The Triquetra
For those of you asking me what my tattoo means…
I think for me it means a lot of all of these definitions.
The Triquetra has three distinct, yet interlocked points.
Trinity of soul: Physical, mental, and spiritual.
The Triquetra symboltechnically represents the 3 aspects of the feminine life cycle, the maiden (the young virgin), the mother (pregnancy and motherhood) and the crone (old age and immense wisdom).
The Triquetra can represent the 3 phases of a woman, but more frequently represents the 3 fold nature. These symbols have three equal sized legs. They were adopted by Christians as the sign for the Holy Trinity. The Trinity Knot is found in various Celtic illuminated manuscripts. It is also called Triquetra, meaning “three-cornered” in Latin. Also adopted by Christians, symbolizing the Trinity (God the Father, God the Son and God The Holy Spirit). It could represent three fishes (“Pisces”). When Christians were persecuted, the fish was a valuable, and secret symbol. When two people of the Christian faith came together one would draw half the fish in the sand, and if the other drew the other half of the fish symbol in the sand they knew it was ok to talk. The Circle represents unending love for and from the creator, and unending love for man and woman.
If you have seen the TV series Charmed, you know that it means “The Power of Three Acting as one”. It is also shown on the Book of Shadows during their first season, as well as seen on their cat. The whole premise of the show is that the three sisters must use the power of three and act as one to be truly powerful and effective. Triquetra is Latin for three-cornered. The ancient #3 is seen as an extremely powerful number.
Some believe that the Triquetra are a Greek originated word meaning 3 legged. It is associated with progress and compensation. Found on the coat of arms of the Isle of Man.
Triquetra is a word that has been derived from the Latin tri- (“three”) and quetrus (“cornered”). The original meaning for this symbol was “triangle”, but it has been used to refer to various Celtic three-cornered shapes. Today it has come to refer to a more complicated shape formed of three vesicae piscis that sometimes has a circle around it.
This symbol is often found in insular art. It is most notably found in metal work and in illuminated manuscripts (e.g. The Book of Kells). It is uncertain what the symbol truly meant to the ancient Celts. It is often found as a design element in larger drawings of triskeles or triple spirals.
