Celtic Cross

Definition: Celtic Cross

Celtic Cross

Noun

1. A Latin cross with a ring surrounding the intersection.

Specialty Definition: Celtic cross

(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)

A Celtic cross combines the cross with a ring surrounding the intersection. It is the characteristic symbol of Celtic Christianity, though it may have older, pre-Christian origins.
In Celtic regions of Britain and Ireland many free-standing upright crosses (see 'High cross') were erected, beginning at least as early as the 8th Century. Some of these 'Celtic' crosses bear inscriptions in runes. There are surviving free-standing crosses in Cornwall and Wales, in the island of Iona and in the Hebrides, as well as the many in Ireland. One candidate for the oldest survivor outside Ireland is the standing cross at Bewcastle, Cumberland, one of a small isolated group of crosses in that area. The most famous standing crosses are the Cross of Kells, County Meath, and the crosses at Monasterboyce, County Louth.
The Neolithic symbol combining circle and cross is the simplest conceivable representation of the union of opposed polarities in the western world. Crossed circles scratched on stones have been recovered from Paleolithic caves sites in the Pyrenees. At the most famous megalithic site in Scotland, Callanish, crossing avenues of standing stones extend from a circle. Scratched into stone or painted on pottery, as on Samarra ware, the crossed-circle symbol appears from the Pyrinees in Old Europe, throughout Anatolia, Mesopotamia and the Iranian plateau to the cities of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa in the Indus River valley. It may be compared to the yin-yang symbol of the eastern world.
In pagan Europe, the crossed circle became the mark of the Norse god Odin. Though other explanations of the Christian combination of circle and cross have been made, it should be noted that the "Celtic" cross is rare outside the former extent of Odin's cult.
It should be noted that the Old English word for 'cross' is 'rood.' The word 'cross' in English derives only indirectly from Latin 'crux, crucis', passing through the intermediary of Old Norse 'krosse' (modern 'kors'). Linguistically it is striking that the pagan Norse raiders ('Vikings') should have impressed their word for 'cross' on the christianized Anglo-Saxons.
The cultural associations of the Celtic cross, with connotations of christianity, 'westernness', and the celtic cultural minority within gallic France, perceived as embattled, (cf Breton nationalism) have recently encouraged its co-option in France as an emblem of several far-right groups including the significantly-named Occident.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Celtic cross."

Top

Commercial Usage: Celtic Cross

Domain	Title
Books	Celtic Cross (reference) Symbolism of the Celtic Cross (reference) (more book examples)
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top

Image Slideshow: Celtic Cross

Photos: Celtic Cross
	Subject(s): ... Ireland, graves, Celtic cross, Celtic, headstones ...
	Subject(s): ... crosses, Celtic, Celtic cross, Ireland, history ...
More Photos...

Illustrations: Celtic Cross
	Subject(s): ... Man, Celtic cross, fence, monument ...
More Illustrations...

Computer Images: Celtic Cross
	Subject(s): ... Celtic cross ...
	Subject(s): ... Religion, Celtic cross ...
More Computer Images...

Top

Frequency of Internet Expressions: Celtic Cross

The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com.

Expression	Frequency per Day
celtic cross	873
celtic cross tattoo	309
celtic cross design	69
celtic cross picture	61
celtic cross jewelry	50
celtic cross pendant	38
celtic cross stitch	27
celtic cross statue	23
band celtic cross wedding	4
celtic cross free online reading tarot	3
celtic cross spread	3
celtic cross wood	2
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Top

Anagrams: Celtic Cross

Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams
	Words within the letters "c-c-c-e-i-l-o-r-s-s-t"
	-1 letter: sclerotics.
	-2 letters: cloisters, coistrels, sclerotic.
	-3 letters: circlets, cloister, coistrel, corslets, cortices, costlier, costrels, crosslet, crosstie, estriols, scolices, solecist, solstice.
	-4 letters: cerotic, ciceros, circles, circlet, ciscoes, citoles, clerics, closers, closest, closets, coilers, colters, corsets, corslet, cosiest, costers, costrel, cresols, cretics, erotics, escorts, estriol, lectors, lictors, listers, loiters, lorises, orectic, ossicle, ostlers, recoils, relicts, relists, rissole.
	Words containing the letters "c-c-c-e-i-l-o-r-s-s-t"
	+5 letters: electroacoustics.
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro.