Handmade Sterling Silver Tree of Life Earrings with lever backs.
The Tree of Life has countless ancient roots, similar to the physical roots of the Tree itself. Archaeologists have located this symbol in Turkey and dated it back to 7000 BC; similarly, it appears in Acadian culture around 3000 BC.
This symbol also shows up in ancient Celtic culture; they called the Tree ‘Crann Bethadh’ in their language. The Celts highly revered trees; upon clearing a field, for example, they ritualistically left a single tree standing in the middle. Generations of people would then use this tree’s shelter to conduct meetings and ceremonies.
Finally, Christianity also retains elements of the Tree of Life, as the Book of Genesis mentions the symbol as the tree which grows in the Garden of Eden.
If you observe the Tree of Life symbol, you’ll see the way that the deep roots fan out in all directions, while at the same time, the branches reach skyward in the same pattern. This symbolizes the way that you, and all living beings, are connected to both Mother Earth and to the Universe.
Notice the way that the Tree of Life represents a large family tree. Imagine yourself as the tree’s trunk– one singular unit. If you were to map out all of your great grandparents, for dozens of generations back, your family tree would eventually look like a massive Tree of Life, representing the hundreds of hundreds of people that came together to create you. It’s profound, when you think about it!
The ancient Celts knew well that those great trees that stood in the middle of their fields, their Crann Bethadh, provided not only a gathering place, but also nourishment and shade, as well as a shelter for birds and other animals.
They recognised that trees allowed their people to prosper, and that without trees, human life could not thrive. Thus, their Tree of Life also symbolises all of the nourishment and prosperity that trees provide for humans and for the Earth.
Similar to the Tree of Life’s “self growth” symbolism, the significance of groundedness has to do with the tree’s seemingly infinite roots. We know, scientifically, that the deeper a tree’s roots stretch, the more resistant they are to harsh weather.