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Celtic knots are well known but did you know that they are not exclusive to the Celts? They actually appear earlier in history in Roman mosaics and were also used by the Vikings and Saxons. They represent patterns made by threads or ropes, intricately woven, not necessarily in the form of a knot. Sometimes they are continuous, i.e. without any loose ends when they are called Gordian knots, named after the famous knot that Alexander the Great attempted to untie. When he failed, as he must as the knot had no end, he took his sword and sliced it through, cutting it in half in order to produce two ends.

Early examples of Knotwork

These intricately knotted patterns are seen in art work from the Roman Empire during the third and fourth centuries A.D., especially in floor mosaics. Before the Christian influence on the Celts, i.e. before about 450 A.D., Celtic art work included key patterns, spirals and step patterns. Early Christian manuscripts from the Celts show these patterns plus more representative art were depicting plants, animals and other images from life. Initially these knotted patterns of interlaced plaits were also found in many other places and times. The very earliest example of a Celtic knot can be seen in the Gospel book which was created in the seventh century in the north of Britain and is now in the cathedral library at Durham Cathedral.

Early Plaitwork

Plaitwork refers to an unbroken woven cord and is seen in earlier work prior to the appearance of true Celtic knots. The first designs characteristic of Celtic knots was seen in southern Gaul and northern Italy and  they spread to Ireland by the seventh century. Although we associate this type of knot with the Celts they were also used in other parts of the British Isles and from there carried to other parts of Europe by traveling monks. Nowadays typical cell signal is associated with Ireland, Scotland or Wales.

The Triqetra

One type of Celtic knot, called the triquetra, is seen originally In very early Germanic coins and rune stones from the northern part of Europe where it was used as a pagan religious symbol, possibly associated with the Norse god Odin. The triquetra is associated with the Insular art period of Celtic and was used in illustrated texts, such as the famous Book of Kells, and on metalwork. It was generally used along with other types of Celtic knots and very rarely used on its own. Although we do not know if the triquetra had any symbolic significance to the Celts more modern interpretations have given it a special significance as a symbol of things that are threefold, such as the Holy Trinity, the past, present and future, or mother, daughter and granddaughter.

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