beast

The hunting creatures of the forest were both feared and respected by early man. Their raw power, cunning and courage were attributes much admired in the harsh environments of the Celtic tribes. These animals were known to be unwavering in the defense of their young and, in the case of canines, of their pack mates - their families. Throughout history images of bears, wild cats, wolves and hounds have represented the desirable qualities of strength, wisdom, bravery, kinship and loyalty.

In the knotted Celtic style the embodiments of these traits are ferocious beast forms. Considering these people's graceful accuracy in rendering horses, bulls, and boars, we must assume that these other beasts were intended to be enigmatic, rather than that they were badly drawn. Usually non-specific, they seem blended to express the essence of a powerful creature rather than representing any one species. Perhaps their creators felt more recognizable images might be too powerful, inviting the great hunters to come calling.

single beast
double beast
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