"CELTIC SYMBOLS

Many of the pots I design are decorated with sprigs of celtic spirals and knots. Other work is simply decorated with glazes and colours that reflect my connection to the celtic calendar and seasons that surround me.
 
Because ancient Celts kept no written records to tell us what these artistic symbols mean, we have only what has been passed down in the oral tradition, from generation to generation. So it's hard to know the difference between facts and myths.

The true meaning of Celtic symbols is primarily speculation.

Celtic Spirals These mythical spirals, like the one shown at left, are among the oldest symbols associated with Celtic art. They are believed to represent the spiritual balance between inner and outer consciousness...and much, much more. The triskele (or triskelion) is a three-pronged spiral, and is often used as a basis for more complex spirals. Some suggest ancient Celtic triskeles represented the Triple Goddess of the three ages of womanhood. It later came to represent the Holy Trinity in Christianity - God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Whatever its meaning, it is interesting that the motif is based around the number 3 - regarded as a highly sacred number in many ancient cultures.

Knotwork Design  The simple triqueta shown here, commonly known as the Trinity knot, takes an individual strand and wraps it into and onto itself, such that it becomes a three-lobed, yet singular design. Contrary to popular belief, these knotwork designs didn't appear until the mid-7th century when Irish monks began compiling their illuminated manuscripts of the Christian gospels. So although there are many other prehistoric Celtic symbols, Celtic knotwork is the distinctively Irish contribution to those ancient Celtic designs. In the pagan mindset this design symbolized the connection of the three planes of existence: mind, body, and spirit. To Christians, it illustrated the essential core of Christian belief wherein one God was Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. For both beliefs, the Trinity knot symbolizes the way in which three separate essences were vitally interconnected.