celtic typography

Fonts have also undergone great changes throughout history. So much so, that many typefaces were designed with the aim of initiating new inventions that would thus help to satisfy new needs in society. What few are unaware of is that there are different typefaces that, due to their designs, keep a past behind, which has served as a link to understand the present.

We are talking neither more nor less than Celtic fonts, a style that is characterized by its designs and for being quite decorative and creative. In this post, we will show you what this style of fonts is and we will show you some more outstanding examples of it.

If you want to continue learning more about the world of fonts, join us until the end.

Celtic typography: what is it

celtic typography, also known as Gaelic calligraphy, It is a typography style that is part of the design of fonts that were used in Irish writing and that were very important because they were used regularly in the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries in countries such as Scotland and it was not until the XNUMXth century that it began in countries like Ireland.

These letters, despite the fact that they are no longer used regularly, have gone down in history for their design and adaptation. These letters form a total of 26 totals in their alphabet, since they come from the Latin alphabet. They are characterized because they must necessarily include some of their vowels but with a very peculiar acute accent on them. They can also be determined by several consonants with diacritical points and with several Tironian signs, an element characteristic of this type of letters. Definitely, a typeface that maintains an aspect typical of the Celtic era, with an air of the past and history.

General characteristics

From

This alphabet originated and was born from the medieval manuscripts themselves and it is said that it is part of and comes from the Latin alphabet as we know it. The first that emerged originated in the year 1571, in this way there was a great religious struggle between Christianity and Protestantism.

Without a doubt, there were many years of great changes in terms of religion, which caused some of the lyrics to be influenced by various historical modifications. In short, a letter style that has been very peculiar in the medieval times that we know.

Use

Currently, this font is not in use, since over time, and With the advance of new alphabets and new letters, they were updated and their use was lost.

News

Currently, this typeface is used as a decoration, also for urban signage, where many Irish newspapers still maintain this typographic style on some of their magazine covers. There are also those who invest it in the design of some signs in pubs or nightclubs, establishments such as shops etc. It is incredible how a typeface that has made history, has become a way of decorating and representing.

history of gaelic

Celts

The Celts, as we have heard them speak of them at some time, they originated on the upper Danube, in the first millennium BC, that is, around 400 BC, which was an important date due to its territorial expansion. In this way, they were known for their extension to Central Europe, Denmark, Germany and the British Isles. To date, the Celts were considered a people that stood out for their high religiosity and also were polytheistic, but the arrival of Christianity made them change their minds.

The Romans

On the other hand, there were the Romans, surely you will know more about them than about the Celts, since the Roman era was a much longer time, with more evolution and sociopolitical changes. At that time, the Romans were under the reign of Gaius Julius Caesar.

The Romans, in this way, reached several territories, among them were the northern British coasts, that is, Caledonia, the current Ireland that we know today, a people dominated by a group of cohabitants called the Picts.

Thus, the Roman army took over several more territories, its great expansion, Great Britain.  In this way, the Romans took over a large part of the island, where they all lived together and implanted their own language.

The barbarians and the fall of the empire

With the arrival of the barbarians, a group of people who revolutionized much of the extension of the Romans, took over Great Britain, thus leaving free countries like Ireland or Wales, who still belonged to the Celts.

The fall of the empire caused many settlements went in favor of the barbarians, In this way the Romans were left bankrupt and new groups like the Scandinavians settled in Central Europe and conquered the British Isles.

Ireland and Scotland

In Scotland, the majority of the population was Gaelic and they were under the power of countries like Norway, in this way what we know as Vikings began to emerge. Instead, in Ireland, the English parliament established new anti-Catholic laws, which caused the town to be divided into two halves. 

The language

The Celtic language was transmitted orally over the years. In addition, there are different dialects or variants of Celtic, on the one hand there is Goidelic Celtic and on the other hand British Celtic. A completely different Celt.

For this reason, there are currently two very opposed Gaelics, the Irish Gaelic, and the Scottish Gaelic. For this reason, many social groups such as the Vikings spoke this language for a time, and for this reason the Celtic languages ​​have also been preserving some words that maintain characteristics and influences typical of Castilianism.

Ultimately, a language that has undergone great changes throughout history and that has been used on many and numerous occasions.

where to find celtic fonts

Google Fonts

Google Fonts is one of the most outstanding options to download fonts of this style. It is a tool that has different families and typographic styles so that you can download them. It has the necessary and suitable fonts for your designs, whether for advertising, artistic, editorial design, etc. They are very easy to download, which makes the program really quite useful and easy to navigate through its very extensive interface. You no longer have an excuse not to download some of the best fonts thanks to this excellent tool from Google.

Dafont

Without a doubt the house of the sources. It has a total of more than 12 categories, which is a very good factor when it comes to finding a typeface that fits perfectly with what you want.. Once you are in the interface, you just have to choose between the many categories that it has, which are usually displayed at the top of the web page. An option that does not go unnoticed, since it is very functional and you can find fonts between the subwindows that are also displayed on the numbered pages. In short, the perfect option.

1001 Sources

Other tools with which you can find infinite fonts of this style is 1001 fonts. This incredible option has thousands and thousands of different fonts that can combine perfectly in your designs. You just have to find the option that best suits your tastes or the project in question. In addition, the vast majority of them are for both personal and commercial use, which means that all of them do not have a cost, but rather are all free. Don't stay without trying this wonderful tool, with which you can let your imagination and your creative ideas fly.

myfonts

And last but not least, we also have the option of Myfonts, a tool that counts more than 120.000 fonts or typefaces of all possible styles and designs. A wide variety of font resources are waiting for you with just one click. There are designs for all kinds, both for commercial use and for web or editorial. Everything you have thought to create in your mind is possible thanks to this fantastic option. Without a doubt, you cannot miss them for anything in the world, since it is incredible.

Conclusion

Celtic typography has gone down in history as a font that has revolutionized not only the world of fonts but history as we have studied it and know it.

It is true that, with the passage of time, its use in some publishers and books that are marketed today has completely disappeared, but many people feel the need to use it in their designs, since it is a typeface that shares a style own, which leaves its mark wherever it goes and therefore markets very well in many sectors and industries. A wonder of source that is evolution and revolution.