Chas, You use the term "CELTIC & since you also refer to the "book of Kells",
I"ASSUME" you are referring to the IRISH not the Highland Scots. Because, their art forms do differ. I feel that we must
ABANDON looking @ "weapons" for "Celtic" designs.
Search as I may, I could find NO "Celtic art work on Irish weapons ( Note- there may be some, but I have yet to find them.)
Here is an Irish dagger
(note- this dagger, as well as the Irish swords, are influenced by the
Vikings -- more in the following post )
I did find a "Celtic" designs in the Highland weapons though.
1. Swords + NONE
2. Guns + an occational "thistle"
3. Daggers/Dirks + NONE until the LATE 1600s, when the "Celtic Knot statrted to be added to the handle, & became traditional"
Picc #1-#3 Pre late 1600s, except one
Pic #4 is a color pic of actual museum Scotish Daggers prior to the Late 1600s
So were does that leave us ?? See my next post.
:seeya:
Puffer