Also known as ogam or ogum, it is pronounced “AHG-m” or “OH-ehm.”
The Ogham script recorded some of the earliest Irish texts, dating between the 4th and 5th century. The alphabet consists of three sets of five consonants and one set of five vowels, a total of just twenty letters. It is thought that the names of the main twenty letters are also the names of twenty trees that were considered sacred to the druids. A for Ailim (Elm), B for Bithe (Birch), C for Coll (Hazel), etc.
A 15th century manuscript, The Book of Ballymote (Leabhar Bhaile an Mhóta), confirms that Ogham was a secret, ritualistic language. In that same manuscript, it states that the invention of Ogham was achieved when “Ogma Sun-Face – Son of Elatha – raised four pillars of equal length”, and it was upon these pillars that the characters of the letters were etched. The letters are constructed using a combination of lines placed adjacent to or crossing a midline. An individual letter may contain from one to five vertical or angled strokes. Vowels were sometimes described as a combination of dots. The midline was, most often, the edge of the object on which the inscription was carved, this is called a ‘Druim’ which means ridge or spine. Ogham is read from bottom to top on boundary markers, left to right across page on manuscripts.
There are currently 369 verified examples of Ogham writing. These exist in the form of ‘gallán’ (standing stones) concentrated in Ireland but scattered across Scotland, the Isle of Man, South Wales and even Devonshire. Similar markings, dating to 500 BC, have been found on standing stones in Spain and Portugal. It is from this area of the Iberian Peninsula that the Celts who colonized Ireland may have come. The discovery of similar carvings in the state of West Virginia in the United States, has caused some speculation that the Celts may have come to the New World as early as 100 BC.
After the 6th century, Old Irish was written with the Roman alphabet, and the Ogham language became all but extinct. We are using the Ogham language as inspiration for a new Celtic wedding ring that is available now. We hope you enjoy viewing it.
Tags: ancient language, celtic language, celtic rings, ogham, Ogham script, old Irish language
