Symbolism of the Celtic Cross

by Derek Bryce

Book Overview

Did you know that the basic symbolism of the cross is that of the worldaxis, or the link between Heaven and Earth? Or that the main feature of the ornamented Celtic Cross, the wheel cross, is not derived from the crucifixion, but from a more ancient symbolthe Chi-Rho monogram, which is the name of Christ in the Greek alphabet? In Symbolism of the Celtic Cross, Derek Bryce traces the pagan-Christian link of the essential symbolism of the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 087728850X
• ISBN13: 9780877288503
• Release Date: November 1995
• Publisher: Weiser Books
• Length: 128 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.4" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Needed this

I've gotten in the habit of carrying this book around to show all my friends who ask me why I wear a cross when I'm pagan... like the way this book points out (as so few do) that crosses DID exist before Christianity

Excellent interpretation of ancient Celtic Cross

Derek Bryce illuminates the history and precise symbolism of the Celtic cross. Reminding us that the wheel suggests the halo of the divine takes us to the growing humber of empty crosses in Europe and USA showing Christ as victor over death. This expresses the divine shining through many holy beings. For interpretation of the four figures around Christ over the main door of Chartres cathedral read A New Sense of Destiny from Ancient Symbols.

Great interpretation of the history of the Celtic cross.

Contrary to the frequent interpretation of the Christian cross as a symbol of suffering, Bryce presents the wheel circle as a nimbus or halo, a pre-Christian, solar symbol of divine energy. In visiting churches in USA, Canada and Europe I have noticed a growing number of empty crosses exemplifying Christus victor. Is not this a return to Bryce's "The early Celtic representations show Christ in triumph." pg.48 Or on another note, does this not suggest that the radiance of the holy is not exclusively limited to the person Jesus of Nazareth? For the symbolism of the four figures around Christ as sculptured over the main entrance of Chartres read A New Sense of Destiny from Ancient Symbols.

Very Enjoyable!

Mr Bryce's book was a surprisingly good read. Received as a Christmas gift, it sat on my desk for eight months before I got the chance to read it, as I thought it would require a good chunk of quiet time (it is a reference book after all). Not so! The pace of the book is fast, it lays out the history of the Celtic cross, pagan to modern, in a very concise fashion, and describes and displays examples along the way that greatly enhance the text. Plenty of fun tidbits are included, but Mr. Bryce's text is so engaging that you find they sneak by you and you don't want to go back. I read the book three times to solve the problem! I was quite surprised to discover that both the Celtic cross and the modern cross do not have their origin in the crucifixion -- one of the more astonishing facts he presents. Just an hour or two to read front to back, and a great primer for someone new to the subject, or soon to travel to Britain. The only drawback is that he didn't write more about it. It was my best gift last year, and at eight bucks just can't be beat. Loved the drawings. Great detail