The Secret Voice of the Forest: An Introduction to the Ancient Ogham Alphabet
If you walk through an ancient forest and stop to listen to the wind rustling through the leaves, you will understand that the trees speak. The Celts knew this well. For them, nature was not just a landscape, but a living temple. From this profound spiritual connection was born Ogham (pronounced Oam), also known as the alphabet of the trees. Today, we invite you to discover this ancient writing system, a journey through symbols, magic, and botany, which can still enrich our lives today.
What is the Ogham alphabet?
Ogham is an ancient alphabet used primarily in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Its 400 surviving inscriptions are almost all carved on standing stones dating from between the 4th and 8th centuries. They are found on funerary inscriptions:
Ireland: approximately 330, concentrated mainly in the south (Munster: Kerry, Cork, Waterford) and the west (Galway, Mayo).
Wales: around 60, mainly in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire – evidence of the presence of Irish (Deisi) settlements in southwest Wales between the 4th and 6th centuries.
Cornwall, Scotland, Isle of Man: a few dozen in total. Some are bilingual: Ogham-Latin or Ogham-Pict.
Many of them are kept in museums (National Museum of Ireland in Dublin), but some are still visible in situ: Dunloe, Ardmore, Aglish (Ireland); Nevern, Llandeilo Llwydiarth (Wales).
The Ogham alphabet consists of 20 letters: 15 consonants and 5 vowels. Unlike our alphabet, Ogham signs are formed by lines interlaced around a central line, like the trunk of a tree and its branches. It uses a vertical reference line (the edge of the stone) and groups of notches arranged in four positions (to the right, to the left, transversely, and on the line) for the 20 basic letters, divided into four aicme, or "families." The classic formula for funerary inscriptions is X MAQI Y MUCOI Z ("X son of Y of the line of Z"). This was part of a mnemonic system reminiscent of counting notches.
How to read an Ogham inscription?
1. Locate the base of the inscription: usually starting from the bottom, on the right edge of the stone.
2. Follow the edge of the stone upwards, counting the notches.
3. Count the number of notches and their position: 1 to 5 notches to the right = B, L, F, S, N; 1 to 5 to the left = H, D, T, C, Q; 1 to 5 horizontally = M, G, NG, Z, R; 1 to 5 on the line = A, O, U, E, I.
4. Transcribe the phonemes and try to recognize the classic formula: X MAQI Y MUCOI Z.
For practice, high-resolution images of Ogamic stones are available on the websites of the Irish National Monuments Service and the CISP (Celtic Inscribed Stones Project, University College London).
Mythology and trees
The Book of Ballymote states that this alphabet was created by Ogma, the Celtic god of eloquence and speech, who desired a secret and encrypted language, reserved for sages and druids. These latter transmitted their doctrines orally, believing that writing focused thought and was prone to misinterpretation.
Since the Middle Ages, Ogham has been a tree-based alphabet (Auraicept na n-Éces, 9th-10th centuries, and the Bríatharogham) because each letter, in addition to its sound, is associated with a tree from which it derives its name. Each letter was also linked to the names of the gods and their attributes, to the names of plants and their healing properties, as well as to the names of animals.
The forest as a calendar and spiritual guide
For the Celts, each tree possessed a personality, a specific energy, and a spiritual virtue. Since the Middle Ages, the Ogham calendar existed, associating each period of the year with a tree:
The birch (Beith): linked to the beginning of the year, it symbolizes rebirth, purification and new projects.
The oak (Duir): king of the forest, it symbolizes spiritual strength, protection and access to the divine.
The hazel tree (Coll): guardian of wisdom and intuition.
The divinatory and horoscopic applications of Ogham, however, date back to the 20th century, when they originated with Robert Graves in his book " White Goddess " (1948) who proposed the luno-arboreal calendar based on letters, and from there many oracular practices developed.
Why rediscover Ogham today?
In a frenetic world, Ogham invites us to slow down and reconnect with the rhythms of nature. Far more than a simple historical legacy, it is a tool for personal development. Studying the tree of the month helps us understand which energy to channel within ourselves: resist like the Oak, let go like the Willow, or gather wisdom like the Hazel.
Over the next few months, on the Anima Keltia blog, we'll be exploring together the secrets of these sacred trees to help us journey peacefully along the paths of autumn. Have you already discovered the tree that resonates with you this season? Share it with us in the comments!
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