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Celtic design tattoos have become a favorite design choice in recent years. Celtic tattoos are so unique and beautiful, that it’s no secret why these designs are so popular. They are often blackened with lots of shading and the symbols used are intricate and lovely.

It’s thought that Celtic tattoo designs trace their origins back to a clan that inhabited the British Isles called the Picts. Just about all historians think that the Picts tattooed themselves by puncturing their skin with red-hot tools to produce complex and permanent artwork on their body. Later on, they began to using a blue pigment derived from the leaves of a native plant.

The Celtic design tattoos created by the Picts began to have a mysterious religious and symbolic significance. Celtic artwork and symbolism embodied a mix of Druid and Christian religions. The Celts didn’t have a printed language and alternatively communicated their customs and beliefs by word of mouth. Once the first Christian missionaries arrived to the British Isles they established written communication within the Celtic culture. At the same time the monks adopted many of the active Celtic beliefs, and symbols into the Christian religion. This was done in order to bridge the gap between the Druid beliefs and those of the Christians. A great deal of this work was saved by the Christian monks in the “Books Of Kells” which is today housed at Trinity College in Ireland. Therefore the early tattoo designs of the Picts evolved over time and blended with Christian beliefs to form what we know of as Celtic artwork today. The Celtic Cross and Shamrock are two such designs that have survived the test of time.

The Meaning Behind Celtic Symbols

The Celtic Knot

Most Celtic artwork starts with a common knot design. These are attractive knots of interlaced lines that cross over one another repeatedly to produce an exquisite design. These knots don’t have a start or an end they are simply a perpetual knot that goes on eternally. These interwoven lines are thought to symbolize the spiritual and the physical realms of life, which become entangled with each other.

Celtic Tree Of Life Tattoo

Among the favorite themes of Celtic tattoo designs is the Tree Of Life. This in all likelihood goes back as a symbol to the Druidic religion, which was a nature, based religion. Trees frequently symbolize life, growing from a seed into a tree much like a person grows from a child into an adult. Trees are often seen as a life giving plant and are venerated in many naturalistic faiths. There is also an association with Christianity in the Adam and Eve story in which Eve eats the fruit from a tree.

The Celtic Cross Tattoo

Among the most popular and most lasting Celtic designs is the Celtic Cross. The symbolism here is obviously Christian and comes from Jesus on the cross. These are beautiful crosses done with interlacing lines of Celtic knots.

Celtic Heart Tattoos

Another favorite Celtic design theme is a heart. Celtic heart tattoos are once again intertwined knot work in the shape of a heart. Generally done in black color only but can also be done in color. These are exquisite designs and make great tattoos. These are particularly popular among women.

More Symbols Include:

Anchor: Steadfastness

Bell: Weddings, Anniversaries.

Chain Links: Linking of Lives, # of children, Years together.

Cross: Faith, Marriage.

Diamond: Wealth, Good Fortune.

Dragon: Symbol of Wales, Protection.

Flowers: Affection or Courtship, Friendship.

Heart: Love.

Horseshoe: Good Luck and Happiness.

Key: Home

Knot: Everlasting, together forever.

Leaves: Love Grows.

Ship: Smooth passage through life.

Vine: Love Grows.

Wheel: Willingness to work for a loved one.

Double Spoons: The Couple Together Forever.

Triple Spoons: Family.

This is a mere example of the vastness of the history of Celtic design tattoos.

Click Here To More Than 15,183 Tattoo Designs from All Over The World!

Celtic tattoos pattern are found in the ‘The Book of Kells’ which is a pictorial display of Celtic tradition and heritage. The Celtic tattoo,  used by tattoo artists around the world, are the most esteemed among the tribal tattoo world. Taken from the metalwork that resembled the tattoo and the tattoo themselves, the artwork and intricacy of each tattoo shows labor and faith put into its creation. The talent of the original artist should be sought in the tattoo artist that you choose. The process is labor intensive because of the intricate pattern and could be expensive, but you will come out with a Celtic tattoo that any person of Celtic descent would recognize with honor.

Known as the hardest designs in the world by tattoo artists, Celtic tattoos session can take up to several hours as opposed to a simple tattoo, that can be accomplished in one or two. The effort and skill it takes to accomplish Celtic tattoos requires the monetary application that fits that skill. Celtic tattoos can run from two hundred dollars all the way up to five thousand dollars. Some traditionalists will t ravel to Ireland, Scotland, or Wales to have the tattoo applied by one of the descendants of the Celtic clans. If you travel to some of these destinations to have your tattoo drawn, be prepared to be turned down by some artists because you are not of Celtic ancestry.

The popular areas of the body where Celtic tattoos can be drawn are usually around the bicep or calve muscles. These tattoos not only draw notice to these areas but on most people it gives a sense of beauty. Weight lifters and other athletic people that have large muscles in this area of the body choose to put their Celtic tattoos in that area to make it more noticable. There are some cases, especially with women that Celtic tattoos are extended and drawn around their waist curving toward sensual places of their body. This alluring tattoo will carry the same Celtic design but will alter to place emphasis on the curve of the body and the amount of exotic design the customer wants. The extreme body art enthusiast has been known to have Celtic tattoos around their neck or across their forehead. These areas of the body are for experienced tattoo wearers who consider their entire canvas for the art.

Click Here To More Than 15,183 Tattoo Designs from All Over The World!