Elements of Celtic knots hold specific
meaning from the perspective of sacred geometry
Universal Meaning of Celtic
Knotwork
by Marc Choyt
In the spring of 2003, I
spent three weeks in the city of Chennai, formerly known as Madras,
located in Southern India. Each morning, walking before the heat of
the day, I was amazed to see intricate knot work patterns drawn out
free hand with flour in front of the driveways and gates of homes.
These artistic scrolls, I was told by an Indian friend, were
offerings to local gods, and were part of a tradition that stretched
back into the ancient past.
I have seen knot patterns in
my travels throughout many parts of the world. In Islamic countries
where iconography is prohibited, the mosques are heavily decorated
with knot-like patterns. Stone-carved knot work motifs can be found
on ruins from the Americas to the Hindu iconography of Bali,
Indonesia. In Tibet, the “eternal knot” is a common symbol
representing the endless cycles of existence.
The knot work most familiar
in the West is from Celtic iconography. Though the Celts, before the
Roman Empire, were spread throughout much of Western Europe, we’re
most familiar with their designs remaining today in England,
Scotland, Ireland and Wales. On the moors, surrounded by winding
rock walls and ancient neolithic bridges, this knot work carved in
stone transcends time. We know from the writings of the Romans that
the Celts believed strongly in the sacredness of place. Similar to
the beliefs of many in South India today, the land anchored a
particular god or goddess that was meant to be honored, though we do
not know whether the knot work designs were made as offerings.
The broad spectrum of knot
work designs found in many cultures suggests that the motif is both
universal and rooted in ancient mystery. From the most general
perspective, knot work iconography can be viewed as a metaphor for
our own unique tapestry of experience. On a macrocosmic level, the
knots express metaphorically that life on earth is deeply
interconnected, as illustrated in the Spider Women’s web or the
Great Hoop of Life in Native American stories. As one Native woman
told me, if you move a pebble on top of a mountain, you can change
the course of a mighty river. This is also expressed slightly
differently in the Biblical aphorism, “We reap what we sow,” which
is similar to the Eastern understanding of karma. Even physics today
speaks of a “unified field.”
Yet it is also true that
individual elements of knots hold specific meaning from the
perspective of sacred geometry. Look around you at different
geometric forms. Why is the earth, our eyes, the trunks of trees
circular instead of square? How does the circle function in the
world verses the triangle and what does that mean in terms of knot
work that uses circular patterns? Here are a few hints to help you
with these blueprints.
We speak of a circle of
friends and live in circular cycles, such as the day and the season.
Native cultures throughout the world hold ceremonies in protective
circles. A knot work pattern with circles or variations of circles
certainly has some important keys to relationships and community.
A square knot motif concerns
structure and stability, which is why buildings use the shape of a
square foundation. Numerology has always played a part in ancient
cultures and there are many books on the subject. The number five,
for example, represents the four directions and the center point, or
the five senses.
We also often see knot work
shaped like an oval, which is the shape of an egg. The oval has
something to do with generative creativity and birth. Planets circle
the sun in an oval. And if you squeeze an oval together you get the
lemniscates, the symbol for infinity which is very prevalent in knot
work motifs.
Many knot work motifs also
deal with vectors that travel in a certain direction. If you look at
the shape of an arrow, it’s easy to understand why a triangle might
connote movement.
Another common motif is the
knot work depicting a trinity. In the Celtic tradition, many deities
had three forms. The Mother Goddess was understood to the maiden,
mother and crone. The universe was viewed as heaven, earth and
otherworld. We are born, we live and we die. Certainly the trinity
knot also illustrates the One being dividing off into the masculine
and feminine, or the mother and son-- a mystical truth contemplated
in many sacred traditions.
The cross is also a symbol
rich in meaning. From a simple point of view, two lines crossing
symbolizing a connection or meeting which can be a point of
creativity. Some mystics speak of the horizontal axis representing
the earthly plain, while the vertical axis points toward the
heavens.
While the above guide for
understanding knot work is not necessarily based on any scholarly or
anthropological text on the meaning of knots, it does provide a
starting point that is based on a universal perspective. Most knot
work designs are going to have some variation of these shapes.
Spending time contemplating the motif may yield some insight.
Lastly, there’s an essential
reason why the knot work is so prevalent, and that is beauty. I will
never forget Jaisalmer, an ancient town in the desert of Rajasthan.
This ancient city, where caravans used to stop and trade, is made
from sandstone. Many of the buildings are carved with intricate knot
work patterns. Strangers walked up to me and said, “How do you like
our beautiful city?” I could see clearly how art is life-giving and
the need for beauty is something fundamental. In the middle of the
desert, the beautiful knot work in golden stone brings joy to the
heart.
Contributed by: Marc
Choyt ©2005, Marc Choyt Email: marek@celticjewelry.com Website:
www.artisanweddingrings.com Marc Choyt graduated from Brown
University in 1984 with a degree in English. In 1995, he received an
MA degree in Humanities from St. John's College. In 1996, he and his
wife, Helen Chantler, founded Reflective Images, a designer jewelry
company specializing in contemporary Celtic jewelry.
http://www.celticjewelry.com Please send email requests to
marek@celticjewelry.com.
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