Celtic Number Mythology

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Celtic Number Mythology
By: / Novice
Post # 1
Three was a sacred number in ancient Celtic mythology and religion. Riddles and triadic phraseology are frequent in Celtic mythology. The triskel, a figure composed of three spirals, signifies the three-layered nature of a human soul, and is itself a central figure in ancient Celtic symbolism. The earth, sea, and sky were thought to share a three-fold marriage in oaths and as witness to deeds, and represented sacred elements.

Five: signified the family unit and order in Irish tradition, because of the five provinces of Ireland, and also the five laws imposed on provincial Irish kings.

Seventeen: was a number associated with the cycles of the visible moon, particularly the new moon. On this day of the moon's cycle, many influential and monumental events were thought to have taken place. The 17th generation was supposed to be the farthest reaches of ancestral memory, putting the longevity of memories within a clan at approximately 400 years.

Twenty-seven: represented the sacred number nine tripled three times, which supposedly triples its potency. Twenty-seven also signified the number of warriors comprising a war-band, and the number of the members of a Celtic chieftain's royal court. The number nine may also have been associated with a nine-day lunar week.

Thirty-three: represented the royal or judicary number, signifying great honor. The courts of great gods and heroes number thirty-two, with the king of the gods making the tally thirty-three. This also represented the number of islands that Maelduin had to visit before he could find his homeland.

Source: http://www.watson.org/~leigh/celts.html#myth
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Re: Celtic Number Mythology
By: / Novice
Post # 2
I thought this was interesting, so I thought I would share it with everyone.(:
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Re: Celtic Number Mythology
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Post # 3
Very good post! Are there any more numbers or is it only these three?
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Re: Celtic Number Mythology
By: / Novice
Post # 4
These were the only ones on the site, but I'm sure they have more somewhere.
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Re: Celtic Number Mytholo
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Post # 5
very cool. jesus died at 32! all cultures put value on numbers (we do live in a mathmatical galaxy). and also, numbers are unfinit! u cant count forever and never find there end, goin up or down! i also believe that anyone can have a "number 23" type thing with watever number is meaningful to them. theres the angel numbers 11:11, and so on.. many cultures found 7 important, and its the most common lucky number. im personaly into 26. always been my fav. and guess what? 2012 is the end of a 26,000 year cycle, and on dec.21st, my zodiac signs horns will be aroubd the earth! see, number 23 effect :) numerology is not for the week of heart. my friend, whose a 2 person, has many friends born on the 26th, and his other favorite number is 8! wierd stuff that numerolgy...wieeerd stuff.
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Re: Celtic Number Mythology
By: / Knowledgeable
Post # 6

The triskelion in and of itself, its symbolic meaning, is quite an interesting thing to look at. Three was definitely an important number. Three celtic worlds: Celestial, Mortal, Other. Etc. I loved your posting. :)

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