The triquetra ( ; from the Latin adjective ''triquetrus'' "three-cornered") is a triangular figure composed of three interlaced arcs, or (equivalently) three overlapping '' vesicae piscis'' lens shapes. It is used as an ornamental design in architecture, and in medieval manuscript illumination (particularly in the Insular tradition). Its depiction as interlaced is common in Insular ornaments from about the 7th century. In this interpretation, the triquetra represents the topologically simplest possible knot.

History

Iron Age

The term ''triquetra'' in archaeology is used of any figure consisting of three arcs, including a pinwheel design of the type of the

triskeles A triskelion or triskeles is an ancient Motif (visual arts), motif consisting of a triple spiral exhibiting rotational symmetry. The spiral design can be based on interlocking Archimedean spirals, or represent three bent human legs. It is fo ...

. Such symbols become frequent from about the 4th century BC ornamented ceramics of Anatolia and Persia, and it appears on early

Lycia Lycia (Lycian language, Lycian: 𐊗𐊕𐊐𐊎𐊆𐊖 ''Trm̃mis''; el, Λυκία, ; tr, Likya) was a state or nationality that flourished in Anatolia from 15–14th centuries BC (as Lukka) to 546 BC. It bordered the Mediterranean ...

n coins. The triquetra is found on

runestone A runestone is typically a raised stone with a runic inscription, but the term can also be applied to inscriptions on boulders and on bedrock. The tradition began in the 4th century and lasted into the 12th century, but most of the runestones da ...

s in Northern Europe, such as the

Funbo Runestones The Funbo runestones constitute a group of four runestones originally from Funbo in the province of Uppland, Sweden, which were raised by members of the same family during the eleventh century. The following presentations show the runic scrip ...

, and on early Germanic coins. It bears a resemblance to the ''

valknut The valknut is a symbol consisting of three interlocked triangles. It appears on a variety of objects from the archaeological record of the ancient Germanic peoples. The term ''valknut'' is a modern development; it is not known what term or term ...

'', a design of three interlacing triangles, found in the same context.

Insular art

The triquetra is often found in

insular art Insular art, also known as Hiberno-Saxon art, was produced in the post-Roman era of Great Britain and Ireland. The term derives from ''insula'', the Latin term for "island"; in this period Britain and Ireland shared a largely common style dif ...

, most notably metal work and in

illuminated manuscript An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared document where the text is often supplemented with flourishes such as borders and miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Church for prayers, liturgical services and psalms, the ...

s like the ''

Book of Kells The Book of Kells ( la, Codex Cenannensis; ga, Leabhar Cheanannais; Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS A. I. 8 sometimes known as the Book of Columba) is an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin, containing the four Gospels of the New ...

''. It is a "minor though recurring theme" in the secondary phase of Anglo-Saxon

sceatta A ( ; ang, sceatt , ) was a small, thick silver coin minted in England, Frisia, and Jutland during the Anglo-Saxon period that normally weighed 0.8–1.3 grams. History Its name derives from Old English ', meaning "wealth", "money", and "coi ...

production (c. 710–760).Tony Abramson (ed.), ''Two Decades of Discovery'' Studies in Medieval Coinage 1, Boydell Press (2008)
p. 1
It is found in similar artwork on early Christian

High Cross A high cross or standing cross ( ga, cros ard / ardchros, gd, crois àrd / àrd-chrois, cy, croes uchel / croes eglwysig) is a free-standing Christian cross made of stone and often richly decorated. There was a unique Early Medieval traditi ...

es and slabs. An example from early medieval stonework is the Anglo-Saxon frith stool at Hexham Abbey. The symbol has been interpreted as representing the Christian

Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

, especially since the Celtic revival of the 19th century. The original intention by the early medieval artists is unknown and experts warn against over-interpretation. It is, however, regularly used as a Trinitarian symbol in contemporary Christian iconography.

Buddhist tradition

The triquetra has been a known symbol in Japan called ''Musubi Mitsugashiwa''. Being one of the forms of the

Aryan Aryan or Arya (, Indo-Iranian *''arya'') is a term originally used as an ethnocultural self-designation by Indo-Iranians in ancient times, in contrast to the nearby outsiders known as 'non-Aryan' (*''an-arya''). In Ancient India, the term ' ...

