The meaning of the word snake in the encyclopedia of Celtic mythology. What do Celtic patterns tell about?

Mood now - meditates

Celtic knots and ornaments imitate the weaving of baskets, braids, fabrics. It is worth remembering that witchcraft often also resembles weaving - many witches see energy flows as threads and manipulate them. Many Celtic ornaments include images of gods, plants, animals, birds, people, objects. In order for readers to use these ornaments in magical practice, I give below a simple “decoding” of some symbols. However, it should be taken into account that the Celts believed that the human spirit is a particle of the world Spirit. That through the multiplicity of lives, deaths and rebirths, a person goes the way to divine perfection. Celtic ornaments are made up of separate knots. Each node is created from a single thread - the thread of life. Thus, knots and ornaments symbolize the Path and are at the same time symbolic maps of the Path. The Celts forbade the improvement of the key details of the ornaments, considering them given by the gods.

Ornaments are widely used in different cultures. In early Celtic culture, they are used in stone carving and metalworking. As an art form, Celtic ornamentation reached its pinnacle in early Christian manuscripts produced by monks. The monks used ornaments to help the reader in his inner search for spirituality. The most common form of ornamentation in manuscripts is labyrinths. The labyrinth is a symbolic representation of the life path. Celtic labyrinths lead to the center - the spiritual concentration of living energies. They are a symbol of continuity and express the connectedness of all things in the universe. As a means of meditation, labyrinths indicate the route to the sources of Power.

The well-known Celtic crosses often have many similarities with labyrinths in their design. The earliest crosses were simple cruciform stones and are found mainly in Ireland and Northern Umbria. The cross itself is a universal ancient symbol of the union of heavenly and earthly forces, male and female. The ends of the Celtic cross symbolize the infinite spiritual expansion of consciousness. The inner circle symbolizes the unification and consolidation of earthly and heavenly forces at the central point, the source of spiritual energy. The creation of more complex ornamental forms of the cross is apparently due to the Picts, who had a long and complex tradition of stone carving. It is believed that it was the Picts who began to cut large rectangular stones with carefully executed complex crosses on the front surface and richly ornamented sides and back sides. At least it was this type of cross that quickly spread throughout Celtic culture, appearing for the first time in Northern Scotland.

Spirals symbolize spiritual growth. Celtic spirals are usually triple. This demonstrates the threefold nature of the spirit, concentrated in a central point, a focus. The triplicity of spiritual nature is expressed by Christians in their divine Trinity.

Classical Celtic braids, perceived as ordinary decoration and edging of complex ornaments, symbolize the Path, earthly and spiritual. The master, creating a pattern to commemorate some deed, could lay a “record” in a braid not only about how many heroes took part in the accomplishment, what was their path, but also who, what forces helped or hindered the heroes.

Birds are heavenly messengers, symbols of freedom and transcendence, symbols of the spirit freed from earthly ties and communicating with heavenly forces. Returning to earth, they bring the message of the gods - divination and guidance. Birds help mortals in their spiritual and earthly journeys. It is worth remembering that in the Russian tradition, a bird beating through a window is a harbinger of the imminent death of someone living in the house.

In the Celtic tradition, the raven is a bird of specific omens. Doves are birds of spiritual life, love and spiritual well-being. Pheasants - birds of divination in general, help soothsayers. The partridge is a bird of cunning. The duck is a bridge that connects the life-giving forces of earthly waters with the ocean of heavenly forces. The heron is a bird of vigilance.

The hare was a sacred animal of the Celts, a symbol of prosperity, abundance, good life. In spiritual terms, the hare represents the dawn, rebirth, immortality of the Spirit. This animal is dedicated to the moon goddesses, rulers and spinners of fate. The hare is a heavenly messenger, an intermediary between mortals and the gods. But he is also a great deceiver with the power to transform, change events and things. The loops of hare tracks in the snow were read by the Celts as an omen of future events, drawing patterns of fate. Most of all, the hare is associated with Oster or Esther (Astartu, Ishtar??), the Goddess of Spring, whose celebration of the rebirth of life on April 11 served as the basis for the creation of the Christian holiday of Easter.

