Holding Cross Tattoo

Holding Cross Tattoo

The origin of the Celtic cross tattoo designs has been lost in history. The Celts did not keep written records, yet they have a unique oral history that was handed down to the Roman times and the these designs can be traced back to then. The first mention of the Celts as wildly tattooed people, appears in 400AD, after a battle with the Italians, and the cross can be traced back to their first work with stone and metals during the previous century.

The Book of Kells is a manuscript of Celt artwork and many of the these designs seen today are taken from this book. This volume of ancient images is filled with the intricate Celtic knots, and geometric designs of the Celts textiles, pottery, and paintings, and the standing stones, or stone crosses that dot their homelands.

Celtic cross tattoo designs have been traced back to the Druids who used the symbolism of the cross with its four equal points as representative of the four natural elements, earth, wind, fire, and water. The center circle is the symbol of unending life, and the natural relationship between life and death. The Celtic crosses feature other symbols pf supernatural power as well.

The dragon was brought to the British Isles by the Vikings, and its use in the Celtic crosses tats is a powerful symbol of protection. The dragon forms a circle with its tail in its mouth, another symbol of life, and the Druids believed the earth was the body of the Dragon. The ancient standing stones of Stonehenge are placed on apart of earth that was considered the powerful heart of the dragon.

The Celtic Knot pattern found on this model is made up of a pattern of lines that has no beginning, and no ending, life eternal, once more. With a variety of designs incorporating loops, swirls, and geometric patterns, the Celtic knot is a maze of lines that are never placed so close together they bleed over. The styles can feature solid black or colorful renditions of dragons, faeries, and natural elements of flowers, vines, and of course the sacred Rowan Tree.

The British Isles are filled with the standing stones that feature the this cross, and its many symbols. These ancient sacred sites predate the Christian era by thousands of years. Older Christian churches in Ireland, Wales, and Scotland feature many examples of beautiful architecture that have the Celtic cross as one of the design elements. Gorgeous stained glass windows show iconic scenes of Christian figures around the Pagan cross representation.