Iakšaku dynasty signs, it reached Japan with the dynasty's

Kāśyapīya Kāśyapīya (Sanskrit: काश्यपीय; Pali: ''Kassapiyā'' or ''Kassapikā''; ) was one of the early Buddhist schools in India. Etymology The name ''Kāśyapīya'' is believed to be derived from Kāśyapa, one of the original missionar ...

spreading technology and

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and gra ...

via

Kingdom of Khotan The Kingdom of Khotan was an ancient Buddhist Saka kingdom located on the branch of the Silk Road that ran along the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert in the Tarim Basin (modern Xinjiang, China). The ancient capital was originally sited to ...

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

and

Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...

Modern use

The triquetra is often used artistically as a design element when

Celtic knotwork Celtic knots ( ga, snaidhm Cheilteach, cy, cwlwm Celtaidd, kw, kolm Keltek, gd, snaidhm Ceilteach) are a variety of knots and stylized graphical representations of knots used for decoration, used extensively in the Celtic style of Insular a ...

is used, especially in association with the modern

Celtic Nations The Celtic nations are a cultural area and collection of geographical regions in Northwestern Europe where the Celtic languages and cultural traits have survived. The term ''nation'' is used in its original sense to mean a people who shar ...

. The triquetra, also known as a "trinity knot", is often found as a design element is popular Irish jewelry such as claddaghs and other wedding or engagement rings. Celtic pagans or

neopagans Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, is a term for a religion or family of religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Afric ...

who are not of a Celtic cultural orientation, may use the triquetra to symbolise a variety of concepts and mythological figures. Due to its presence in insular Celtic art, Celtic Reconstructionists use the triquetra either to represent one of the various triplicities in their cosmology and theology (such as the tripartite division of the world into the realms of Land, Sea and Sky),Mac Mathúna, Liam (1999
"Irish Perceptions of the Cosmos"
''Celtica'' vol. 23 (1999), pp.174–187 or as a symbol of one of the specific Celtic

triple goddesses A triple deity is a deity with three apparent forms that function as a singular whole. Such deities may sometimes be referred to as threefold, tripled, triplicate, tripartite, triune, triadic, or as a trinity. The number three has a long histor ...

, for example the battle goddess,

The Morrígan The Morrígan or Mórrígan, also known as Morrígu, is a figure from Irish mythology. The name is Mór-Ríoghain in Modern Irish, and it has been translated as "great queen" or "phantom queen". The Morrígan is mainly associated with war and ...

. The symbol is also sometimes used by Wiccans, White Witches, and some

New Age New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars conside ...

rs to symbolise the Triple Goddess, or as a protective symbol.. In the 1998-2006 American fantasy drama ''

Charmed ''Charmed'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Constance M. Burge and produced by Aaron Spelling and his production company Spelling Television, with Brad Kern serving as showrunner. The series was originally broadcast ...

'', that ran on the now defunct

The WB The WB Television Network (for Warner Bros., or the "Frog Network", for its former mascot, Michigan J. Frog) was an American television network launched on broadcast television on January 11, 1995, as a joint venture between the Warner Bros. ...

network, the triquetra was prominently used as a symbol on the Halliwell's ''

Book of Shadows A Book of Shadows is a book containing religious text and instructions for magical rituals found within the Neopagan religion of Wicca. Since its conception in the 1970s, it has made its way into many pagan practices and paths. The most famous ...

'', the book of spells, potions, and other information the sisters used to fight evil. The triquetra was also used as a symbol of

Charmed Ones ''Charmed'' is an American fantasy Drama (film and television), drama television series created by Constance M. Burge and produced by Aaron Spelling and his production company Spelling Television, with Brad Kern serving as showrunner. The serie ...

and their collective

Power of Three In mathematics, a power of three is a number of the form where is an integer – that is, the result of exponentiation with number three as the base and integer as the exponent. Applications The powers of three give the place values in ...

. The triquetra would be seen to fracture and pull apart on the ''Book of Shadows'' when their bond was temporarily broken by a demon. It was also featured prominently in the opening credits of each episode throughout its eight season run. The symbol was also used in the 2018 reboot that ran on

The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

. In the TV series '' The Walking Dead'' (2010),

Michonne Michonne ( ), later revealed as Michonne Hawthorne, is a Character (arts), fictional character from ''The Walking Dead (comic book), The Walking Dead''. The character also appears in media adaptations of the series, most notably the The Walking ...

katana A is a Japanese sword characterized by a curved, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. Developed later than the ''tachi'', it was used by samurai in feudal Japan and worn with the edge fa ...

features a triquetra, chosen for its meaning as a "triple goddess symbol". In the German Netflix series ''Dark'' (2017), it symbolizes the caves' closed time loops with each loop being 33 years apart, with the past affecting the future and the future influencing the past. The Triquetra is of significant symbolic value to the time travelers. This symbol can be seen on the Cave's metal door, on the

Emerald Tablet The ''Emerald Tablet'', also known as the ''Smaragdine Tablet'' or the ''Tabula Smaragdina'' (Latin, from the Arabic: , ''Lawḥ al-zumurrudh''), is a compact and cryptic Hermetic text. It was highly regarded by Islamic and European alchemists a ...

