Ogham 'Health & Happiness' Double Pendant

Regular price 69.800
/


About this Piece

This exquisite pendant features the Gaelic words 'Sláinte' (health) and 'Sonas' (happiness), which are sculpted in sterling silver in ancient Ogham - the secret writing of the Celts. The Sláinte piece is plated in rose gold.

18" sterling silver chain included.

Pendant sizes are approx. 4-5cm long.

Comes boxed and gift wrapped with an information card on Ogham writing.

The perfect gift for a friend or loved one!


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.