The ancient Celts attributed healing powers to snakes. Living in the depths of Mother Earth, they must have knowledge of her magical powers. The serpents bring this knowledge to the surface for Brigantia, Sironi and other healing goddesses to use. The water of sacred springs, rivers and lakes is saturated with the life-giving power of the Earth. The undulating movements of snakes and the devotion of many of them to damp places obviously connected them with the water element. Snakes, however, are not only protectors of health, but also symbols of the depths of wisdom. In this capacity, they were often depicted on the jewelry of kings and priests. Changing skin every year, the snake also becomes a symbol of regeneration, rebirth, renewal of vitality and spiritual stamina.

Lonely, wild, untamed, the deer was the chief solar animal of the Celts. The horns, falling and growing again every year, symbolized the sacred Tree of Life, the receptacle of cosmic forces, the center from which life spreads and renews, the source of spiritual rebirth and rebirth. As a symbol of abundance, prosperity and courage, the horned deer represented the masculine side of the balance of nature and was the sacred animal of the Horned Hunter. The Great Horned One often took the form of a white deer himself. The white deer, the god himself, or his messenger, often in Celtic legend serves as a guide to the hero in search of the magical.

The horse is the symbol of Epona and Macha, the Celtic goddesses of fertility. These two goddesses patronized the stables and all those who worked with horses. As protectors of nature, they allowed mortals to use the land for their needs, however, not allowing them to seize too large territories to the detriment of wildlife. To do this, they guarded the plowed and cultivated lands, promoting abundance, protecting the harvest. Both goddesses were associated with healing springs and in such places archaeologists find many carvings of a horse. As goddesses of fertility and motherhood, Epona and Macha accompanied and protected mortals from birth to death throughout their lives.

Along the coasts, the habitats of the ancient Celts, there are stones with stylized images of dolphins dedicated to the goddess Nehalennia, “Showing the Way”. As the Protecting Goddess, she gives protection to the traveler both on earthly roads and after death. In addition, she represents the abundance of Mother Earth, ensuring the prosperity of people, and is often depicted with the Tree of Life and the Horn of Plenty. Her powers are embodied in dolphins, crows and dogs. Dolphins are guides of the soul through the waters of the Ocean to the Sacred Island and represent spiritual purification. Ravens predict danger and demand to be on the lookout. Dogs are a symbol of loyalty, protection and caution. Dogs protect the road ground. A traveler who finds himself in a forest or an unfamiliar wild place can feel safe, settling down on the edge of the road for the night - no hostile magical forces will dare to touch someone who is under the protection of the dogs of the Goddess. Nehalennia is often associated with the mysterious forces of life and the healing properties of the oceans, rivers, sacred springs.

Pisces is a symbol of Higher Wisdom and divination. Sea fish, freely traveling in the depths of the ocean, were once the sacred companions of the Lord of the World Ocean - Liir. Almost no mention of this god has been preserved. This is the oldest of the gods, the oldest. The ocean, of which he was the lord, is not water that covers most of the planet, but the vastness of the Cosmos. The Earth's ocean only symbolized the vastness of the universe. In addition to fish, Liir was accompanied by an albatross, his sacred bird. Albatross symbolizes the eternal movement towards perfection and the search for divine wisdom.

Various forms of dragons exist in many cultures. The Greek word dragon, according to some sources, means "to see clearly, clearly." That is, perhaps the dragons are those who see the truth. Dragons, indeed, are credited with the gift of divination. The winged serpent of the Celts is the Spirit-Defender, connecting heavenly and earthly forces to create a protective cover of the Planet. In this role, dragons are guardians of the gates to other worlds, protecting the earth and its inhabitants from the intrusion of hostile forces. They also protect the sources of knowledge and prophetic wisdom from the intrusion of the uninitiated. They are often depicted as stylized spirals and labyrinths. Dragon lairs are sacred places, sources of earth energies and places of gaining spiritual power. Often the sacred stone circles of the British Isles marked just such places. In heraldry, dragons symbolize independence, wisdom, and leadership.

