| Thousands of years ago, the Celts, a group of | | | | found in Eastern Europe may be as old as 20,000 |
| independent tribes spread throughout much of | | | | years. We know the Celts, similar to Native |
| current day Europe, were sophisticated artisans, | | | | people of North America, viewed that the earth |
| carving knot work patterns that have inspired | | | | itself as well as all aspects of life and death as |
| modern day jewelers to create wedding rings. | | | | divine. They had a large and varied pantheon, |
| These motifs have meaning. Yet understanding | | | | worshipping local gods. The natural world was |
| the knot patterns and why they make such ideal | | | | considered sacred, and every river, mountain and |
| wedding rings can be illusive. The ancient motifs | | | | tree had its own spirit of place. Rituals were |
| are rooted in mysterious cultures that stretch | | | | rooted in a particular oak grove or waterfall. Early |
| back well before written history.Though the | | | | Celtic leaders even mocked human-like images of |
| earliest written accounts of the Celts were from | | | | Olympian gods or the wild animals of their vale |
| Roman descriptions, some knot work motifs | | | | and forests. |