The knot, as stylized and used in Celtic wedding rings design is a perfect symbol for the bonds of matrimony and the joining of two lives. If you and your partner are considering using wedding bands that incorporate traditional Celtic patterns, you may be curious as to the Celtic heritage. The Celts encompass a large number of different ethnic groups connected by a common Indo-European language.
The modern Celtic nations are Brittany, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. The Celtic Diaspora can be found in all English speaking nations of the world. Among outsiders, Celtic art and traditions are often mistaken for the closely related Gaelic traditions of the Irish people. It was long thought that the use of a related language indicated that the Celtic nations were the product of a common ancestor but recent DNA studies have indicated this is not the case.
Celtic art in modern usage refers to the designs and motifs that came to prominence during the Celtic art revival of the eighteenth century. This revival was born out of the desire by the Welsh and Scottish to assert their cultural identities in the face of the dominance of English culture in political and religious areas.
Celtic art is primarily ornamental, making it well suited to jewelry. In this it has more in common with Arabic art than with the representational art of the classical tradition. Unlike Arabic art, however, Celtic art avoids straight lines and employs symmetry only sparingly.
A common and unique motif in Celtic art is the knot. It is used to symbolize infinity, eternity and union. It is this that makes Celtic bands uniquely suited for matrimonial jewelry.
There are some beautiful three dimensional Celtic wedding rings available. These designs do not have the traditional flat band with solid, even edges. The band is formed by the loops of the featured knot pattern, with open spaces captured within the design. A variation on this is two solid ring edges serving as a frame for a graceful flow of rope-like metal capturing open space within the design.
Ring edging is also an area in which Celtic knot motifs allow the designer exceptional freedom. Because the underlying theme is that of a rope, it is not necessary for there to be any edge to the band at all, other than that provided by the knot pattern itself. In many ways, Celtic wedding rings are one of last artistic expressions of intricate metal work. The filigree of the Victorian era has a dated look compared to the graceful, long curves of modern Celtic design. The filigree of Celtic knot designs surpasses the temporal limitations of fashion.
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