The sacred tree symbolizes spiritual energy, life and wisdom. Lonely standing trees had a special meaning for the Celts, being the earthly embodiment of the sacred Tree of Life. The sacred tree and the rituals performed in the shade of its crown gave new vitality, longevity, and contributed to spiritual development. It is a symbol of the generosity of the Earth. The Tree of Life drinks with its roots the sacred waters of life from the heart of Mother Earth. Opening the branches of its crown in the heavens, it provides a link between all things, connecting Heaven and Earth. This union creates a sacred place of spiritual strength and wisdom, the focus of the power of the people, the source of magic. Standing stones and stone crosses were often erected near such trees. Subsequently, Christian churches were often built on these places of Sila.

Leaves, often included in Celtic ornaments, symbolize the power of specific tree species and the help of the gods to whom these trees are dedicated. Since the cult of trees was developed and very complex among the Celts, the symbolism of leaves and fruits requires separate consideration.
The cauldron in Celtic mythology is a symbol of inspiration and knowledge, as well as a source of transforming, transforming and regenerating forces. The magic of the Sacred Cauldron blurs the boundaries between man, animal and deity. Any form can be transformed into any other through this magic. Keeper of the Cauldron - Serridwen, goddess of transformation, metamorphosis. The Celts knew about the immortality of the Spirit and the possibility of its rebirth, both in the physical plane of existence and in the spiritual. The sacred animal of Serridwen was the boar, a symbol of wealth, hospitality and celebration.

Daughter of Dagda, father of the gods, Brigantia is a very important deity among the Celts. Brigantia is the solar goddess and her elements are light and fire. Because she is also a Healing Goddess, she is associated with water and snakes. Serpents have secret knowledge, and water is the source of life. Therefore, the sanctuaries of Brigantia are often located near sacred springs. Pregnant women came there to receive the help of the Goddess in childbirth. Many rivers in the Celtic world bear various forms of her name, testifying to her connection with water. As the mistress of all forms of fire, Brigantia patronizes blacksmiths, protects the hearth and punishes with fire. Spiritual light is also her element. Therefore, she is a muse for musicians, poets and all creative people. Her name means brightness, radiance of light.
Twins or a couple is one of the most important symbols of Celtic mythology. This is the union of male and female principles, giving new lives and maintaining a dynamic balance in nature on the path of evolution. This is a sacred union of heavenly and earthly forces, which gives peace and harmony, a blessing to the earth and people. The divine couple represents the duality of nature, partnership, unity, in which each partner maintains its independence in a general balance. The symbols associated with the divine couple are the cornucopia, ladle, fruits, flowers, vessels of wine, and animals. All these are emblems of abundance and prosperity.

Today, Celtic patterns are popular among tattoo lovers, and salons that specialize in this type of body painting offer many different designs. But the bright and bewitching patterns and ornamental compositions created by the masters of this ancient people are not only decoration, but also a symbolic language that tells about what the Celts believed in and how they saw the world around them many centuries ago.

Who are the Celts?

Such Indo-European tribes as Belgi, Helvetii, Biturigi, Arverni, Senones, Boii and many others, who had close culture and language, were called Celts. More than three thousand years ago, they inhabited the vast territories of Western Europe, but the scattered and very warlike tribes did not seek to unite, which was the reason for the fall of the rather powerful Celtic culture. The Great Migration of Peoples also contributed a lot to this, when many new tribes and nationalities arrived in Europe and assimilated with the Celts, also significantly reducing the boundaries of their possessions. However, in the lands they conquered in Brittany and Wales, Ireland, Scotland and Greenland, there are Celtic communities that preserve art, beliefs, traditions and customs.

The fruits of the developed technological and material Celtic culture were used by the neighboring tribes. Early European folklore took from the literary monuments of this people many plots and characters, such as Isolde and Tristan, the sorcerer Merlin, the knights Lancelot and Persifal. Celtic ornaments and patterns that adorned household items and art monuments moved onto the pages of handwritten books and became popular in decorating secular and religious buildings.

When did Celtic art originate?

The most ancient examples of decorative and applied art of the Celts can be seen on various household items, jewelry and metal products, and weapons. They are decorated with a variety of geometric, plant and animal patterns.

Today it is generally accepted that the beginning of the Celtic artistic style was around 800 AD. e., when the monks created an Anglo-Irish richly illustrated manuscript, known as the Book of Kells - the Book of Kells. Thanks to this and other similar books, we can learn about the history and culture of this people, since the Celts themselves did not leave behind any written evidence.

Features of "island" art

This is what the art of the Celts is also called, which absorbed both pagan and early Christian features. It is distinguished by non-standard, decorative and gracefulness. Celtic patterns in most cases have neither beginning nor end and form the most complex interlacing straight or curvilinear structures.

The Celts believed that there were only seven primitive life forms:

plants;
insects;
fish;
reptiles;
birds;
mammals;
People.

All of them were included in Celtic patterns, but only in a very strongly transformed and stylized form, so as not to offend the Creator by copying. The figures of animals and birds were depicted with legs, ears, tongues and tails intertwining and forming various spirals.

Geometric and abstract patterns

The earliest Celtic patterns - regular circles and rhombuses, various geometric broken shapes, as well as S-shaped spirals and curls - adorned the dishes. Masters quite often added certain plant elements to them, such as images of palm leaves, lotus flowers or bindweed borrowed from the south.

Today, the following forms of Celtic ornaments are most famous: knots, crosses, labyrinths and spirals. Understanding what the Celtic pattern means, one should remember the belief of the ancient Celts in the multiplicity of deaths and lives through which each person passes on his way to the perfection of the world Spirit.

Based on this, each knot of the Celtic ornament is created by a single thread of life. Thus, patterns, knots and ornaments are both symbols and cards of the Life Path.

Animalistic Celtic patterns and their meaning

Around the 5th century BC. e. in Celtic art, images of various, including fantastic, birds and animals appear. So, the birds symbolized freedom, as well as a spirit that can communicate with the Higher powers and transmit their messages to the earth. In addition, it is they who accompany the living on their journeys, and the dead - on their way to the next world. But each of the depicted birds had a special meaning:

heron - vigilance;
doves - love, spiritual life;
duck - connects the power of earthly waters and heaven (Gods);
pheasants - help soothsayers;
the raven is a symbol of omens and inevitable change.

Snakes were often included in Celtic designs and their meanings were quite varied. These reptiles were considered not only protectors of health, bringing magical knowledge from the depths of the Earth for healing goddesses such as Sirona or Brigantia, but also symbols of wisdom. The annual change of skin by snakes has made them a symbol of renewal and regeneration.

Also, images of a white deer, a hare, a horse, dolphins and dogs were quite often used, each of which had its own divine patron and served him. Of the mythological animals, dragons are most often found in patterns and ornaments, protecting our planet from hostile influences.

Celtic ornament: history and symbolism.

Five hundred years BC as if in contrast to the Greek ecumene in the south of the European continent in its central and northern parts there was a world of Celts. Having originated in the region of the northern Alps, in a fairly short time the Celts spread over a vast territory, which today includes England, Ireland, France, Spain, Belgium and part of northern Italy. Their influence on the world of that time is difficult to overestimate. Suffice it to mention that the famous Gauls who besieged Ancient Rome were precisely the Celtic tribe.

A huge role in the life of the Celts was played by clans, belonging to one or another family or surname. The life of one person in those days did not mean so much, it was important to feel the involvement and inseparable connection of one's destiny with the life of the family, which was much more durable than the life of the people who made it up. Until now, we hear echoes of belonging to glorious families in the initial letters "Poppy" of some Western surnames. MacDonald, MacArthur mean nothing more than "son of Donald" and "son of Arthur".

Another curious feature of the Celts was their almost literally insane militancy. Often in battles, Celtic warriors were seized by a blinding rage that made them forget about the danger that threatened a person in battle.

