symbols – each with their own fascinating origins and still relevant today