The Celtic Love Knot symbol is shaped like two interlocking hearts and usually arranged inside an oval. It is said to symbolize the love between two people. Celts are said to have exchanged these knots in the same way that many couples do nowadays. These elegantly arranged knots were first invented by the early Scottish, Welsh, and Irish Celts around 2500 BCE, and they were said to represent eternal life.
Celtic Love Knot Symbol: History And Meaning
If you want to learn more about the Celtic love knot symbol, read on to find out the meaning, history, and significance of this Celtic symbol.
History of Celtic Love Knot
Interwoven designs initially appeared in the handicrafts of the Roman Empire, according to most historians. Knot designs were first found in the third and fourth century AD and were quickly translated to mosaic floor patterns as well. Byzantine architecture, Celtic art, Coptic art, Islamic art, and other art forms all made extensive use of this art form.
Meanwhile, Pre-Christianity and post-Christianity are the two eras that defined knot and interlace patterns in Celtic culture. Pre-Christianity themes such as spirals, step patterns, and key patterns are among the earliest and most common. Interlace design, looping, braiding, and knotting, on the other hand, became popular in the third and fourth centuries. The Celtic Love Knot that we know today evolved from these patterns.
When Christianity spread across the British Isles, Celtic and Anglo-Saxon traditions fused to create the distinctive “Celtic” art we see today. The famed Book of Kells, produced in the 9th century C.E., contains one of the best early historical records we have regarding Celtic love knots and other variations.
The Celtic Love Knot Symbol
The Celtic Love Knot, also known as the Anam Cara Knot (derived from the Irish words that mean “soul friend”, from Celtic wisdom), is a relatively new addition to the Celtic knot family.
One heart is formed by the intertwining of two Celtic knot hearts. This is a modern twist on the traditional Celtic knot. The pattern is infinite once again, and it is used to symbolize an everlasting love relationship.
This design has intertwined knots that symbolize two people’s love. The Celtic love knot is shaped like two interlocking hearts and is commonly found in an oval shape.
It is thought that the Celts exchanged these knots in the same way that we do today with rings.
The Celtic Love Knot is now commonly seen in jewelry (especially rings and pendants), embroidery, logo design, and body art.
Celtic Love Knot Symbol Meaning
This particular Celtic Knot design is said to represent the concept of Anam Cara, which is another name for the knot.
Anam Cara is a Celtic term for “soul friend” in religion and spirituality. This is also the anglicization of the Irish word Anamchara, which means “soul” and “fellow.”
“Soul friends” are considered to be an important and integral aspect of spiritual development in the Celtic faith. Brigid of Kildare advised a young cleric, “… anyone without a soul companion is like a body without a head,” according to the accounts in Martyrology of Óengus. The Welsh have a concept similar to Anam Cara, and it is called periglour.
The knot’s unbroken loops, which have no beginning or end, also represent eternity, much like a married couple’s love. There is even a legend that speaks about couples who tie a love knot on a short tree limb. If the knot stays in place for a year, it symbolizes their love will endure.
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