Celtic Engagement Rings

Celtic Culture

Celtic Culture

Popular Celtic Wedding Rings

You don't have to have Irish roots to appreciate Celtic culture. The art has endured over the centuries because it's not only beautiful, but it has history and meaning that no other style can compete with. That's why it has lasted so long, and why Celtic wedding rings are so popular even today.

From a purely visual level, the designs are intricate and convey a seriousness difficult to copy. On a spiritual level, Celtic wedding rings mean the joining of two people who love each other. Couple that with the rich spiritual history of the Celts and it takes on an even deeper meaning. The sensual lines that circle the rings, intertwining and flowing around each other touches many people. It is these qualities that make them perfect for weddings.

Popular Celtic wedding rings designs are plain bands with or without Gaelic inscription, decorative bands, the Claddagh, Celtic knots, love knot and others like the cross and pentacle.

The bands are probably the most popular ring design right now. They can be the plain band, just like a standard man's wedding ring often thicker set, and with decorated or plain edging. Gaelic inscriptions are popular, such as "Gra Dilseacht Cairdeas," which means love, friendship and loyalty, "Gra Go Deo," which means love forever and "Mo Anam Cara," which means soul mate. All three inscriptions lend themselves well to marriage, hence their popularity.

Decorative bands are the signature Celtic design. These are often sturdier built than other wedding rings and will contain either a single line design flowing around it, or a pair of intertwining lines. These are taken to represent both the spirits in the marriage, and strike a particular chord with the spiritually minded.

The Claddagh is the most famous Celtic ring, although the design we know today is only a few hundred years old. Legend has it that it used a much older design as inspiration and took it from there. The hands of the Claddagh signify faith and trust. The heart promises not only love but also charity. The crown signifies loyalty along with honor, or the hope of future glory.

Celtic knots are made with a knot with no beginning or end. Some people find this meaningful, as it reflects how they feel about their marriage. It makes a popular Celtic wedding ring for this reason. The lovers knot is exactly the same, but is of purely Scots origin.

Most Celtic designs come from Britain as a whole, but each region had a different way of doing things. The lovers knot is Scotland's style of Celtic knot. Celtic wedding rings with this knot symbolize eternity.

The Celtic cross and pentacle are lesser known jewelry designs. They are found mostly on other objects such as architecture and ornaments. The Celtic cross predates the Christian one by a long way and symbolizes the four elements. Despite current use of the pentacle, it has nothing to do with the dark side. It too reflects the four elements, with the fifth of spirit.

About the Author

Leigh Maher researches and writes about Celtic jewelry, and specialises in Celtic wedding rings, Celtic engagement rings and bridal jewelry. He also writes about wedding traditions, Celtic culture, and Ireland.

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Celtic Culture $485 This encyclopedia covers the entirety of the Celtic world, both through time and across geography. Although emphasizing the areas where Celtic languages and traditions survive into the present, the work also covers the Celtic empire, the largest language and cultural group on earth prior to the rise of Rome.

Step into the Celtic World (Paperback) $26.72 Explores the culture and beliefs of the Celtic people, with fifteen projects that enable readers to recreate some everyday Celtic items.

Stained Glass Windows By Harry Clarke, Diseart Institute of Education and Celtic Culture $19.99 Stained Glass Windows By Harry Clarke, Diseart Institute of Education and Celtic Culture - Photographic Print

Women in Celtic Law and Culture $116.95 No Synopsis Available

Celtic Culture : A Historical Encyclopedia $472.88 No Synopsis Available

Celtic Europe Map 1977 $29.95 Learn all about the ancient Celts, founders of Europe, with this educational map published in May 1977. Accompanying the article The Celts and the map of modern Europe, this informative supplement is filled with details about Celtic civilization, its range through the ages, and locations of historical sites.The 1977 Celtic Europe map features An abundance of historical information about Celtic civilization including warfare, religion, agriculture, and arts The extent of Celtic culture in Europe and tribal names Four inset maps detailing the regions of Celtic culture through the ages Celtic settlements including those which are now modern cities Achaeological sites, sanctuaries, monastic sites, battle sites, and walls Important archaeological finds Vibrant illustrationsCoverage Area Europe

