Ogham

The Celtic alphabet made up of 22 signs. Often used in conjunction with runes.

It is a Celtic alphabet, which was used to write the early Irish language.  It was invented by two brothers; mac Elatha mac Delbaeth and Ogma Grian-aineh as a proof of his ingenuity and it was to belong to the learned of the herdsmen and rustics. It is named after Ogma but in Greek, Ogmos refers to a line, furrow, or row which is the best description of what the Ogham is all about. In Scot Gaelic, the word Ogham oidheam refers to a notion of anything; whether it is an idea, hint, or inferences and for sure, it gives the Ogham some meaning.

The language was divided into four parts:

• The common language for all
• The language of the Irish
• The language of the poets
• Additional language
• Language parted from trees

The Ogham is the language which parted from the trees and it is not merely poetic. An archaic version of the language is placed on the language when it is referred to as the language of poets, to give it a meaning that, it is meant for ordinary people who could not understand the language. For the additional language, it is presumably a vocabulary which was technically and peculiar to the Druids. The language of the Irish is a straightforward one as it meant it was a language used by the Irish. The common language for all refers to a lingua franca which is supposed to be for everyone to communicate even those who were accustomed to a different language. Gaelic was not spoken by everyone and that is why the Ogham became handy as the lingua franca.

The Origins of Ogham

It is believed that the earliest inscription of Ogham dates back to 4th century AD, but its use seems to have been evidenced in the 5th and 6th century when the wood or perishable materials were the media of writing was predominant. There is evidence of the alphabets around the Irish Sea.

It is believed that the Ogham alphabet was developed from another already existing language, thus making it not to be original. The Latin alphabet is believed to have had an influence on the alphabet. In Wales and Ireland, the monumental stones had inscriptions which were termed as Primitive Irish which translates to Old Irish which is the language which was used in the Latin alphabet of old that was available in the 6th century.

Due to the fact that the Ogham inscriptions are predominantly made of personal names and marks, it might be an indication that it was used to get information of ownership, which was seen during the primitive Irish period which had a restriction to phonological developments.

Before one deciphers that the cuts on the stones are the Ogham language, it can pass for decorations on the rocks. The inscriptions are in a unique physical style which makes it hard for the archeologists to make a preservation of the rocks. Most of the inscriptions are in the face of the stone and wrap around the angled edge of the stone.

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