Highlander Charge

“Highlander Charge” depicts an army of Celtic warriors charging into battle. The artwork is not meant to accurately depict any particular Celtic group or tribe. Rather, it’s a romanticized image taking bits and pieces from different elements of Celtic culture throughout history to make one composite representation of the Celtic warrior.

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Legend of the White Stag

White stags have played a role in many mythologies and legends, especially in the North. The Celts believed them to be messengers from the otherworld. The white stag’s appearance would be an omen for whoever sighted it. The legends of King Arthur indicated that the white stag had a supernatural ability to avoid capture, and pursuit of the magical beast was akin to a spiritual quest.

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Drink to the Gods

Offering ale, wine, or mead to the gods, the dead, or spirits has been a part of ritual and religion for millennia. It’s a practice that spreads across much of history and culture. It’s a powerful expression used to bring together communities in a reaffirmation of beliefs and values. My knotwork-style representation of this type of offering depicts two warriors hoisting their drinking horns to the sky!

"Drink to the Gods"

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Vae Victis! - Woe to the Vanquished!

My latest design paying homage to the Iron Age Celts! Specifically, the Celtic Chieftain, Brennus, and his horde of Celtic warriors who sacked Rome in 390 B.C. Its the only time Rome was sacked before the fall of the Roman Empire many centuries later.

After taking Rome, the Celts demanded an exorbitant amount of gold be paid as ransom for the city. As the Romans begrudgingly weighed out the gold to ransom, some Romans began to complain to Brennus that the weights being used were faulty in the Celts favor.

Hearing these whining, Roman gripes, Brennus jumped to his feet, threw his sword on the scale and bellowed in a guttural voice, “Vae Victis!” Or, “Woe to the Vanquished!” In other words, “What are you gonna do about it?!” The sacking of Rome and subsequent humiliation in 390 B.C. by Brennus left a psychological scar that the Romans never forgot, and it is theorized that this collective mental scarring would influence Julius Ceasar and Rome’s obsessive desire to conquer Gaul centuries later when Rome grew to super power status.

My artwork here depicts an Iron Age Celtic shield and various Iron Age Celtic implements of war that have been discovered by archaeologists and have unique and distinctive appearances. VAE VICTIS!

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Yggdrasil Ragnarök

Yggdrasil, or “World Tree,” is a central feature of Norse mythology. The World Tree houses all nine of the mythological Norse realms, and several mythological creatures occupy its branches. My artwork here shows Thor, the thunder god, battling his nemesis the “World Serpent” Jörmungandr. Thor and the world serpent do battle in the cataclysmic Ragnarök where they kill each other in their final battle.

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Fighting Fenrir Series

I’ve created a mash up of my most popular designs to create something new! I’m calling this one “Fighting Fenrir.” Which color scheme is your favorite?

ALL of the color schemes you see pictured are currently available online! Go to CELTICHAMMERCLUB.COM to see all the cool stuff they are printed on!

Celtic Warrior Series

Celtic warriors have been renowned for their prowess on the battlefield since ancient times. They were head hunters, displaying the heads of their slain victims in their homes as trophies, and they charged into battle adorned in blue war paint. This artwork pays homage to the Celtic warrior legacy.

SCOTLAND

IRELAND

WALES

CELTIC WARRIOR

The Binding of Fenrir

“The Binding of Fenrir” has become one of the most popular tales in Norse mythology. Fenrir is a large wolf, and the offspring of the god Loki. Fenrir lived with the gods in Asgard, but as Fenrir continued to grow and grow into a monstrously large size, the gods knew he posed too much of a threat to continue his residence in Asgard. So, the gods executed a plot to bind Fenrir and remove him from Asgard.

The gods bound Fenrir with various chains as a test of Fenrir’s strength. Each time, Fenrir answered the challenge and was able to break free of every chain presented to him. However, in secret, the gods sent a messenger to Svartalfheim, the home of the dwarves, master craftsmen who forged a magical binding which could not be broken. They named this magical chain Gleipnir.

When presented with the magical Gleipnir, Fenrir detected something was up, and requested one of the gods place their hand in his mouth as an assurance that this was no trick. Every god refused knowing full well that this would mean the loss of their hand to the mighty Fenrir. Only Tyr, bravest of the gods, was willing to offer his hand to Fenrir.
After being bound by Gleipnir and discovering that he was indeed trapped and unable to free himself, Fenrir took his revenge and bit off the hand of Tyr. The gods promptly hauled Fenrir away to a far away place where he remains until Ragnarok.

The symbolism of the brave Tyr sacrificing his hand to the powerful Fenrir is reflected in this artwork.

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Ēostre

Ēostre was an ancient heathen goddess of the dawn. Her name is where we get the name “Easter” today. Ēostre (or Ostara in Old High German) represents the coming of the spring and the beginning of a new season of growth and fertility. Even though the old heathen customs were adopted into Christianity, the modern Easter is still flush with symbols of the old Easter. Easter bunnies, decorating eggs, tulips, and other spring time motifs are still very much with us today.

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Skál

Almost all cultures have special words or toasts to acknowledge the activity of bonding with others over drinks. The Celtic and Norse tribes were no exception. Fermented beverages played an important role in rituals and sacrifices. It brought people together to help create a sense of comradery and community. Mead and ale took on an almost supernatural power as they are often referenced in sagas and mythology. Mead was referred to as the “nectar of the gods.” Much of the Saxon epic poem Beowulf is set in a mead hall. So raise your drink, and toast to the long held traditions of the past. Skál! Sláinte! Cheers!

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