The Queen Boudicca Collection
Queen Boudicca, the ancient Celtic leader known as the Queen of War, inspired this collection of Celtic Eternal Knots. These knots, of no beginning or end, represent the continuity of everlasting love, and the binding together of two souls. Created from basic geometric forms, these knots were used extensively by ancient monks in their illuminated manuscripts such as the Book of Kells and Book of Durrows. Each piece of this collection is engraved with a secret code that reveals the hidden history of the piece.
Queen Boudicca
Queen Boudicca, a descendent of a royal family, was strikingly tall and beautiful, with her strength matching her long, flaming red hair. She married King Prasutagus, the king of the Iceni tribe, yet upon the king’s death, the kingdom was left to Queen Boudicca and her two daughters. However, it was unacceptable for a woman to inherit a title or throne under the law of the Empire of Rome. Therefore, the Romans stripped Queen Boudicca of her throne and enslaved the royal family.
Boudicca was tortured, flogged, and forced to witness the public rape and torture of her two young daughters. Completely heartbroken, she nevertheless managed to escape her captors, and swore revenge. The Celts admired her courage and regarded her as their natural leader due to her fearless spirit and willingness to die for their cause.
Queen Boudicca united several neighboring Celtic tribes, amassing a large army to rebel against the Roman invaders. The incredibly bloody and terrifying battles led the Celts to conquer a great portion of the Roman enclaves, but in the end, the Romans overwhelmed the Celts due to their advanced weapons. Defeated and wounded, Queen Boudicca returned to see her beloved kingdom one final time before she died.
Queen Boudicca’s life was heartbreakingly tragic, but her legend lives on as a reminder of strength and awe-inspiring courage.
The Ancient Celts
The ancient Celts were known as fierce and proud warriors, often adorning themselves with colored garments, dramatic jewelry, and elaborate hairstyles. Both men and women adorned themselves as a way of expressing their wealth and social rank.
The ancient Romans feared the Celts and accused them of being barbarians, but archaeology has proved otherwise. The Celtic social structure was highly evolved in several different aspects—women received many rights that were often reserved for men in other cultures. In upper class Celtic society, women held positions of prestige and power. Many took prominent roles in politics, religion, and the arts. Celtic women could own land, choose their husbands, and even initiate divorces if they so desired. It is believed that many Celtic women became warriors, and as such, enjoyed great freedom and power.
The Celtic spiritual leaders were known as druids. The druids were a secretive, religious brotherhood that maintained immense influence over Celtic society. They were mysterious and claimed to have knowledge that transcended far into the magical world. Each tribal king had a personal druid, whose advice was always deeply respected.
The druids conducted their religious ceremonies in secrecy, usually in parts of forests that were believed to be sacred. The druids believed in the reincarnation of the soul and in a universal, divine power.
Celtic Symbols
The very first Celtic symbols were twisted, interlacing lines that formed eternally knotted designs. These endless knots, created with basic geometric forms such as circles, triangles, and squares, were considered to be highly symbolic and used extensively in ancient manuscripts dating back to the 5th century.
The Circle Knot represents eternity or the eternal cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Triangles are considered the threefold dominion of earth, sea, and sky. Square knots are often known as Shield Knots, which are symbols of protection.
The Celtic symbol of Trinity (or Triad) has numerous interpretations. According to certain historians, it represents three aspects of the powerful Celtic goddess Bridgit. An enigmatic goddess, Bridgit was celebrated and continuously evoked in ancient Celtic life. Bridgit embodied the beauty of art, the power of healing, and the forging strength and endurance of metalwork.
The circular shapes are thought to signify the various lunar phases of the Moon Goddess, who is also known as the Goddess of Love and Fertility. In fact, numerous archaeological excavations unearthed evidence that the lunar cycles were often carefully recorded, studied, and interpreted.
The circle surrounding the triad symbol signifies infinite eternity and protection. Circles are often drawn around Celtic knots to represent the spiritual unity with the divine—a connection that cannot be broken.
Christianity embraced some of the ancient Celtic knots and adapted them into usage on high crosses and manuscripts. Many items such as torques, bowls, and cups decorated with Celtic knot work have been found at archaeological sites. These patterns are often intricately designed and carved by skilled ancient metalworkers.