What does the triquetra symbol mean? [Symbolik & Geschichte]

The triquetra is one of those symbols that have always fascinated me! So let’s learn what the triquetra symbol means and represents in different cultures.

When I saw it again on one of my favorite TV shows, Dark, I thought it would be interesting to dig into this topic and learn more about it!

What does the word triquetra mean?

The term triquetra derives from the prefix tri- (derived from the Latin tres, meaning “three times”) and quetrus, meaning “done at an angle”. Is an ancient Celtic symbol symbolizing a triple female divinity, which later became the symbol of the Trinity in Christian Ireland.

Also referred to as the Trinitarian Knot, this sign is perhaps one of the most important, representing the profound symbolic meaning associated with the number three, the ternary. Always regarded as the quintessential sacred or divine number, this value still retains the reputation of a “perfect number.”

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The Pythagoreans actually considered it as such because it is the result of the sum of the first odd number and the first even number: 1, a symbol of unity and uniqueness, and 2, a symbol of duality, which is a universal principle. 3 is also the smallest of the “triangle numbers”: these are defined as those that are the result of the sum of a sequence of integers beginning with 1, e.g. B. 10 and 21, are triangular numbers since 10 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4; 21 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 etc.

“ Pythagoras

The denomination lies in the fact that these numbers can be “drawn” as a series of dots arranged in overlapping rows, each of which has a different element than the previous one, and together they form the design of a triangle.

From a mathematical point of view, it is a geometric shape in which two knots are intertwined: it is obtained by interweaving a trefoil knot and a simple closed curve (circle or trivial knot) in a non-simplified way. The geometric shape is obtained by presenting the aforementioned tissue in a substantially symmetrical shape, invariant through rotations of 120 degrees. The previous figure is also simplified in the purely two-dimensional correspondent (removing the overlapping distinctions).

In heraldry it is synonymous with Trinacria or Triscele. The triquetra has the same topology as the so-called Gordian knot.

What Does the Triquetra Symbol Mean?

It is a Celtic symbol that embodies the POWER OF THREE in various interpretations, including the goddess in her triple aspect: virgin, mother, alto; the triple Celtic manifestation of the divine: wisdom, love and strength; and the three ways of being human: body, soul and spirit. We could go on and on.

In the context of the Christian emblem, the triquetra is nothing other than the expression of the divine Trinity. especially since it can be said to result from the union and intersection of three different Vesica Piscis: if a single stylized fish represents Jesus, then the union and interpenetration of three fish necessarily signifies the union of the three divine Persons in one: the Father, who Son and the Holy Spirit.

In the earlier pagan cults, particularly those associated with the Celts and Druidism (the triquetra is essentially just the most elementary of the Celtic knots), the symbol takes on a more “telluric” aspect, indicating the three predominant forces of nature : earth, air and water. On a more spiritual level, it indicates the three degrees of evolution of existence: life, death and rebirth.

Since the three elements of the triquetra are closely related, they must not be considered as separate elements, but as three different aspects of a single entity, the “whole”.

In many depictions, the triquetra appears surrounded by a circle or presents a circle interlaced with its lobes. The circle is associated with eternity and cyclicality in most symbolic traditions. Again, when dealing with eternity and the infinite love of God, or the endless cyclicality of life and the cosmos, the circle around the symbol only reinforces its meaning.

Wiccan meanings

The triquetra is strongly associated with Wicca as it represents the cycle of infinity (the cycle of life), but little is known of the actual origins of this symbol.

It also represents the cyclicality of fire, a shield against negative energies, and is very useful for meditation due to its particular shape.

birth, life and death