Irish Celtic Cross Memorials
The Irish Celtic Cross is a symbol that conjures up all the mystery of the Dark Ages. It is also a popular symbol of faith, whether the belief is pagan, Christian or of any other religion. But perhaps it is most widely known as a powerful symbol of Irish heritage.Its name came about simply because most of the earliest examples were found in the Celtic island of Ireland. They have also been found in other Celtic lands ? in southwest England, in Scotland and in Wales ? but they became popularly associated with Ireland because they are most numerous on the island. Catholics usually refer to this style of cross ? with a ring connecting the four sections ? as the Irish Cross.
The even-armed cross within a circle has been ascribed many meanings by many groups and cultures. One such meaning is that of the stages of the day: morning, noon, evening, midnight Some say the circle stands for the Roman sun-god Invictus, thus giving the name of Celtic Sun Cross. Others say it represents the halo of Jesus Christ.
It’s believed by some that the four arms of the cross represents the four elements, earth, air, fire and water. They also represent the four directions of the compass, North, South, East and West. And finally the four parts of man, mind, soul, heart and body. The horizontal line of the cross symbolizes earth and the vertical portion symbolizes heaven Original Celtic Crosses were not carved out of the rock – they were inscribed on the rock. on erected and carved with a Celtic Cross on the surface.
High Crosses were popular in the 8th, 9th and 10th centuries in Ireland, and were often built to memorialize famous people or places. Over time, they started sporting elaborate carvings, sometimes telling biblical stories. A famous cross at Clonmacnoise, Ireland is called the Cross of the Scriptures, or King Flann’s Cross. It is decorated with images from the bible, such as the Last Supper, the Crucifixion and the Guarding of the Tomb. The design of the Celtic Cross is closely associated with the politics of the times. There is the Iron Age culture design, the scripture design and designs that represent the designs together. The earlier crosses would have designs of Celtic art such as faces and scenes with animals, all in relief. Many crosses have been found with intricate Celtic knot work carved into the stone.Apart from the historical aspect, today the Celtic cross is widely used for jewelry and other ornamentation. Beautiful Celtic pendants can easily be found to fit any style.
They are also worn to signify a connection to Celtic ancestry either by heritage or by the love of the culture because the meaning of the Celtic Cross is rich with legend and symbolism.
While there are many high crosses throughout Ireland, the majority of Celtic Crosses you will see are those for gravestones, a result of a fashion around the 1850s to use them as headstones or monuments. The Traditional Celtic Cross designs can be engraved to different Irish Headstones displayed here.
Irish Celtic Cross Memorials
We specialise in hand carved Granite Celtic crosses in our workshop. The Granite we use are quarried in India. We have a wide range of styles and designs of Celtic crosses that we are more than happy to show you personally. If you are looking for a memorial with Celtic design in the form of a Celtic cross, monument Sunshine Granite Memorials Ltd., has been creating fine memorials, specializing in the traditional artwork of the ancient Celtic designs.
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