Ogham Happiness
From the Gaelic Sonas, meaning 'Happiness'.
This framed Ogham Wish is a wonderful gift, suitable for a great number of unique and important occasions including weddings, housewarmings, newborn gifts, and birthdays, presented in a classic black wooden frame! Each individual piece is handpainted on handmade paper by Ethel Kelly in Co. Roscommon, Ireland.
Length: 19" x 5.75"
History of Ogham
Ogham (pronounced 'ohm') was the earliest form of writing in Ireland, existing from the 4th-9th centuries AD. Typically etched into stone or wood, it consists of a series of strokes along a line, where the strokes' quantity, length, and direction determine the letter. Most of the letters correspond to the Roman alphabet, with a few local additions, so in fact it's a translatable cypher rather than a language, read from the bottom-left upwards.
Some historians believe it may have been used as a secret alphabet that Roman Britain wouldn't be able to understand, while others suggest it may have been developed by early Christian communities as a form of shorthand. Most surviving examples are found on stone monuments in southern Ireland, though there are also some inscriptions in the west of Britain too, particularly in Wales.
