Countless people all over the world find the signs and meanings of Celtic jewelry designs enthralling and love to have a collection of gold or Celtic knot silver jewelry. There are numerous exquisite pieces of jewelry depicting Celtic knots and other Celtic designs and it can be intriguing collecting jewelry with either a distinct type of motif, for instance the triquetra, or a set with all designs. It can give more value to your collection if you understand something regarding the history and folklore of the Celtic nation who used these designs in their everyday life on their jewelry and everyday objects. While meanings of Celtic knot designs are, in general, lost to us, nonetheless a great deal is acknowledged regarding the history of the Celtic people.

The period of the history of the Celts dating from about 600 AD. in Great Britain after the Roman Era, identified as the Insular Art period, saw an explosion of jewelry crafting and design. Artisans used precious metals to construct many intricately designed pieces ornamented with the well recognised Celtic knots but also spirals and animal symbols. As well as jewelry, illustrated texts were created, the most celebrated of these is the Book of Kells. Crosses made of stone were carved with the Celtic symbols and could be seen all over the British Isles, in Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Creators of Celtic Knot jewelry today are inspired by the jewelry that was made all through this time, taking their ideas from the illustrated texts, stone crosses and relics still seen throughout the land today. Irish designers are experts in making top quality jewelry in gold and silver, bearing the convoluted designs so treasured by the Celts long ago. They beautify their jewelry with the complex knotwork seen in these antique relics.

The original meanings of many of the designs have been lost to us and several meanings have been fabricated by modern people, so discovering the original meaning of some of the designs is difficult and in several cases impossible. Nonetheless historians can be of the same opinion on a few things with reference to the Celtic knot designs. The convoluted knots represent how all things are united and also stand for God’s perpetual love. The Book of Kells is opulently illustrated in bold colors with Celtic knots. The Celtic knot is possibly, the most well known and most commonly treasured Celtic character and is a trait of numerous pieces of fine Celtic knot jewelry including rings, Celtic crosses, pendants and wedding bands.

Triquetra, or trinity knots are repeatedly seen in jewelry from the Insular Art period specially in illustrated texts, such as the Book of Kells, and in metal work. It was generally used in combination with supplementary knots and was frequently used as a space filler rather than a stand alone design. In contemporary times the triquetra has turned into a Christian symbol that represents the Holy Trinity or as a representation of particular threefold things such as mother, daughter and granddaughter.

• Celtic Knot Symbols and their Meanings