, in The Stranger's papers, and in the Sic Mundus photo. Thor's hammer,

Mjölnir Mjölnir (from Old Norse Mjǫllnir) is the hammer of the thunder god Thor in Norse mythology, used both as a devastating weapon and as a divine instrument to provide blessings. The hammer is attested in numerous sources, including the 11th cent ...

, dons the Triquetra on its surface in the 2011 film ''

Thor Thor (; from non, Þórr ) is a prominent god in Germanic paganism. In Norse mythology, he is a hammer-wielding æsir, god associated with lightning, thunder, storms, sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology, sacred groves ...

''. After

Odin Odin (; from non, Óðinn, ) is a widely revered Æsir, god in Germanic paganism. Norse mythology, the source of most surviving information about him, associates him with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, the gallows, knowledge, war, battle, v ...

speaks the words, "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor,” to Mjölnir, the Triquetra vanishes. It represents

Asgard In Nordic mythology, Asgard (Old Norse: ''Ásgarðr'' ; "enclosure of the Æsir") is a location associated with the gods. It appears in a multitude of Old Norse sagas and mythological texts. It is described as the fortified home of the Æsir ...

Midgard In Germanic cosmology, Midgard (an anglicised form of Old Norse ; Old English , Old Saxon , Old High German , and Gothic ''Midjun-gards''; "middle yard", "middle enclosure") is the name for Earth (equivalent in meaning to the Greek term , "inhab ...

, and Utgard.

Gallery

File:Trikvetra.JPG, Triquetra on one of the

(11th century), located in the park of

Uppsala University Uppsala University ( sv, Uppsala universitet) is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in opera ...

. File:Trikvetra-closeup.JPG, Close-up of a triquetra on one of the

. File:Triquetra-Münze 05.png, Interlaced triquetra on a Norwegian penny minted under

Harald Hardrada Harald Sigurdsson (; – 25 September 1066), also known as Harald III of Norway and given the epithet ''Hardrada'' (; modern no, Hardråde, roughly translated as "stern counsel" or "hard ruler") in the sagas, was King of Norway from 1046 t ...

(r. 1047-1066) File:Triquetra-Münze 03.png, Norwegian penny minted under Harald Hardrada (r. 1047-1066) File:Cruz_de_Santa_Susana.JPG, Four triquetras forming a " Carolingian cross" in the church of Santa Susanna in Galicia (11th/12th century?).

Variant forms

File:Triquetra-Vesica.svg, Triquetra composed exactly of three overlapping

Vesica piscis The vesica piscis is a type of lens, a mathematical shape formed by the intersection of two disks with the same radius, intersecting in such a way that the center of each disk lies on the perimeter of the other. In Latin, "vesica piscis" literal ...

symbols. File:Triquetra-Double.svg, An interlaced double triquetra. File:Triquetra-tightly-knotted.svg, Tightly-knotted form of triquetra. File:Triquetra-circle-interlaced.svg, Triquetra interlaced with circle as Christian Trinitarian symbol (a "Trinity knot"). File:Triquetra-Interlaced-Triangle-Circle.svg, Triquetra in blue as part of an interlaced Christian Trinitarian decorative symbol. File:Vodicka_triquetra1.svg, Interlaced triquetra in the style of the Funbo Runestone File:Triquetra-Cross.svg, The ''cross of triquetras'', or " Carolingian cross". File:Triquetra-Cross-alternate.svg, Cross composed of four interlaced triquetras. File:Celtic-Cross-Vodicka-decorative-triquetras-red.svg,

Celtic cross The Celtic cross is a form of Christian cross featuring a nimbus or ring that emerged in Ireland, France and Great Britain in the Early Middle Ages. A type of ringed cross, it became widespread through its use in the stone high crosses er ...

with triquetras.

References

External links

* {{MathWorld, JohnsonsTheorem, Johnson's Theorem Celtic art Christian symbols Church architecture Early Germanic symbols Iconography Irish culture Ornaments Religious symbols Romanesque art Rotational symmetry Symbols Visual motifs Piecewise-circular curves