Shield knot

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Shield knot (basic shape)

A shield knot is an ornament that corresponds in its basic shape to a tristram knot ( loop square or Bowen knot ) fitted into a circular outline , the curvature being transformed into points at the points tapering towards the outline. The four straight strands form two parallel pairs with a small distance or touching each other, which cross each other at right angles. Usually one of these pairs is arranged vertically, but often also inclined slightly to the left or inclined by 45 ° from the vertical. As a knot form, this is an endless knot , a four-pass knot and a trivial knot . At the crossing points it is always shown which strand, when facing the viewer, makes the other appear concealed, while the direction of rotation of the four outer loops always appears uniform.

More complex forms of the shield knot each have identical additional loops or entanglements on the four outer main loops, but the fitting into a circular outline is always retained.

Occasionally, a tristram knot itself (or an analogous ornament made up of several parallel lines) that is enclosed by a circle or shown as filling on a circular object is called a shield knot.

The shield knot is understood as a protective symbol by people who are turned towards modern esotericism or neopaganism . It is mostly seen as originating from Celtic (but also from Germanic or other) religious or mystic symbolism, without referring to specific examples of actual historical use. It can be found on commercially available amulets and similar objects (e.g. flower tags). On these, the symbol is usually clearly shown in the center and is often surrounded by further, smaller-scale ornamentation arranged in a circle.

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