The Triquetra & Triskele

The Triskele is made up of three 'legs' or 'arms'; in the case of the above symbol it has three spirals. The symbol is not limited to Celtic Tradition as some would have it, so I am here going to make some suggestions as to its meaning to the Germanic Folk. A similar symbol is the Horn Triskelion which is made up of three horns. These are the 'Three Cauldrons' featured in another article, those of Bodn, Son, and Odroerir. This symbol may thus be linked to the Three Cauldrons which are Power-Centres or Energy-Centres of the body, connected to the awakening of the Fire-Serpent.

Since there are three spirals we can connect each one to an energy-centre, each centre working as a spiral energy. Each spiral is a coil which may symbolise the Coiled Serpent (Kundalini); since we have a form of three-armed swastika here there is a hint of the movement of energy.

The Triquetra is usually called the 'Celtic Knot' but again this is not restricted to Celtic Tradition and features in Norse and Germanic Tradition. It has been linked to the Valknut, but rather than  three triangles fused together this shape here is made up of three half-circles, which is symbolic of three circles, an alternative to the Valknut. The Horn Triskelion is the same symbol as the above, but made up of three horns. There is a hint that we have here a symbol of Three Worlds which are fused together, and this has the same meaning as the Valknut, which again is fused together as one. This concept is important since the ancient Germanic Folk saw the Nine Worlds as being linked together, and not as separate entities.

In the above we have the figure of Woden holding his spear, Gungnir, presiding over what seems to be a human sacrifice (the man lying over the 'mound'); above him are two birds (ravens?), and a Valknut. In the scene, to the left, is a warrior hanging from a tree by his neck. The whole scene seems to be dedicated to Woden as the Hanged God, God of the Hanged. It seems clear that the Valknut, as the Knot of the Slain, is connected to Woden as God of the Hanged.

I have shown in a previous article how the Three Energy-Centres are used at the point of death in order to gain entry into Valhalla, and thus for the Warrior-Hero to become immortal and live with the Gods.

The term 'Valknut' stems from -

WAL/VAL - to twist, coil, turn, i.e. to spiral, thus linked to 'spirit'.

KNUT - 'knot', 'twisted cord'.

It can also mean -

WALK - to choke, to strangle, i.e. the 'Wolf'.

KNUT - 'knot', 'twisted cord'.

The symbol is here clearly associated with 'strangling', the hangman's noose, and thus the Hanged God, who is Woden the Wolf-God and Raven-God. The idea of 'to coil' and 'spiral' takes us back to the Triskele which is obviously a similar symbol to the Valknut.

The Triskele Symbol can be found at the entrance to New Grange, a large mound associated with the Tuatha de Danaan ('Tribe of Danaan'). Since this barrow seems to be associated with the planet Venus and to the 'Resurrection of the Hero' then the symbol must be associated with this resurrection and to the Entry to Valhalla - the Home of the Immortals. The Tuatha de Danaan were said to have gone underground (into the Inner Earth according to Miguel Serrano) and become the Siddhe ('Shee'). The Siddhe were the 'Immortals' or 'Sages' (Siddhas of Vedic India).

The Triskele can be found as a four-spiral version on a pre-Viking stone at Martebo, Gotland in Sweden. On the same stone seems to be an S-Swastika and a Flower of Life symbol, as well as an eight-armed figure.