Scottish Tartans Museum gift shop: Celtic Porcelain Jewelry

These lovely pieces were originally developed in Scotland over 25 years ago and are now handcrafted in the United States from fine porcelain clay. Our Celtic Art designs are original illustrations of artists from Scotland, Canada and the United States based on traditional Celtic themes.

The unique crafting process allows for more detail in designs than other mediums. The designs are fired into the clay at 2200 degrees, so they will not peel or wear off. Each piece is surprisingly lightweight and finished to a beautiful satin touch, and individually packaged in a velvet-like box with a card describing the symbolism of the design. They are available in 18 motifs, with three variations on each design. The text for the descriptive card is shown below and to the left of the images. Made in USA. Normally stocked for immediate shipment. Out of stock styles may take several weeks for delivery.

Motif	Round	Oval	Octagon
Celtic Cross - Celestial Energy The cross is a universal symbol from ancient times, and like the sacred tree and standing stone, it represents to the Celts the union of celestial and earthly forces. The axis of the cross indicates the infinite spiritual expansion in all directions and the inner circle symbolizes the unity and consolidation of these powers into a central point, a source of potent spiritual energy.
Sacred Tree/Tree of Life - Spiritual Energy, Wisdom The sacred tree or Tree of Life represents the fruitfulness of the earth, evoking spiritual growth, abundance, and rebirth. Rooted in the heart of the earth, it drinks the sacred waters of life and stretches its branches into the heavens, providing a bridge between celestial and earthly powers. Each Celt tribe had a sacred tree as its focal point, a symbol of sovereignty, sacred wisdom, and spiritual energy.
Fish - Secret Wisdom and Prophecy In Celtic mythology, salmon and trout are often linked to sacred wells and springs, places of physical healing and spiritual rebirth. The salmon are said to eat hazel nuts which fall into the pool from the tree of knowledge, thereby gaining the wisdom of the worlds. As symbols of sacred wisdom and foreknowledge, the fish represents renewed and sustained life.
Serpent - Earth Healer Symbols of healing and wisdom, serpents live within the depths of the Earth Mother and have mastery of all her secret knowledge and vital forces. Both Brigantia and Sironi, Celtic goddesses of healing, use the serpents' mystical powers to work their cures. Because of their wave-like movements, serpents are also associated with healing waters and sacred wells, sources of regenerative powers from within the earth, thus protectors of health and well-being.
Knotwork - Spiritual Quest Knotwork patterns are symbolic of life's journey, an attempt to make sense of the maze of existence. They represent a continuity of life with no beginning and no end, a journey to one's spiritual center, an inner quest for spiritual rebirth, and a pathway to the sacred and divine source.
Spirals - Spiritual Growth Since ancient time, spirals have represented spiritual growth, the ever expanding journey of the soul from the sacred vortex uncoiling outward to fill the universe, then returning to the balanced center, the creative source of Spiritual power and rebirth. Spirals are a natural pattern found in wind and water currents, fern fronds, shells, and seeds and express the unfolding of the earth’s energies and the expansion of the universe.
Horse - Sovereignty, Guidance The horse is associated with many Celtic deities as an emblem of power, sovereignty, abundance, and guidance. Epona and Macha are Celtic horse Goddesses who watch over the land, protecting its abundance and insuring a good harvest. As protectors of nature, they both grant sovereignty over the land and are the goddesses of the stable, protecting all who work with horse. As goddesses of maternity, prophecy, and prosperity, they guide and protect mortals on their journeys through life.
Birds - Spirits of Prophecy Birds play a prominent role in Celtic myth and legend. As symbols of freedom and transcendence, they represent the human soul in flight, liberated from earthly ties, able to soar in spiritual communication with the heavens. Returning to earth, they bring messages of prophecy and guidance, aiding mortals on their spiritual and earthly journeys. As spirits of the air, they provide a link between the soul and the spiritual forces of the heavens.
