My quest to know my own culture better continues. As I promise myself I will learn to write and read Ogham, I start today with the basics.
OGHAM WRITING
Ogham writing appeared in the 4th century stones. Ireland has many stones with Ogham writing, mostly in the south of Ireland in Cork and Kerry. So, what is it? Ogham is an ancient (circa 4th century) writing system of twenty-five characters found on stone and wood inscriptions in Ireland and other Celtic lands. One to five straight or angled lines meet or cross a center line. It can be written vertically or horizontally. Each consonant or vowel represents a tree, a lunar month and an element, creature or quality. The vowel combinations represent a solstice or equinox and words: 2 more trees/plants, 2 places (woods and water) and 1 object (a spindle that forms the thread).
The 5 vowels and 15 consonants:
There are 25 letter sounds: 15 consonants, 5 vowels, and 5 vowel combinations. They can be signed by hand by pointing to a position on a thumb or finger:
Fingers thumb index middle ring little
tip B L F S N
1st ⅓ H D T C Q
2nd ⅓ M G nG St R
3rd ⅓ A O U E I
Under ea oi ui ia ae
I have to admit I found that part fascinating. I think I’ll write the letters on my hand and start practicing.
Here’s an old chart from a Welsh school of the Ogham alphabet with its rune equivalent:
An oft quoted legend has it that Ogham was invented by the learned poet Ogma Mac Elathan (Ogmios).
As each letter represents some aspect of time, we should begin with the Celtic Calendar
The Celtic Tree Lunar Calendar
A wonderful site on Ogham here
The 13 month Beth-Luis-Nion lunar calendar is named after trees each represented by a consonant. Equinoxes and solstices (approx. dates here) were represented by vowels.
- Birch B – Beth: 12/24 – 20/1
- Rowan L – Luis: 21/1– 17/2
- Ash N – Nion : 18/2- 17/3
- Alder F – Fearn: 18/3 – 14/4
- Willow S – Saille: 15/4 – 12/5
- Hawthorn H – Huath: 13/5 – 9/6
- Oak D – Duir: 10/6 – 7/7
- Holly T – Tinne: 8/7 – 4/8
- Hazel C – Coll: 5/8 – 1/9
- Vine M – Muin: 2/9 – 29/9
- Ivy G – Gort: 30/9– 27/10
- Reed Ng – Ngetal: 28/10– 24/11
- Elder R – Ruis: 25/11– 23/12
i) Furze O – Onn Spring Equinox 21/3
ii) Heather U – Ura Summer Solstice 21/6
iii) Poplar E – Eadha Autumnal Equinox 21/9
iv) Yew I –Idho Winter Solstice Eve 20/12
v) Fir A – Ailm Winter Solstice 21/12
Ogham is fascinating because it’s not just a letter or a symbol. It also represents the passing of time as each letter stands for a month. It has other levels of meaning too including a divination system (lost in time I’m afraid). I should not get ahead of myself though. Let’s get the basic symbols down first.
Down version | Ogham | Tree | Irish | Association 1 | Association |
1 Right | ᚁ Beith B | Birch | Beith | Eagle | Start |
ᚂ Luis L | Rowan | Caorann | Horse | Protected | |
ᚃ Fearn F | Alder | Fearnóg | Wren | Guidance | |
ᚄ Sail S | Willow | Saileach | Bee | Female | |
ᚅ Nion N | Ash | Fuinseog | Fire | Unity | |
2 Left | ᚆ Uath H | Hawthorn | Crann sceach | Stag | Cleansing |
ᚇ Dair D | Oak | Dair | Power | Strength | |
ᚈ Tinne T | Holly | Cuileann | Swan | Justice | |
ᚉ Coll C | Hazel | Coll | Wells | Wisdom | |
ᚊ Ceirt K | Apple | Crann úll | Female | Choices | |
3 Crossed | ᚋ Muin M | Vine | Finiúin | Prophecy | |
ᚌ Gort G | Ivy | Eidhneán | Discovery | ||
ᚍnGéadalNG | Reed | Giolcach | Action | ||
ᚎ Straif ST | Blackthorn | Draighean | Negation | ||
ᚏ Ruis R | Elder | Trom | Renewal | ||
4 Crossed | ᚐ Ailm A | Fir | Giúis | Foresight | |
ᚑ Onn O | Furze | Aiteann | Gathering | ||
ᚒ Úr U | Heather | Fraoch | Healing | ||
ᚓ EadhadhE | Poplar | Poibleog | Courage | ||
ᚔ Iodhadh I | Yew | Iúr | Rebirth | ||
5 | ᚕ Éabhadh EA | Aspen | CrannCreathach | Meditation | |
ᚖ Ór OI | Gooseberry | Spíonán | |||
ᚗ Uilleann UI | Beech | Fáibhile | Ancestors | ||
ᚘ Ifín IA | Thorn | Fál | |||
ᚙEamhanchollAE | Hazel grove | Garrán Choll |
OK. I’ll take a break now and practice and see how much I can remember. I’ll do 5 a day for 5 days and test myself at the end of the week.