Celtic knot tattoos have become wildly popular. These designs are not only intricate and beautiful, but they also have a wide variety of meaning attached to them. They are most often associated with life and love, as it is a symbol with no beginning and no end.
One of the most regularly seen Celtic knot tattoos is the triquetra. This three cornered design shows a mass of ellipses joined together, and is usually seen as having a religious or spiritual meaning; to the Christians it is a sign of the father, son and Holy Ghost; to pagans, three important feminine powers. However, it may also have a slightly less esoteric symbolism and simply mean the body, the mind and the spirit. Although a rope-like style is favored for this design, some people like to create a more unique image. For instance, creating a brassier look, or rearranging the petal-like circles into the bio-hazard symbol. You could also create it in a way that looks like smoke or fire forming into the shape of a triquetra.
Although it is difficult to identify exactly what most of these designs were symbols of, there are many rumors that go along with the style. Some Celtic knot tattoos can be used to symbolize anything in fours; that is, the seasons, directions or elements. For example, you could place fire at the top, water below, and earth and air at either side of a quaternary knot. You could also use the five fold knot; each circle representing north, south, east and west, and place a planet, or meditating person at the center. For an even earthier depiction, you could create your knot with the image of a snake or dragon stretched and twisted into your preferred pattern.
On occasion, Celtic knot tattoos are part of a larger picture. These beautiful patterns can easily be used as backgrounds or borders. An example of this would be the Dara knot. The spiraling ends that fade at either side and meet in the middle would make a fantastic platform for a variety of images; also, given that the word Dara means oak tree, you could use this design to represent the roots of a large, knotted tree.
Celtic knot tattoos can be placed by themselves, or mingled amongst other symbols, such as crosses, flowers, animals or even fruit. Whatever you choose, you are guaranteed to have an exquisite and meaningful piece.
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