The History of Celtic Jewelry

Celtic jewelry is rich in history. Many people are unaware that Celtic jewelry is based upon a culture that existed many centuries ago. The Celts dominated Central and Western Europe for about 1000 years. Since the Celts of old never developed a written language, much of their history is known only through their drawings and they passed their culture through generations by word of mouth, never writing down history or facts. The early Celts left behind an enduring legacy of almost hypnotic knots and spirals. These knots were so cleverly created some people call them "the work of angels".

Celtic society was in full bloom during the age of the Ancient Greeks and the Roman Empire and had developed a flourishing culture. Because the Celts put such a significant emphasis on drawings they developed and became a civilization of great artistic talent. Much of this artistic talent, drawings and artwork is what modern Celtic jewelry is based upon. Celtic craftsmen adapted ideas from nature to produce sophisticated and intricate designs derived from simple motifs using gold, bronze and silver.

Celtic jewelry took a lot of design inspiration from their fine creation of Celtic knots. The Celtic Knot (or sometimes called Celtic interlace) is a complete loop with no end or beginning. It is one of the best known motifs in Celtic jewelry and art and was primarily used to decorate Bible manuscripts, monuments, notably Celtic crosses and cross slabs. This intricate jewelry was most sought after and traded across the Mediterranean because of its unique beauty and craftsmanship.

If there ever were a way of honoring the ancient Celts, it would be the fact that people hold Celtic jewelry designs in high esteem. The most popular Celtic jewelry are earrings, pendants, brooches and bracelets made of various types of metals & elements. In recent years, they have become highly popular and highly prized. This should come as no surprise as the originality of the look of such jewelry makes them a highly prized item.

Our thanks to Ken Morgon for this interesting article on The History of Celtic Jewelry.