Once, the Celts inked their bodies with “Woad” in order to inspire fear into their enemies. Their designs often included elaborate knots and intricate patterns. Today, we still adorn ourselves in the ingenious artwork that has been inspired by the Celts, however, their purpose isn’t usually to inspire fear into our enemies, as it once was.
Celtic tattoos are still very popular, they represent an affinity to nature, whilst also signifying bravery and rebellion against the “norm” similar to how the Celts lived their lives. Examples of these tattoos include Celtic cross tattoos, perhaps an ironic design given the Celts’ opposition to Christianity. Crosses generally signify North, East, West and South, with each direction meaning a different journey.
Celtic knot tattoos are the most common choice and can be versatile in design, but their distinguishing feature is that they are always ‘endless.’ They have no beginning and no end. This means that they can have a very intimate meaning for those with such a tattoo.