The use of spirals was a dynamic and popular motif, indicative of endless movement and in use from the Neolithic period (circa 5000 BC) making it one of the oldest geometric shapes found in the ancient world. Bronze craftsmen continued to use the pattern during the Bronze Age, though more flamboyant and flatter spiral patterns were favoured. The clockwise spiral was believed to represent the Sun – a popular motif in the early art of many cultures. Supposedly, a loose spiral represented long summer days, whilst a tightly wound spiral represented the shorter days of winter.
To discover more about spirals in Celtic culture, please visit our relevant blog post: The Symbolism of the Spiral in Celtic Imagery