The Celts gave birth to their original culture, but knowledge of the characteristics of this ethnic group and its influence on modern European civilization today is incomparable, for example, with our knowledge of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. Celtic culture was absorbed and, so to speak, digested by the expanding Roman Empire. Only in a few places today have preserved the original "islands" of the Celtic world, such as the famous hills of Wales in England, the province of Brittany in France and the green island of Erin. The heritage of the Celts is the Irish language, which, after a long period of neglect, was restored and is now the official language of Ireland.

Our knowledge of Celtic art is not as extensive as we would like. This ethnic group did not leave behind wonders of architecture or painting, comparable to the Egyptian or ancient Greek. It is all the more interesting to get acquainted with some examples of Celtic ornaments bearing the imprint of absolute originality.

Celtic knots and ornaments imitate weaving of baskets, braids, fabrics. It is worth remembering that witchcraft often also resembles weaving - many witches see energy flows as threads and manipulate them. Many Celtic ornaments include images of gods, plants, animals, birds, people, objects. In order for readers to use these ornaments in practice, I give below a simple "decoding" of some symbols. It should, however, be taken into account that the Celts believed that the human spirit is a particle of the world Spirit. That through the multiplicity of lives, deaths and rebirths, a person passes the path to divine perfection.

Celtic ornaments are made up of separate knots. Each node is created from a single thread - the thread of life. Thus, knots and ornaments symbolize the Path and are at the same time symbolic maps of the Path. The Celts forbade the improvement of the key details of the ornaments, considering them given by the gods.

The monks used ornaments to help the reader in his inner search for spirituality. The most common form of ornament in manuscripts is labyrinths. The labyrinth is a symbolic display of the life path. Celtic labyrinths lead to the center - the spiritual concentration of living energies. They are a symbol of continuity and express the connectedness of all things in the universe. As a means of meditation, labyrinths indicate the route to the sources of Power.

The well-known Celtic crosses often have many similarities with labyrinths in their design. The earliest crosses were simple cruciform stones and are found mainly in Ireland and Northern Umbria. The cross itself is a universal ancient symbol of the union of heavenly and earthly forces, male and female. The ends of the Celtic cross symbolize the infinite spiritual expansion of consciousness. The inner circle symbolizes the unification and consolidation of earthly and heavenly forces at the central point, the source of spiritual energy.

The creation of more complex ornamental forms of the cross is apparently due to the Picts, who had a long and complex tradition of stone carving. It is believed that it was the Picts who began to cut large rectangular stones with carefully executed complex crosses on the front surface and richly ornamented sides and back sides. At least it was this type of cross that quickly spread throughout Celtic culture, appearing for the first time in Northern Scotland.

Spirals symbolize spiritual growth. Celtic spirals are usually triple. This demonstrates the threefold nature of the spirit, concentrated in a central point, a focus. The triplicity of spiritual nature is expressed by Christians in their divine Trinity.

Classical Celtic braids, perceived as ordinary decoration and edging of complex ornaments, symbolize the Path, earthly and spiritual. The master, creating a pattern to commemorate some deed, could lay a “record” in a braid not only about how many heroes took part in the accomplishment, what was their path, but also who, what forces helped or hindered the heroes.
Birds are heavenly messengers, symbols of freedom and transcendence, symbols of the spirit freed from earthly ties and communicating with heavenly forces. Returning to earth, they bring the message of the gods - divination and guidance. Birds help mortals in their spiritual and earthly journeys. It is worth remembering that in the Russian tradition, a bird beating through a window is a harbinger of the imminent death of someone living in the house.
In the Celtic tradition, the raven is a bird of specific omens. Pigeons are birds of spiritual life, love and spiritual well-being. Pheasants - birds of divination in general, help soothsayers. The partridge is a bird of cunning. The duck is a bridge that connects the life-giving forces of the earth's waters with the ocean of heavenly forces. The heron is a bird of vigilance.

