Celtic knot tattoos often are not knots at all. Instead, they are described this way because of the way that the lines overlap and intersect. This can give the tattoo design the look of a knot, when in actuality the design can represent a large number of things. The complexity of the Celtic knot designs can often make them hard to interpret, and some times the design is made up, completely independent of any historical symbolism. Celtic knots can be just lines, shaded, completely white and black or filled in with various colors. These tattoos are most commonly placed on the shoulder or the chest, and are often worn by individual of Irish descent. In the late 1800s and early 1900s in America when the Irish were suffering from persecution, one may see Celtic knots scribbled onto brick walls as a way to bond together.
Take a look at our Celtic knot tattoos gallery:
