Celtic Knotwork Jewelry
Q.i have a question about something I am selling that I am hoping someone in here can answer. I am not Wiccan, but I am personally interested in all things that fall under the New Age category... Wicca, Buddhism, etc. -- yes, I realize Wicca has been around eons longer than the New Age genre, but hopefully you see where I'm coming from. I "dabble" but am by far no expert. I have recently started making jewelry out of various pendants i myself have fallen in love with. I'm sure you've seen them in your local alternative bookstores... Dragons, Fairies, Celtic, etc. My question has to do with a Celtic knotwork pendant I've used in my latest project. The history that came with the pendant is very nice, and so I have included it in my item description: "The pendant's knotwork design was inspired by illuminations found in The Book of Kells, a handwritten collection of the Four Gospels prepared by Irish monks. These intricate drawings were to help people understand the Gospels, especially those who could not read Latin or who could not read at all. The most characteristic ornaments of The Book of Kells are the closely coiled spirals connected with each other by a number of curves." I often see symbols of a Celtic background associated with Wicca in that they are in the bookstores next to books on Witchcraft/Wicca, or a Wicca I know will be wearing a piece of Celtic knotwork jewelry... etc. My question is this: Being that this particular design was inspired by the Book of Kells... a Christian/Catholic book... were all Celtic knotwork designs inspired by this book... or does the book borrow the knotwork from the culture? Which came first? I would presume the knotwork came first since if they had an automatic religious connotation, I don't think Wiccans would wear them... or has the symbolism simply morphed?
A.Nowadays there is a lot of 'Pick & Mix' about. The knotwork came from the Celtic Culture, which is far older than Christianity or Wicca which is really a 20th Century phenomenon invented to fill a Nature Worship need by Gardner and Crowley (it is so alleged). I'm sure you will hear many voices on the subject, you decide who is sounding the most rational. Celtic design and knotwork came first, it was borrowed by the Irish monks to use in scrolls, and indeed the book of Kells is a prime and very beautiful example. Later periods also used Celtic artwork, including people in this century who find it fascinating and lovely. Many Celtic Christians brought with them into their new religion almost all of the beliefs and practices of their Pagan heritage. There may have been some "morphing" of traditions; but Celtic Christianity was basically baptized Celtic Paganism.
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