Celtic Cross Tattoos

The Celtic Cross has given people comfort and connection to their history and culture for many years. This design is often used for burial stones and can be found in many parts of Europe, especially Ireland. There are a lot of fine examples still standing in place as they have been for centuries. The Celtic Cross as a tattoo image is very popular as a way to give a visual representation of a person's faith and heritage.

The design itself is similar to a Christian cross but the Celtic cross has a few distinct differences. Each point of the cross widens as it nears the end and a circle is added which goes round the middle of the cross. The shape can be solid, however many designs have intricate knot work patterns.

The Celtic Cross is also sometimes also known as the Ring Cross or the Wheel Cross. In tattoo designs these days it is typically a symbol of Christianity but it is probably derived from much earlier pagan symbols. Actually these simple pagan images were probably associated with fertility - the cross, or more literally a simple "plus sign", standing for the male generative power and the circle for the female.