The Tree of Life

This is found regularly throughout Pictland and often further south. The recurring features of this design are the emergence of a mistletoe-like plant which emerges from a central pot or beaker. The plant branches from the main stem to form interlacings which culminate in cornucopiae from which other interlaced branches with leaves and fruit emerge. The fruits may be picked at by a pair of birds.

The Celtic rendering of the Tree of Life, which always emerges from a pot or beaker, is the only figurative illustration of plant life which appears in the Book of Kells, where it can be found ten times. Two of these are particularly exquisite examples, and depict beautiful tropical-type birds.

After considerable research, over a number of years, George Bain found only a small number of such representations from other cultures. These were from Pre-historic Greece, Cnossus (Crete), Maya (Central America) and Buddist (India). The latter example, found on a Buddist vessel of elephant ivory, he found to be remarkably similar to an example in the Book of Kells.

An archeological assessment of the pot-types depicted shows a similarity with Pre-Dynastic Egyptian vessels.