Oghams

Ogham is used to refer to refer to to an alphabet of twenty-five characters called beth luis nion. The word "beth luis nion" is formed from individual letters, as is our word "alphabet".

beth luis nion

The letters consist of one to five perpendicular or angled strokes, meeting or crossing a center line. The form of the letters allows them to be carved easily on objects of wood or stone, with the edge forming the center line. Most ogham inscriptions come from Ireland and Scotland.

The letters all come from the names of the trees. Some English cognates are beth, birch; saille, sallow (an archaic name for willow); idho, yew.

The following is the vertical way of writing ogham: