The Celtic Knot Explained

The Celtic Knot is a common symbol in the Celtic, Gaelic, and strangely Christian worlds. This week we discuss what it means, its origins, and what some particularly common knots mean, Enjoy!

[JesseGreenwood-ho]

I had a dream once that the weave pattern was a knot of protection--the more threads, the more protection. Makes sense, as that is the function of fabric. Cheers!

[fionac.]

How do you not have more subscribers? This whole channel has great production quality and I love the little info-humor-info sandwiches :D

[JingleJoe]

i want several hours of celtic knot content

[NeoNovastar]

Thank you SO much for this. Super educational and had a good laugh too. Thanks!

[CaskTheology]

Mate, your editing and comedic timing is getting way better! Not to brag, but I have seeen way too many English Beer Bellies than is necessary for any human. I think being nicked by us Christians was a better fate. At least we equated them to the Trinity or some metaphysical concept other than "It looks nice innit? I is lookin well 'ard."

[kanrup]

have you tried looking at these 'knots' (e.g. Celtic or Nordic knots). The eye tries to track the paths over and under. Trying to imagine the knot clearly within yourself has some interesting effects. The inner mind tries to track along the paths. An especially interesting firmness comes - trying to 'knot', center, point and condense the energies of the head. Like an exercise.

[coppermoth]

Would you ever be interested in making a series about all the different patterns?

[johnedwards]

Good video, this guys voice is not annoying which is good too

[JesseGreenwood-ho]

I was taught that the Celts picked up knotwork from the Persians on their way through there, and just improved on it like everything else.

[peggyg]

My 4th grade students are going to crack up watching this! Thank you, its a great explainer for our art project.😄

[MythologywithMike]

Wow the Celtic Knot is much younger than I thought it was. I always assumed it was a part of Celtic culture since before the Romans but color me a fool

[IrishEagIe]

@Anathena Productions

"Captured by Christianity" and the other attributes you made between Celtic art & Irish Christianity is a complete misrepresentation.

As we all know, the evangelization of Ireland properly took off during and after the mission of Saint Patrick. The 'adoption' of Celtic art into Christianty wasn't substigation at all, it became adopted because the people who converted were already using the Celtic art style, which is what they then used in the artstyle of the religion they joined.

This can be seen across many cultures across the world.
In Japan with the Shimabara, in Etheopia with the Etheopian Orthodox Church, with the Copts in the Coptic Orthodox Church, in China, the list goes on endlessly.

[romainvicta]

1:54 Many knots here are anglo Saxon . Not celtic . This Germanic knotwork did not exist in britain before the germanic invasions of Britain. The Victorians are the ones who popularised "celtic knotwork" term. The saxons were influenced by the Roman knotwork which is not related to celtic knotwork as it uses a floral form different to the later Celt knotwork influenced by the Germanics. The Earliest Evidence archeologically of this Knotwork in Britain is Anglo Saxon not Celtic.

[Quitethecontrarian-dl]

Im not a "Celt" myself, but Im afraid your predudices are clouding your judgement on this one. Interlacing knotwork art is ancient and examples can be found world wide of this style throughout history. It certainly wasnt invented by the Celts, however the Celtic versions of this art form are considered the most sophisticated and developed of all the traditions of this style. Norse comes close but usually uses less interlaceing in its designs than Celtic. The next most developed system comes from monastic communities in North Africa, which was using this style before the celts. This is significant because Irish Christianity adopted the stye of monastic Christianity from the Desert Fathers of North Africa, they copied their habit of decorating objects with knotwork patterns. They seemed to love this art form and took it to new heights, in turn they took it with them on their mission to spread monastic Christianity to the rest of the British Isles and beyond.

There is good reason why its called "Celtic" knotwork, it proliferated in the Celtic areas of the British Isles, mostly in Ireland and Scotland, those areas Irish Christianity spread into. There are significantly more examples of knotwork designs in these areas than in England. Those examples found in England at this period are centered around the Kingdom of Northumberland as its boundaries were then. This is significant because uniquely among English kingdoms, it adopted Celtic Christianity. The rest of what became England were either still Pagan or adopted the European/Roman style of worship which didn't use the style much. There are different schools of interlaceing knotwork designs, there is the Irish style, there is a Pictish style and a Norse style with each having its own set of Characteristics. The most common examplescfound in Northumbrian England are of the Irish Style, this includes the West of Scotland. There is no 'English style' of knotwork ever discussed by historians or art scholars. This style has been discovered south of the Humber but it quite simple in design and less common though there are a few more examples at a later point in time.

The common denominator in the spread of this art form is Christianity, this is why so much of it is found on Christian artifacts like elaborate manuscripts or stone crosses. Scandinavian art didnt incorporate this style into its artwork until monastic Christianity appeared in the British Isles. Monasteries were a particularly jucy Target for Viking raids since they were wealthy and had gold around. They likely were enamoured with the knotwork style of the Celts and copied it, perhaps even being taught it from captured slaves.

Unfortunately your biases towards England and Paganism has led you to appropriating this art style and its history for your own ends. Its mode of transmission was Christian, much of its development was Celtic. It might be found in England and used by Pagans, but there is good reason why its found on Christian artifacts and described as "Celic" by scholars!

[bosniakedisniksic]

2:53 you say that like as if that's not exactly what we want

[romainvicta]

Salin Style 1 is the Earliest form of this Knotwork to exist . it is from 400 AD and is Saxon not Celtic. When Saxons were pagans. Saxons influenced the celts to using their knotwork patterns in Britain

[gargoyle]

"I'll take the knot"

Oh you've been watching some specialist videos.

[crimthann-fathach]

Using Irish Insular manuscripts and calling them British are the brits ever not at it?

[FireRose.]

That hairy beer belly is just awful...

[chrissolgot]

This didn't explain much at all....