Nehalennia - Protector of Travelers Nehalennia, the steerswoman, is the Celtic goddess who protects travelers during their life, but also on their journey through the afterlife. She is represented by dolphins, who protect seafarers, and dogs and ravens who protect land travelers. Along the coast of ancient Celtic settlements are standing stones carved with stylized dolphins, tributes to Nehalennia. As the goddess of guardianship, she symbolizes prosperity and the abundance of the earth.
Hare - Good Fortune, Rebirth The hare is considered an intermediary between mortals and deities, a messenger of the gods, but also a trickster with powers to effect transformation and control destiny. Its erratic movements foretell future events and as a lunar animal, it represents rebirth, immortality, good fortune and prosperity. The hare is the totem animal of numerous moon goddesses, most notably oestre (the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring) whose name is the source of the word Easter.
Brigantia - Healing, Fire, Inspiration Brigantia (St. Brigit or Bride) is the Celtic goddess of healing, fire and inspiration. Often portrayed with serpents who possess the healing powers of the earth, she is closely associated with the curative energies of sacred wells and springs. As the muse of the creative arts, she provides light and inspiration to the bard, smith, and other artisans. As well, her association with fire makes her the goddess of the family hearth, childbirth, and domestic accord.
Dragon - Guardian Spirit As a winged serpent, dragons unite earthly powers with celestial forces, guarding the gates to the nether worlds, protecting the treasure (both material and spiritual) and controlling the earth's energies. Symbols of strength and protection, they are often portrayed as stylized spirals or mazes; sources of spiritual centering, self discovery, and a return to Mother Earth. Inhabiting lakes, barrows, and hilltops, they guard and protect all the earth and its inhabitants.
Divine Couples - Friendship and Harmony Celtic goddesses are often portrayed with mortal kings as consorts, representing the union of the feminine and masculine energies of both the spiritual and material world. As a couple, they embody this sacred union of separate forces creating harmony, peace, abundance, well-being, and new life energies. The divine couple represents the duality of one's spiritual and worldly nature and at the same time stresses each partner's need for independence and balance, creating friendship, harmony, and cooperation to enrich life's journey.
Stag - Protector of Nature The majestic stag is an important solar animal of the Celts. Its antlers, shed and regenerated the following year, represent the tree of life and are symbolic of spiritual regeneration, abundance, and prosperity. As a divine messenger, its antlers are seen as a receptacle for celestial energies. The stag, representing the masculine side of the balance of nature, was the totem animal for the antlered deity Cernunnos, ruler and protector of water, animals and nature.
Cerridwen - Transformation, Inspiration Cauldrons in Celtic mythology are symbols of abundance, inspiration, and divine knowledge, as well as sources of metamorphosis and spiritual rebirth. As keeper of the cauldron, Cerridwen is the goddess of transformation, controlling the shape changing of humans and animals and offering guidance and spiritual renewal at crucial junctures on life's journey. Cerridwen, whose totem animal is the boar, guarded the cauldron of inspiration and is considered the muse of the bards.
Cat - Intuition, Prophecy In Celtic mythology, cats were often portrayed as liaisons to mystic realms, granting the caller a variety of insights regarding esoteric and ethereal knowledge. They were considered the guardian of souls, their eyes the windows to the other world. The Celtic cat received much respect. The Celts recognized cats’ unique abilities such as sensing the coming of terrible storms long before thunder was heard.
Dog - Loyalty, Companionship To the Celtic peoples, dogs have often symbolized the strong bond of companionship and loyalty between human and animal. The Celtic goddess to protect travelers, Nehalennia, is often depicted with dogs at her side. Dogs figured prominently in Celtic artwork, especially within the Books of Kells, Durrow, and Lindisfarne. Fiercely protective of their human families, the barking of a faithful dog can be a first alert to danger or concern.
Heart - Love, Emotion Since ancient times, hearts have been used as a symbol to refer to the spiritual, emotional and moral core of a human being. Poetically used to refer to the soul, hearts are most commonly used as symbols representing love. The Celtic heart is among the most romantic of symbols, formed from one continuous line, representing the union of souls in a visual continuity, of continuing faith and love as one travels through the journey of life.