The hare was a sacred animal of the Celts, a symbol of prosperity, abundance, good life. In spiritual terms, the hare represents the dawn, rebirth, immortality of the Spirit. This animal is dedicated to the moon goddesses, rulers and spinners of fate. The hare is a heavenly messenger, an intermediary between mortals and the gods. But he is also a great deceiver with the power to transform, change events and things. The loops of hare tracks in the snow were read by the Celts as an omen of future events, drawing patterns of fate. Most of all, the hare is associated with Oster or Esther (Astartu, Ishtar??), the Goddess of Spring, whose celebration of the rebirth of life on April 11 served as the basis for the creation of the Christian holiday of Easter.

Snakes, however, are not only protectors of health, but also symbols of the depths of wisdom. In this capacity, they were often depicted on the jewelry of kings and priests. Changing skin every year, the snake also becomes a symbol of regeneration, rebirth, renewal of vitality and spiritual stamina.
Lonely, wild, untamed, the deer was the chief solar animal of the Celts. The horns, falling and growing again every year, symbolized the sacred Tree of Life, the receptacle of cosmic forces, the center from which life spreads and renews, the source of spiritual rebirth and rebirth. As a symbol of abundance, prosperity and courage, the horned deer represented the masculine side of the balance of nature and was the sacred animal of the Horned Hunter. The Great Horned One often took the form of a white deer himself. The white deer, the god himself, or his messenger, often in Celtic legend serves as a guide to the hero in search of the magical.
The horse is the symbol of Epona and Macha, the Celtic goddesses of fertility. These two goddesses patronized the stables and all those who worked with horses. As protectors of nature, they allowed mortals to use the land for their needs, however, not allowing them to seize too large territories to the detriment of wildlife. To do this, they guarded the plowed and cultivated lands, promoting abundance, protecting the harvest. Both goddesses were associated with healing springs and in such places archaeologists find many carvings of a horse. As goddesses of fertility and motherhood, Epona and Macha accompanied and protected mortals from birth to death throughout their lives.

Along the coasts, habitats of the ancient Celts, there are stones with stylized images of dolphins dedicated to the goddess Nehalennia, "Showing the Way". As the Protecting Goddess, she gives protection to the traveler both on earthly roads and after death. In addition, she represents the abundance of Mother Earth, ensuring the prosperity of people, and is often depicted with the Tree of Life and the Horn of Plenty.

Her powers are embodied in dolphins, crows and dogs. Dolphins are guides of the soul through the waters of the Ocean to the Sacred Island and represent spiritual cleansing. Ravens predict danger and demand to be on the lookout.
Dogs are a symbol of fidelity, protection and caution. Dogs protect the road ground. A traveler who finds himself in a forest or an unfamiliar wild place can feel safe, settling down on the edge of the road for the night - no hostile magical forces will dare to touch someone who is under the protection of the dogs of the Goddess.
Nehalennia is often associated with the mysterious forces of life and the healing properties of the oceans, rivers, sacred springs.

Pisces is a symbol of Higher Wisdom and divination. Sea fish, freely traveling in the depths of the ocean, were once the sacred companions of the Lord of the World Ocean - Liir. Almost no mention of this god has been preserved. This is the oldest of the gods, the oldest. The ocean, of which he was the lord, is not water that covers most of the planet, but the vastness of the Cosmos. The Earth's ocean only symbolized the vastness of the universe.
In addition to fish, Liir was accompanied by an albatross - his sacred bird. Albatross symbolizes the eternal movement towards perfection and the search for divine wisdom.

Various forms of dragons exist in many cultures. The Greek word dragon, according to some sources, means “to see undoubtedly, clearly.” That is, perhaps dragons are those who see the truth. The gift of divination is indeed attributed to dragons. The winged serpent of the Celts is the Guardian Spirit, connecting heavenly and earthly forces to create a protective cover of the Planet. In this role, dragons are guardians of the gates to other worlds, protecting the earth and its inhabitants from invading hostile forces.

