Many people, especially women, appreciate a gift of jewellery during the holiday season, especially if the jewellery has some meaning to it. Those who are proud of their Irish heritage may enjoy a piece of jewellery celebrating the land of their ancestors. Here are three symbolic Irish jewellery pieces you may want to give to someone you care about this year.
The Claddagh
The Claddagh ring dates back to the 17th century. It was created by the silversmith Richard Joyce. Joyce created the ring to present to his love to ask for her hand in marriage when he returned to Galway. It depicts two hands holding a heart with a crown topping the heart.
The hands were said to depict friendship, the heart stands for love, and the crown was used to symbolise loyalty. While there are many other jewellery pieces with the Claddagh on them, the ring is still the most popular. It can be worn by those showing their pride in their Irish heritage or it can be used as a wedding ring, with the way the ring is worn informing people of your marital status.
Trinity Knot
There are many pieces of jewellery using the trinity knot, also known as the triquetra, in their design. It can be worn as a pendant, or used in earrings, rings, or bracelets. The trinity knot, along with other Celtic knots, dates back to the 5th century and can be seen throughout manuscripts written by monks. It is used in the Book of Kells and the Book of Durrows. The three points of the trinity knot symbolise the three manifestations of God as God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
Connemara Marble
While not as old as some of the other Irish jewellery pieces made to resemble gorgeous period pieces worn by the ancient Celts, Connemara marble was first mined in the 19th century and is found in many prominent places in Ireland. It can be seen in the halls of Trinity College in Dublin, at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and in Kensington Palace, and many buildings in the United States contain Connemara marble.
Today, the marble is used to make everything from crosses to rosary beads to brooches. The marble, which is named for the Connemara Mountains where the quarry is, comes in varying shades of green. It can range from a pale green to deeper shades of sage or moss green, which makes each piece of jewellery made from Connemara marble unique in its own right.
There are many other ancient Celtic symbols used in jewellery, such as the Tree of Life and the ancient alphabet called Ogham. These jewellery pieces make great gifts for any woman, or man, who has Irish ancestry or who is into Irish culture. Of course, it needn’t be the holiday season to present someone with Irish jewellery, but it makes a meaningful gift.
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