Cask Shaped Armband, Hallstatt Culture, from Jura $49.99 Celtic Cask Shaped Armband, Hallstatt Culture, from Jura - Giclee Print

Celtic Myths $7.28 Fragments of the rich and complex mythology of the ancient Celts of pre-Roman Europe were preserved in the monasteries of early Christian Ireland and in stories first written down in medieval Wales. The exploits of Cúlchulainn and Fionn mac Cumhaill and of Deirdre and Rhiannon have their roots in the Iron Age and have come down to us from the tales of Celtic bards and storytellers.The myths relate epic stories of heroic ancestors, when the divine and mortal realms were intimately bound up with each other and gods and goddesses inhabited the natural world. The stories are rich with religious symbolism and give an idea of how the Celts perceived the world in which they lived. They also tell of the lives of the people themselves; of kings and queens, husbands and wives, warriors and farmers.Along the Atlantic coast of Western Europe aspects of the oral culture of the Celts persisted against the tide of history and into the modern age. The languages and traditions of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall and Brittany, together with the surviving myths, provide glimpses back into the Celtic world and are a continuing connection to a culture otherwise known through archaeology and the accounts of classical authors.Recent studies into the genetic make-up of the people of Britain and Ireland indicate a much closer relationship between the peoples of the British Isles, including the English, than had previously been thought, going back further than the Iron Age. This suggests that Celtic mythology could have a resonance with the original Mesolithic inhabitants of the islands and, by extension, with the people who live throughout the archipelago today.

We Are Celtic Supporters $8.33 In We Are Celtic Supporters Richard Purden examines what created the culture, ideas and beliefs around Celtic football club. In new and exclusive interviews with supporters, he explores the Celtic way of life and the rich traditions that give context to much of the support while deconstructing some myths along the way. As a travelling supporter he visits a variety of fans in locations such as New York, Spain, Germany, Italy and various parts of the UK. He talks to well-known Celtic supporters such as James MacMillan about the often misrepresented Catholic roots, to Pat Nevin about why he fell out of love with the club and to a number of well-known rock 'n' rollers such as Noel Gallagher, Bobby Gillespie and Johnny Marr. We Are Celtic Supporters gives the inside story of how major events in Celtic's history have shaped the identity of the fans, and what it really means to follow this unique football club.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Celtic Wisdom $15.99 A comprehensive look at Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and continental Celtic traditions, both Pagan and Christian, this guide includes the Celtic approach to shamanism, fairies, Wicca, neopaganism, magic, and Druidism. It draws a map for today's Celtic quest, with the way of the pilgrim, honor of one's ancestors, and the language and culture. Exploring the Celtic universe-gods and goddesses, mythic heroes and warriors, wonderworkers, underworlds, and otherworlds-this manual also covers legends such as King Arthur, Merlin, and the Quest for the Holy Grail.

Celtic $209.99 Celtic - Wall Tapestry

Celtic Legends Set DVD $39.98 There is an enduring fascination for the tribes of the Celtic people who dominated Western Europe before it fell under Roman rule. It was a time filled with colorful tales of kings, queens, wizards and warriors. Now, the legends of ancient Celtic culture can be experienced in this entertaining and informative set. INCLUDES: The Arthurian Legends / Scottish Legends / Irish Legends (3 DVD) approx. 150 mins.

Celtic Angels At Christmas $10.29 Rated: NASynopsis: CELTIC ANGELS AT CHRISTMAS showcases six uniquely talented Celtic Angels Gillian Boucher, Stephanie Hardy, Kendra MacGillivray, Sabra MacGillivray, Maggie MacInnes and Patricia Murray performing Christmas music with Celtic style. The setting for these intimate performances is an elegant world of winter white. Gillian Boucher is a remarkable fiddler known across the globe as one of the strongest bearers of Cape Breton music and culture. Also from Cape Breton, vocalist Stephanie Hardy is the latest artist to emerge from the vibrant East Coast music scene. Fiddler Kendra MacGillivray plays the music of her Scottish ancestors with energy and passion. Canada s leading ambassador of Celtic dancing, Sabra MacGillivray, shows off her champion style and introduces a fun group of young wee angel step dancers. Scottish artist Maggie MacInnes, a master of the clarsach (Celtic harp) performs heartrending traditional Scottish hymns in Gaelic. Patricia Murray, Prince Edward Island s leading Celtic singer, absolutely glows in magnetic performances of the carols she has chosen for the show.

