Secrets of Celtic knot work jewelry

While Celtic knot work jewelry design had it’s roots in the spiral and trumpet designs of the ancient Celtic and Neolithic past it emerged in the form with which we are now familiar in Celtic knot work jewelry masterpieces such as the Tara Brooch and in the magnificent Celtic Insular Gospel manuscripts produced in Irish monastic settlements during the 6th and 7th century AD.

While the rest of Europe was in the dark ages Ireland was experiencing a golden age.
The Roman Empire had collapsed and Europe had entered the dark ages of mayhem and illiteracy, overrun by barbarian hordes of Angles, Saxons, Goths, Vandals and Visigoths who destroyed libraries, schools and everything else in sight.

In contrast Ireland was at peace, producing fine jewelry and was rapidly spawning the monastic universities and scriptoriums that would eventually save European culture.

The Book of Kells, the Book of Armagh, the Lindisfarne Gospels, the Lichfield Gospels, the Book of Durrow and the St. Gall Gospel Book are just some of the great artistic creations of the period.

The Book of Kells is regarded as one of the pinnacles of this cultural achievement, which is now known as the Ultimate La Tene and is one of the sources that modern artists draw upon in the creation of designs for Celtic knot work jewelry. Others include the Celtic high crosses and magnificent examples of metal work such as the Ardagh Chalice as well as jewelry such as the Tara Brooch.

Ireland had converted to Christianity without much struggle. The Druids said that there was no difference between Druidism and Christianity and the Irish monks educated in the Bardic traditions wore the Druidic Tonsure for several hundred years until it was banned by Rome.

This brings one to the possibility that these Irish monks were the heirs of the Druids and were greatly influenced by them. The Druidic pre-Christian Celts were the first European people known to believe in the transmigration and immortality of the human soul.

There have been suggestions that King Ashoka of Indian sent a Buddhist mission to Europe to convert them but consider the fact that the Goidelic and Brythonic languages are sister languages to Sanskrit and Gaelic is the oldest living language in the world.

That leads to the possibility that the Celts and the Aryans of India had a common ancestry, probably in the North Pole where the Vedic Hymns are thought to have originated during the last Ice Age and so may also have shared some of the same philosophical and religious beliefs.

The question arises as to what these monks were doing with the production of these manuscripts. Obviously they were preserving literature, but was there something else?
The knotwork and interlace designs that adorn these sumptuous pages are highly complex and require great focus and skill to produce. Were they using this medium to work on their attention in the same way that a mantra is used in meditation?

This question and others deserves further investigation if we are to understand the true meaning of Celtic knotwork design.

Today Celtic knotwork design is used to create exquisite earrings, pendants, pins and rings. To see some of the most beautiful Celtic knotwork jewelry on the Internet visit our products pages.

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Phone: (+1) 530-692-2168
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Shipping Rates and Delivery Time

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US Insured Mail
Delivery time: 5 to 7 business days in continental US. 7 to 10 business days to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Military locations worldwide.
FedEx 2nd Day
Delivery time: Second business from shipping date.
Not available to: to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and Military locations.
FedEx Standard Overnight
Delivery time: Next business afternoon (PM) from shipping date.
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International Registered Air Mail
Delivery time: US Postal Service estimated delivery time: 5 to 7 business days
International Express Air Mail
Delivery time: US Postal Service estimated delivery time: 3 to 5 business days
Fedex Priority Overnight (next day noon)
Delivery time: Varies for each individual country.
A delay may occur due to clearance of merchandise through Canadian customs .

All Other Countries

International Registered Air Mail
Delivery time: Varies for each individual country.
These are some of the US Postal Service estimated delivery times:
Europe: 5 to 10 business days
South America: 5 to 10 business days
Asia: 5 to 10 business days
International Express Air Mail
Delivery time: Varies for each individual country.
These are some of the US Postal Service estimated delivery times:
Europe: 3 to 5 business days
South America: 3 to 5 business days
Asia: 3 to 5 business days

NOTE:

Orders for items in stock placed by 12:00am PST are usually shipped the same day. Orders placed after 12:00am PST are shipped the next business day. If order volume it too high orders placed by 12:00pm PST may be shipped the next business day.

When you will receive your jewelry depends the availability of the piece you ordered and the shipping option you selected. Use the following equation:

Available-to-Ship Time + Delivery Method Ship Time = Total Delivery Time

Example: An item that is available to ship in 2 to 3 days and is sent via US Mail (5 to 7 days) will arrive in 7 to 10 business days.

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Payment Options
We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express and money orders in US dollars.

When is my credit card billed?
Your credit card is billed only after your order is shipped out.

Sales Tax
Sales tax is applied to orders shipped to locations within the State of California.
Sales tax is not applied to shipping charges.

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Return Policy and Instructions

All orders carry a 30 day money back guaranty!
You may return any item for a full refund (excluding shipping) or exchange within 30 days from the date you placed your order.

In order to return a product:

Call Celtic Spirit customer service at (+1) 530-692-2168, e-mail us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., to request an RMA (return merchandise authorization).
Please give us your name, phone number or fax number, order number and a list of the items you are returning.
We will send you an RMA number and instructions on how to return the product.
We will apply a refund credit to your credit card once the product is received and inspected. Usually within five business days from receipt.

NOTE:

Returned items must be received within 30 days from date of purchase for an exchange or refund. You must contact us for an RMA before returning any merchandise.
Please do not return an item without an RMA number. Packages without an RMA number will be returned to the sender.
Items must be returned prepaid in the original packaging and condition. We cannot accept returns C.O.D. Original shipping charges are not refundable.
We advise that returns be shipped via certified, registered or any other kind of "trackable" mail. We cannot be responsible for lost undocumented mail.

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All jewelry pieces come in a beautiful golden box with a golden ribbon at no extra charge.

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In celebration of the Autumn Equinox or Lá Leathach an Fhómhair as it is called in Gaelic, we are offering a 15% discount on orders of $50 or more until October 10th, excluding shipping. Happy Shopping and Happy Autumn Equinox. The Autumn Equinox was a time of great significance to the ancient Celts. Knowth, Ireland, the largest passage mound known, also contains the greatest and largest collection of Megelithic art in Europe, is aligned to the Autumn Equinox at both sunrise and sunset. Apply coupon code AUTMSALE in your shopping cart to receive your discount.

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