Ancient Welsh symbols trace back to the Celtic tribes of Wales, even before Welsh was spoken. They are closely tied to nature, spirits and deities, warriors and fighting, and the Otherworld. Some symbols, like the red dragon, have become well-known parts of Welsh culture in modern times.

Where do ancient Welsh symbols originate? Why are some of the traditional Welsh symbols we see today relatively new in comparison? Ancient symbols of Cyrmu come from the Celts who lived in Britain during the Iron Age. By 600 BC, they had established quite a presence on the island. They were pagans who believed in many deities intimately connected with the natural world. The Celts were also animists, which means they thought spirits lived in everything, even inanimate objects like stones or swords. These spiritual beliefs gave us the ancient Welsh symbols and their meanings.

As to the answer to the second question, when Christianity swept through Britain and replaced the earlier Celtic beliefs, symbols people held sacred also changed. Some symbols remained. Others fell away from widespread use or changed meaning. And other symbols appeared closer to modern times, such as the daffodil. The flower is closely tied to St. David, who spread Christianity throughout the Welsh tribes.

How old does something have to be to be considered “ancient?” Generally speaking, something is ancient if it is roughly 2,000 years old. However, it also depends on the subject matter. For example, in   Wales, woodland   is considered ancient if it contains trees dating back to the 1600s. In this post, we’ll cover ancient Welsh symbols that stay as close to being at least 2,000 years old or more as possible. So, as another example, the red dragon as a symbol of Wales (or Celtic tribes) traces as far back as Roman times. While it may not hit the 2,000-year mark precisely, it goes so far back that it predates the Welsh language. 

Y Ddraig Goch: The Red Dragon

One of the most well-known ancient Welsh symbols is the red dragon or “y ddraig goch” in Welsh. We see it as the emblem on the Welsh flag, and people also refer to the flag itself as “Y Ddraig Goch.” This mythological beast as a symbol of Wales dates back to the 5th century. Legend has it that the red dragon defeated the white dragon in battle (the Welsh defeated the Saxons). This story comes to us from Arthurian legend. The terms “Red Dragon” and “White Dragon” also became metaphors for the Britons (who would later become the Welsh) and the Saxons (the English), mainly as conflict persisted. 

While there is no proof that King Arthur existed (at least, not in the legendary way he is portrayed), his father, Uther Pendragon, may have been the Welsh king who brought the dragon into use as an icon. The name “Pendragon” is a Brythonic name. Brythonic is the branch of Insular Celtic that eventually evolved into Welsh, Cornish, and Breton. Pendragon means “Dragon Head” or “Chief Dragon.” 

The legendary King Uther is said to have used the red dragon symbol not only on his banner but also on the ring he wore. During Uther and Arthur’s time, the red dragon came to stand for the Britons who fought the Anglo-Saxon invaders. The twist in the story is that Uther Pendragon may have originally got the dragon symbol from the Romans, whose standards bore the symbol. The theory is that after the Romans left Britain, some tribal chieftains may have adopted dragon symbols on their own banners, and this may be what inspired Uther to use the mythological beast as his own.

The Wild Boar in Ancient Welsh Culture

The ancient Celts revered the boar, and it became one of their sacred animals. Wild boars are known to be aggressive and downright vicious. They will defend themselves to the death, seemingly without fear. The Celtic   tribes of ancient Wales   admired these qualities. The boar represented characteristics such as strength, courage, danger, and fearlessness. Warriors often wore boar skin when going into battle. They also adorned their swords, helmets, and shields with images of boars. Additionally, statues of boars graced altars and burial chambers. They seem to urge the deceased into the Otherworld with strength and courage. 

The boar is one of many important ancient Welsh symbols because of its occurrence and depiction in the Mabinogion. These stories are the earliest compilation of eleven Welsh tales handed down orally for centuries. While they weren’t written down until the Middle Ages, the stories go much farther back, as the   beliefs and mythology   present in their content clearly predate Christianity.

Twrch Trwyth is a monster boar that appears in the Mabinogion. It was first mentioned in Historia Brittonum, a story about British history from the 9th century. “Twrch Trwyth” means “the Boar Trwyth” in Welsh. Trwyth was once a prince. He was cursed and turned into a monstrous boar with venomous bristles covering his body.   

Another reference to boar appears in the third branch of the Mabinogion. In the story of Pryderi and Manawydan, a shining white boar leads a hunting party into a trap in the Otherworld. 

The Oak Tree 

The oak was the most sacred tree to the Celts. They believed it was a gateway to the Otherworld and viewed it as a symbol of strength, endurance, and wisdom. The Druids, who were the Celts’ priests and scholars, paid particular reverence to the oak tree. While we don’t know the exact origins of the word “Druid,” it is believed to come from the old Irish-Gaelic word for oak tree, which was “doire” and meant “wisdom.” 

This noble tree appears in   the Mabinogion   in the Story of Math. When Lleu Llaw Gyffes is struck with a spear, he transforms into an eagle and perches on an oak tree until he is rescued and turns back into a human. 

The Celtic Tree of Life symbol shows an oak tree with its branches reaching towards the sky and a network of roots beneath the earth. An intricate weaving of Celtic knots often encircles the tree and connects the “above” to the “below.” While the precise meaning the Celts had for the Tree of Life is debatable, it may be showing the connection between the earth and the heavens. It also shows the repeating cycle of birth, life, and death. 

Although the Tree of Life was a powerful symbol to the Celts in Wales, it predates them, and many cultures used it. Its origins go back to ancient Mesopotamia. The oldest Celtic Tree of Life ever found dates back to the Bronze Age. As for where the Celts adopted the ancient symbol, they may have borrowed it from the Norse culture. 

Old Welsh Symbols

Other important Welsh symbols you may recognize are not necessarily ancient, but they have been with us for years and have become well-known emblems in Welsh culture.

The Leek

The leek became a symbol of Wales during the days of the Welsh kingdoms. There are several guesses as to why. According to one legend, King Cadwaladr of Gwynedd instructed his troops to wear leeks when engaging in combat with the Saxons. In another story, it was St. David who told the soldiers to put the plants in their helmets.

Another legend describes Edward the Black Prince’s victory over the French at the Battle of Crécy in 1346. In a field of leeks, the Welsh archers faced off against the French. As a reminder, the Welsh started wearing leeks in their caps on St. David’s Day every year.

The Daffodil

Compared to the leek, the daffodil is a newcomer on the scene. Wales had a surge in daffodil popularity during World War I thanks to the support of Welshman David Lloyd George. He was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom at the time. According to several media stories, he proposed that the daffodil be adopted as the Welsh national symbol. He also wore the flower to the Prince of Wales’ 1911 investiture (a formal ceremonial conferring a rank). The article “ Why is the daffodil a symbol of Wales? ” goes into detail about this bright yellow flower and how it was adopted as an emblem of Wales.

The Welsh Harp

Harps have been played in Wales as early as the 11th century. However, the national instrument, the triple harp (with three rows of strings instead of one), arrived in Cymru from Italy during the 1600s. A harp with this triple-string design became known as the “Welsh Harp.” Although other areas of Britain lost interest in the instrument by the 18th century, it thrived in Wales. The eisteddfodau (festivals) of music and poetry have been the perfect way for harpists to keep the love of the instrument alive.

Ancient Welsh symbols remind us of a powerful and unbreakable connection to the land and nature, and the resilient people descended from a turbulent yet vibrant past. The strength of the Celts lives on in the proud spirit and culture of the modern Welsh.