Celtic Geographies $71.95 This book critically examines the notion of Celticity from a geographical perspective and explores the ways an old culture is being reinvented to serve the needs of a particular group of people in these new times.

Early Celtic Christianity $140 This lively and original account of early Celtic Christianity - which was of far greater importance in the development of Western culture than we commonly realize - is told against the background of European history of the first seven centuries A.D. It focuses on the lives of Saints Brendan, Columba, and Columbanus, who lived active and effective lives in the cause of the early Church. Brendan, one of the founding fathers of Christianity in Ireland, was known in legend as a voyager and was thought to have reached the Western Hemisphere long before the Vikings. Columba took Celtic Christianity to Scotland and helped to re-establish it in Wales and in the North and West of England. Columbanus was the great Irish missionary to continental Europe, where he and his followers helped to convert the heathen invaders from the East. When Rome, in the person of St. Augustine, Pope Gregory's apostle to the Angles, penetrated again to England, a showdown between Roman and Celtic Christianity was inevitable. The dramatic confrontation occurred at the Council of Whitby in 664. Rome, with its organization and authority, won, and Celtic Catholicism went into eclipse. But some of its influence persisted all over Europe, and it had a large share in shaping the culture that ultimately emerged from the dark ages. This book's fascination is the picture that it gives of the movements of peoples, the shaping of new countries, and the development of ideas during those too-little-known centuries.

On Celtic Tides $26.2 An avid sea kayaker writes about Irish history and culture, which presents an opportunity for self-reflection and soul searching. Chris Duff has traveled thousands of miles by sea kayak, including the three-month journey around the British Isles he describes here.

Dictionary of Celtic Mythology $3.95 The Celts were one of the great founding civilizations of Europe and the first North European people to emerge into recorded history, producing a vibrant labyrinth of mythological tales and sagas that have influenced the literary traditions of Europe and the world. The first A-Z reference of its kind, Dictionary of Celtic Mythology is fascinating and accessible guide to the gods and goddesses, the heroes and heroines, the magical weapons, fabulous beasts, and otherworld entities that populate the myths of this rich European culture. Like A Dictionary of Irish Mythology before it, this is a who's who and what's what of the epic Celtic sagas and tales. Predated only by Greek and Latin by virtue of the fact that the Celtic languages were not written until the early Christian era, Celtic mythology is a development from a far earlier oral tradition containing voices from the dawn of European civilization. The peoples of these Celtic cultures survive today on the western seaboard of Europe--the Irish, Manx, and Scots, who make up the Goidelic- (or Gaelic) speaking branch of Celts, and the Welsh, Cornish, and Brentons, who represent the Brythonic-speaking branch. And it is in these languages that their vibrant and fascinating mythology has been recorded and appreciated throughout the world. In his introduction, Ellis discusses the roles of these six cultures, the evolution (or demise) of the languages, and the relationship between the legends, especially the Irish and Welsh, the two major Celtic cultures. From Celtic legends have come not only the stories of Cuchulainn and Fionn MacCumhail, of Deidre of the Sorrows and the capricious Grainne, but the stories of the now world-famous Arthur, and the romantic tragedy of Tristan and Iseult. An easy-to-read handbook, The Dictionary of Celtic Mythology presents a fascinating window to centuries of rich oral and written tradtion from the mists of Europe's origins.

