Ogham is the Celtic tree alphabet — 25 symbols called feda (singular: fid), each associated with a tree, plant, or natural element. The symbols are notch-marks carved along a central line, originally found on standing stones across Ireland, Scotland, and Wales from the 4th to 7th centuries CE.
The Structure
The 25 feda divide into five groups of five (called aicmi):
- Aicme Beithe — Birch, Rowan, Alder, Willow, Ash
- Aicme hÚatha — Hawthorn, Oak, Holly, Hazel, Apple
- Aicme Muine — Vine, Ivy, Reed, Blackthorn, Elder
- Aicme Ailme — Silver Fir, Gorse, Heather, Aspen, Yew
- Forfeda — Five additional symbols added later
Divination Use
Ogham staves are typically carved on wooden sticks and drawn from a bag, similar to runes. Each fid carries meanings drawn from its associated tree: Duir (Oak) represents strength and doorways; Luis (Rowan) represents protection and discernment; Ioho (Yew) represents death and transformation.
What makes Ogham unique among divination systems is its deep ecological grounding. Every symbol connects to a living organism with observable qualities. When you draw Coll (Hazel), you're not interpreting an abstract symbol — you're engaging with the qualities of hazel itself: wisdom, poetic inspiration, the filbert nut that concentrates knowledge into a small form.