The origin and meaning of the Celtic Knot
Written by Ciaran on May 12, 2026 | 0 Comments
Celtic Knots are interwoven with Irish cultural legacy. With roots that trace back over 4000 years, the Celtic Knot has epitomised Irish art and metalwork for over 1500 years, making it instantly recognisable worldwide.
Whether decorating the pages of ancient manuscripts like the Book of Kells, adorning high stone crosses that stand tall a millennium later, or forming integral elements of priceless ancient treasures like the Ardagh Chalice, the intricacies of these designs still inspire us today.
Intricate Celtic Knots illuminate each page of the spectacular Book of Kells
Photo Credit: Digital Collection of Trinity College Dublin
Origin And Meaning
Decorative patterns on artworks were present in Ireland long before the Celts. Stonemasons adorned megaliths like the entrance stone at Newgrane with intricate triskele, spiral and chevron designs.
Photo Credit: Annie Gormlie CC BY-NC 2.0 DEED
Not to be outdone, expert metalsmiths during the Early Bronze Age, over 4000 years ago crafted spectacular Gold lunula engraved with elaborate chevron and diamond designs.
The Coggalbeg lunula, a solid gold crescent decorated with elaborate designs, was discovered in Co. Roscommon, and is just one of the 80 or more gold lunula discovered to date in Ireland. Making gold lunula seems to be a local Irish tradition of craft using metal sourced from Ireland.
Photo Credit: National Museum of Ireland
Given the huge expanse of time since the production of these ancient wonders, we know very little about the people that made these extraordinary objects, and their motivations. They certainly seem to have been very important and quite possibly ceremonial objects with ties to celebrations of the sun.
Later Pre-christian Celtic art in Ireland typically featured spirals and botanic designs like those seen on the 1st century Turoe stone in Co. Galway
An image of the Turoe stone, pg. 128 of John Romilly’s 1904 book, Celtic Art in Pagan and Christian Times.
Photo Credit: Public Domain
The ancient motifs of spirals, plaits, braids, chevrons, step and key patterns, were were superseded by true Celtic Knots, those with no beginning or end, by the 7th Century in Ireland.
Look closely and you can see the characteristic Celtic knotwork in the intricate designs on one of the Carndonagh stones in Co. Donegal that date to the 7th century.
Photo Credit: Andreas F. Borchert (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Just like the earlier decorations on the lunula or the stones, the exact meaning of Celtic Knots that adorn Christian artefacts like standing stone crosses, metalwork like the Ardagh Chalice, or the incredible illuminated manuscripts like the Book of Kells, are lost to the mists of time.
The spectacular gold filigree found on the 8th century Ardagh Chalice is Celtic knotwork at its finest.
Some may be purely decorative, while others clearly represent flora and fauna. Many suggest they were used to express the intangibles of eternity and faith, protection and strength, or love and unity.
Different types of Celtic Knot
That said there are numerous different types of Celtic Knot, with eight different forms classified by archaeologist and historian, John Romilly. All of the myriad of different variations of Celtic knot patterns can be derived from these forms, with variation arising from the number of strands or chords involved, and how those strands cross or “break” each other.
An image compilation of the eight different types of Celtic Knot taken from pages 265 and 266 of J. Romilly Allen's 1904 book, Celtic Art in Pagan and Christian Times.
Photo Credit: Public Domain
These eight knots can also be arranged in different forms, in columns or rows, in circular bands, or shaped into triangles.
The Trinity Knot
This triangular type was, and remains, especially popular Irish Celtic art with the elemental Trinity Knot one of the most recognizable forms. Aligning with the cyclical nature of things in Celtic folklore and myth, this three-leaved knot rather pleasingly resembles the triskele which started it all over 5000 years ago in Ireland.
One of our Trinity Knot necklaces with a design that can trace it's roots back to the 7th century and beyond to the triskeles carved at Newgrange over 5000 years ago.
Meaning Today
Over the last two centuries, the unbroken nature of Celtic Knots has seen them adopted as a symbol of eternal love, strength and connection. Each strand combines with another to become part of something greater than itself: connected, strengthened, and supported.
You will also find mention of other Celtic Knot designs or types including infinity knots, love knots, or Dara or shield knots. Many of these types are more modern interpretations of this tradition, but they all continue the decorative craft of Celtic Knotwork that can trace it’s roots back 5000 years here in Ireland. We are proud to use Celtic Knots in our jewelry to share this beguiling, historic, and inspiring motif with the world
Celtic Knot Jewelry
If you fancy owning your own piece of Celtic culture, a piece from our extensive Celtic knot collection could be just the thing.
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Ciaran
My Irish Jeweler
Born in Co. Antrim and reared in Dublin, I was fascinated with Gaelic culture from an early age. I suppose it's not surprising given my mother inherited a grá for the Irish language from my grandfather, an Irish school headmaster. And that grá continues! My brother and sister are now Gaelic teachers here in Ireland, my niece is an award winning Irish dancer, and I proudly work to share Irish culture through our Irish and Celtic Jewelry at My Irish Jeweler!
I love researching and reading about the history of Irish design. It's at the core of what we do here at My Irish Jeweler. I find much of it so interesting that I have to share what I find. I hope you enjoy it!
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