Celtic FC - Classic Celtic $5.99 Celtic FC - Classic Celtic

Cracker Culture $19.2 Cracker Culture is a provocative study of social life in the Old South that probes the origin of cultural differences between the South and the North throughout American history. Among Scotch-Irish settlers the term “Cracker” initially designated a person who boasted, but in American usage the word has come to designate poor whites. McWhiney uses the term to define culture rather than to signify an economic condition. Although all poor whites were Crackers, not all Crackers were poor whites; both, however, were Southerners. The author insists that Southerners and Northerners were never alike. American colonists who settled south and west of Pennsylvania during the 17th and 18th centuries were mainly from the “Celtic fringe” of the British Isles. The culture that these people retained in the New World accounts in considerable measure for the difference between them and the Yankees of New England, most of whom originated in the lowlands of the southeastern half of the island of Britain. From their solid base in the southern backcountry, Celts and their “Cracker” descendants swept westward throughout the antebellum period until they had established themselves and their practices across the Old South. Basic among those practices that determined their traditional folkways, values, norms, and attitudes was the herding of livestock on the open range, in contrast to the mixed agriculture that was the norm both in southeastern Britain and in New England. The Celts brought to the Old South leisurely ways that fostered idleness and gaiety. Like their Celtic ancestors, Southerners were characteristically violent; they scorned pacifism; they considered fights and duels honorable and consistently ignored laws designed to control their actions. In addition, family and kinship were much more important in Celtic Britain and the antebellum South than in England and the Northern United States. Fundamental differences between Southerners and Northerners shaped the course of antebellum American history; their conflict in the 1860s was not so much brother against brother as culture against culture.

Hallstatt Culture $103.56 The Hallstatt culture was the predominant Central European culture from the 8th to 6th centuries BC (European Early Iron Age), developing out of the Urnfield culture of the 12th century BC (Late Bronze Age) and followed in much of Central Europe by the La Tne culture. By the 6th century BC, the Halstatt culture extended for some 1000 km, from the ChampagneArdenne in the west, through the Upper Rhine and the upper Danube, as far as the Vienna Basin and the Danubian Lowland in the east, from the Main, Bohemia and the Little Carpathians in the north, to the Swiss plateau, the Salzkammergut and to Lower Styria. It is named for its type site, Hallstatt, a lakeside village in the Austrian Salzkammergut southeast of Salzburg. The culture is commonly linked to ProtoCeltic and Celtic populations in its western zone and with (pre)Illyrians in its eastern zone. Author: Miller, Frederic P./ Vandome, Agnes F./ McBrewster, John Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 142 Publication Date: 2009/12/28 Language: English Dimensions: 5.98 x 9.01 x 0.33 inches

Celtic Needlepoint (Paperback) $30.04 Using her stunning eye for design and her in-depth knowledge of traditional forms, Alice Starmore presents 18 original needlepoint projects inspired by Celtic culture. She takes readers on a journey through the history of this ancient art famous for its nature-based motifs and mesmerizing geometric designs. Crafters will find inspiration and instruction in such gorgeous designs as key, spiral, knotwork, bird, tree, and animal patterns worked in beautiful yarns on a variety of canvases.

Cracker Culture: Celtic Ways in the Old South $2.5 No Synopsis Available

The Horse in Celtic Culture: Medieval Welsh Perspectives $32.5 No Synopsis Available

Cracker Culture : Celtic Ways in the Old South $23.4 No Synopsis Available

Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium (Hardcover) $90.19 Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium has in its purview all aspects of culture, language, and history of the Celtic peoples, from ancient to modern times. PHCC, 31 features ?Culture, Identity and the Medieval Revival in Victorian Wales,? the 2011 J. V. Kelleher lecture given by Huw Pryce of Bangor University, Wales, which looks at Victorian views of the past in Wales. The volume also considers the linguistic shifts in several of the Celtic languages, both in early periods and more recent times, and it contains articles concerning the history, culture, and literatures of Ireland, Wales, and Cornwall. In addition, PHCC, 31 includes several articles on historiography in various areas and times, as well as others that examine later reflections on the Easter Rising in Ireland (1916), the renewed interest in regional language in Cornwall, the historic reflexes of the title Bragmaticus, and literary reflexes of archaeological remains in medieval Wales.

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