SPIRALS
are one of our oldest symbols.
You may have seen Spirals as part of Celtic culture but they predate that .
This bowl with its spiral motif of a sort of that appears centuries later in Irish manuscripts dates back to the early Neolithic and comes to the Romanian Cucuteni Culture one of the oldest known European cultures to use ceramic.
But spirals seem to be universal. Here's another Neolithic example from an area and time with no possible connection to the Eastern European Neolithic or later Celtic culture.
No its NOT Chinese! Its from the Banchiang culture in an area that's now part of N.E. Thailand.
So and don't grimace as I state the obvious but its TRUE SPIRALS REALLY ARE A UNIVERSAL motif. Now try drawing one by hand and imagine painting it and getting it right on the first attempt without over painting on a curved surface.
Its as if the potter or whoever painted on the pots was saying ... THIS IS NOT JUST A MARK but a meaning pattern stating if nothing else that this vessel is a product of thought and skill and design.
I could provide further samples but instead I suggest so you can confirm for yourself that you google Ceramics along with the following keywords
Jomon Cycladic Helladic Newgrange Maze Spiral .
Enjoy
