Celtic body decoration was originally used to frighten opponents in battle. From the Iron Age on, warriors would apply to their bodies designs in blue dye extracted from the woad plant to present a sight calculated to terrify in the heat of the fight.
Each design is significant, with its own myth and symbolism, ranging from the simplest swirls to the most complex, interweaving patterns. Classical scholars also say that the symbols were ritualistically important to the Celts. Celtic design also found its way into jewellery and art.
Today those same designs have found a new popularity as fashionable tattoos and the history is an integral part of New Age philosophy. But for the first time it's no longer necessary to take the irrevocable step of tattooing or to struggle with the intricacies of Celtic design.
Celtic Tattoos enables the beginner to create temporary tattoos to establish a striking design, which can then be traced over and coloured with semi-permanent paints. Step-by-step guides to design are included throughout, to take readers from the basic to advanced patterns and combine different styles to create entirely new motifs. The meanings and myths behind the patterns are clearly explained and a full history of Celtic body decoration completes the book.
