Articles

Symbol, story & source

Fewer articles, carefully sourced. We keep history, folklore and modern interpretation clearly apart.

• Ogham Explained: Ireland’s Oldest Writing, and What It Was Really For

  Notches on the edge of a standing stone are the oldest writing in the Irish language. Here is what they say, how to read them, and what they were — and weren’t — used for.

  7 min read

• A Short, Honest History of Palmistry

  Reading the hand is old, widespread and very human. Here is where it comes from, how the modern version was assembled, and how to enjoy it honestly.

  6 min read

• The Four Main Palm Lines and How Modern Palmistry Reads Them

  A practical guide to the heart, head, life and fate lines — what palmists look for, the myths to ignore, and how to take a photo good enough to read.

  6 min read

• Hazel, Rowan, Hawthorn, Oak: Trees in Irish Folklore

  Irish folklore and place-names are full of trees. Here is what is genuinely recorded — and why the popular "Celtic tree zodiac" isn’t part of it.

  6 min read

• Is Tarot Celtic? The Real Origins of Tarot, the “Celtic Cross” and Runes

  Tarot, the Celtic Cross spread and runes are often sold as ancient Celtic wisdom. None of them is — and the true stories are more interesting.

  5 min read