Meaning and Significance
Knots are a common theme in jewellery design and we're often asked about their significance and meaning.
The symbolism behind the act of tying a knot is one of binding, so it's no surprise that it became a metaphor for a commitment towards love within many different cultures. These knots have many different names including the lover’s knot, a love knot, true love’s knot, or a promise knot, and the knots themselves also come in many different shapes and formats, but their meaning is uniform.
Tying The Knot
When people get married, it's often said that they are tying the knot, a phrase that dates back hundreds of years. The term references a church tradition where a couple’s hands are tied together with a fabric as part of their wedding ceremony, and just like their hands bound together by a knot, so are they bound together in marriage.
From Norse and Celtic to Hindi marriage rituals, binding husband and wife physically together is a symbolic gesture which signify the union of two lovers.
Knots themselves, which symbolize unbreakable pledges in the folklore of many cultures, were also used in many marriage rituals. For example, a Celtic knot is used to propose marriage. Similar to an engagement ring in modern times, the knot is accepted if the woman accepts the marriage proposal. A knot tied using gold wire was also believed to be used by sailors at sea as a form of wedding ring.
The marriage knot is also known as the knot of Hercules, as he was considered the guardian of wedded life. As part of Roman wedding rituals, it was tied around the bride’s wedding dress and only the groom could untie the knot.
Knots and Love
The lover’s knot or love knot has a long history of being a symbol of love. It represents the unbreakable bond and eternal connection between two lovers.
The association of knots with love has appeared in many different cultures since ancient times. These include ancient Greek jewellery, Egyptian sculptures, and Celtic knots . Meanwhile in ancient Arabia, lovers used love knots to send messages to each other.
The Celtic knots consist of unbroken loops with no beginning and end, symbolizing eternity like the love between a married couple. Yet another folklore tells of lovers tying a love knot on a small limb of a tree. If the knot holds for a year, it means that their love will last.
In modern times, we now have numerous jewelry that are inspired by the love knot. They are meaningful gifts that expresses your love and commitment towards your significant other. And are perfect for Valentines’ Day, anniversaries, Christmas and more. They come with a great story too!