Ogham Engravings, The Tree Alphabet & The Celtic History
The Ogham Alphabet
Are you considering buying one of our personalised Ogham rings? We have the BEST Information EVER on the Ogham Alphabet and its impact on our modern-day Celtic jewellery in the UK.
The Ogham Alphabet is also known as 'the secret language of poets', or 'the tree alphabet' and became used in Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales, from about the 4th to the 7th century AD. Each letter, written onto a solid line that represents the trunk, is named after a tree or plant and accounts for a branch. It was usually written vertically from bottom to top in inscriptions, and horizontally in manuscripts. About 500 inscriptions have been found on standing stones in the U.K., although they were more commonly inscribed on wood.
The history of the Celts
Looking further back into what we know of Celtic history, they were a dysfunctional society, somewhat distorted by time. They are portrayed nowadays as living in a romantic, almost fairy-tale existence, but this couldn't be further from the truth, as historically they were a warring group that did not see themselves as a nation at all, but as individually split tribes. The Celts gradually moved into the UK over a period of four hundred years up to the year of one B.C. However, they never really established a leader or king; instead, they fought amongst themselves for dominance. The only invasion to speak of was due to the fantastic Celtic art that survives still and is recreated accurately to this day.
Before the Romans invaded Britain, the Celtic culture was well established across the land. Their designs were seen everywhere around the country and still feature prominently in modern society. People say that the Iron Age was the age of the Celts, but we can also conclude that the Celts inspired the "golden age in jewellery", influencing modern designers to create Celtic wedding rings handmade in the UK.
As previously stated, calling the Celts a dysfunctional race was an understatement. Their only ties to one another's warring tribes were language and religion. Not only would they fight non-Celts, but they would also fight each other. They did, however, bring about the Iron Age to our shores, which led to commerce and trade in Celtic artefacts. When the Celts introduced Iron to the British Isles, it revolutionised Bronze Age business. Iron was plentiful and cheaper, thereby allowing settlements to develop their own independence. The Celts played an essential role in the development of Britain, and even today, their culture is reflected in modern-day jewellery design.
About our Ogham rings
The Ogham jewellery on our site makes a perfect wedding ring for your special day, and it can be personalised just for you. Celtic jewellery remains very popular, and we feature an extensive selection of gold Celtic wedding rings on our site. A Celtic diamond set ring makes the perfect choice for a Celtic engagement ring for her. A diamond is still the favourite choice for ladies above gemstones such as rubies, emeralds, and opals, and as the song says - Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend.?
The Celtic engravings and patterns incorporated into our range of Celtic wedding rings signify nature and duality and are associated with the well-known Yin and Yang symbol. We know that the Celtic cross is one of the most familiar Celtic symbols. Most of us have, at one time, visited Celtic Crosses on holiday in places such as Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, all of which have Celtic history deeply rooted in their past.
The personalised Ogham rings for men and women on our website are available in gold or titanium. Each unique Ogham ring is made individually for you, and you can decide what you want in Ogham on your ring, and we will translate it for you, a perfect idea for your wedding.
Additional reading
Celtic Titanium Rings Symbolism Design & Artwork
