Triskele from the Book of Kells (folio 34r)

It's been over 1,200 years, and the Book of Kells is still considered the most beautiful book ever made. It's a lavishly (and I do mean lavishly) decorated copy of the four Christian gospels: the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John from the Bible. Its designs and patterns are taken from folk traditions, not only of the Celts but of peoples across Europe, into Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. It's folk art developed and refined into something completely "other", and wondrous to behold.

This here is a triskele, and there's no design more Celtic than a triskele. In fact, it's a triskele made up of triskeles, which are also made up of triskeles. Because you can't have too many triskeles. It's taken from the "Chi Rho" page - the original is tucked under the upper right arm of the "chi" (Greek "X"). The colors aren't quite the same, but I stuck to the Kells palette. The border is from the same page, a knot which I repeated four times to make a square.

If you really want your mind blown: The big circle is about 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) in diameter. The diameter of the original is less than half that size. It would just about fit into one the secondary triskeles on mine.

Drawn in india ink and painted with gouache on Bristol board.