They also protect the sources of knowledge and prophetic wisdom from the intrusion of the uninitiated. They are often depicted as stylized spirals and labyrinths. Dragon lairs are sacred places, sources of earth energies and places of gaining spiritual power. Often the sacred stone circles of the British Isles marked just such places. In heraldry, dragons symbolize independence, wisdom, and leadership.
The sacred tree symbolizes spiritual energy, life and wisdom. Lonely standing trees had a special meaning for the Celts, being the earthly embodiment of the sacred Tree of Life. The sacred tree and the rituals performed in the shade of its crown gave new vitality, longevity, and contributed to spiritual development. It is a symbol of the generosity of the Earth. The Tree of Life drinks with its roots the sacred waters of life from the heart of Mother Earth. Opening the branches of its crown in the heavens, it provides a link between all things, connecting Heaven and Earth. This union creates a sacred place of spiritual strength and wisdom, the focus of the power of the people, the source of magic. Standing stones and stone crosses were often erected near such trees. Subsequently, Christian churches were often built on these places of Sila.

Leaves, often included in Celtic ornaments, symbolize the power of specific tree species and the help of the gods to whom these trees are dedicated. Since the cult of trees was developed and very complex among the Celts, the symbolism of leaves and fruits requires separate consideration.

The cauldron in Celtic mythology is a symbol of inspiration and knowledge, as well as a source of transforming, transforming and regenerating powers. The magic of the Sacred Cauldron blurs the boundaries between man, animal and deity. Any form can be transformed into any other through this magic.

Keeper of the Cauldron - Serridwen, goddess of transformation, metamorphosis. The Celts knew about the immortality of the Spirit and the possibility of its rebirth, both in the physical plane of existence and in the spiritual. The sacred animal of Serridwen was the boar, a symbol of wealth, hospitality and celebration.

Daughter of Dagda, father of the gods, Brigantia is a very important deity among the Celts. Brigantia is the solar goddess and her elements are light and fire. Because she is also a Healing Goddess, she is associated with water and snakes. Serpents have secret knowledge, and water is the source of life. Therefore, the sanctuaries of Brigantia are often located near sacred springs. Pregnant women came there to receive the help of the Goddess in childbirth.

Many rivers in the Celtic world bear various forms of her name, testifying to her connection with water. As the mistress of all forms of fire, Brigantia patronizes blacksmiths, protects the hearth and punishes with fire. Spiritual light is also her element. Therefore, she is a muse for musicians, poets and all creative people. Her name means brightness, radiance of light.

Twins or a couple is one of the most important symbols of Celtic mythology. This is the union of male and female principles, giving new lives and maintaining a dynamic balance in nature on the path of evolution. This is a sacred union of heavenly and earthly forces, which gives peace and harmony, a blessing to the earth and people. The divine couple represents the duality of nature, partnership, unity, in which each partner maintains its independence in a general balance.

The symbols associated with the divine couple are the cornucopia, ladle, fruits, flowers, vessels of wine and animals. All of these are emblems of abundance and prosperity. The god Dagda was "responsible" for the cauldron of abundance.

Celtic ornament - for embroideries and decorations.

In the mythology and beliefs of the Celts, the snake was associated with fertility and healing, as well as with the Other World. So, Sirona, the goddess of the Gaul Celts, associated with healing, was depicted with a snake wrapped around her arm. Due to its writhing movements, the snake was often associated with flowing water. In one of the legends about the hero Finn McCumall, it is said that he learned to kill water snakes. In the mythology of the Celts, there were various legends associated with snakes. The most famous of them tells of Meicha, the son of Morrigan. There was a prophecy that he would bring trouble and misfortune to Ireland. He was born with three hearts in his chest, one for each aspect of his mother's character, and in each of these hearts nested a snake. This was discovered when he was killed and Dian Cecht, the god of healing, cut open his body. Two snakes were immediately burned, and the third, according to one legend, managed to escape and eventually became a huge snake, which was later killed by the same Dian Cecht. Thus, it was possible to prevent the fulfillment of the prophecy of troubles and misfortunes for all of Ireland.