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History of the Celtic Cross
By Leigh G. Maher
There is an old Irish tale of a man who, while trying to
explain a new deity, drew a picture of the sun and
inscribed a cross in front. This man, St. Patrick, was
so successful at his explanation that the entire island
of Ireland was soon converted to Catholicism. Today,
many historians argue that this story is not factual,
but the essence of the Celtic cross has remained
intrinsically Irish.
A Celtic cross is a cross with a circle surrounding the
intersecting points. This cross was elongated to include
the Christian symbol, creating the design that many know
today. The symbol of the cross appeared in Celtic art
and symbolism previous to the arrival of Christianity.
There is evidence of Druid carvings denoting this
symbol, representing the sun and the joining of forces
from four parts of the world. However, the spread of
Christianity decreased the use of the Celtic cross as a
pagan symbol, and created the Celtic Christian cross
that is most commonly seen today.
Celtic High Crosses, which are richly decorated,
free-standing crosses, were created in the 7th century
throughout Ireland, Scotland and England by monks to
mark significant towns and areas. Carved from stone,
examples of these crosses can be found in Kells, County
Meath and Ardboe, County Tyrone. During the Celtic
Revival, these crosses became very popular and were used
as the basis for gravestone designs. During the
rebellion in the early 1900s, the English used the beams
of the high crosses to hang rebels as a public display.
Today, many Celtic cross pendants take cues from these
historic markers and include beautiful knots and
inscriptions in their designs.
The designs can range from simple borders to intricate
knotwork and carvings of Biblical stories. Similar to
Gospel illumination, the carvings and designs told
specific stories and gave particular meanings to each
cross. These designs can be helpful in determining where
the cross originated and from what century. The shapes
of the crosses themselves, such as a cap on the top of
the cross, can also be an indicator.
Today, like the knotwork found on a Celtic knot pendant,
Celtic crosses have become more of a declaration of
heritage than faith. Celtic crosses are found widely in
art, tattoo designs, and in jewelry. Earrings,
necklaces, and Celtic bracelets use the Celtic cross as
a major design. Many signs, such as the Gaelic Athletic
Association's emblem, use the Celtic cross to associate
itself with its changing symbolism. Whether seen as a
Pagan, Christian, or purely decorative symbol, the
Celtic cross is a beautiful design steeped in mystery
and continues to evolve. |
