This painting focuses on the early inhabitants of Scotland and the Appalachian mountains. The Native American in the right corner represents the Cherokee tribe of the southeast, and the monk in the left corner refers to the Celtic origins of Scotland that evolved from being secular into religious communities, and where monks were the leaders and the teachers of these communities.
In the circular shapes of this composition are symbols found in ancient stone carvings and writings that were created by some of these early peoples. Many of the symbols were common to both cultures. For example, on either side of the outer edge of the painting there are interlocked spiral shapes. That is a Celtic design, but it also has been used by Native Americans as a symbol of water. The snake shapes, also in the outer ring of the circle, represent for both cultures a symbol of regeneration...the snake coming out of its skin, meaning new life and in some cases, good health.
There are also symbols in this design that were unique to each culture. The Celtic knot in the middle, having a circular form composed of one continuous line, may suggest, as mentioned earlier, the possibility of infinity. One of the Native American symbols repeated in the four directions of the circle is of the two-headed thunderbird, an image drawn on a rock wall on Paint Lick Mountain in Virginia. Whatever the symbol, each one seems to hold some special meaning or explanation related to the mysteries of the natural or spiritual world of these indigenous cultures. This painting is owned by the Alice Lind family.
Ellen Elmes
PO Box SVCC
Richlands, VA 24641-1101
email: ellen.elmes@sw.edu
phone: 276.964.7205
fax: 276.964.7720