Re-imagining the ancient tree alphabet

Trees have always held a special place in human culture and mythology. There are countless examples of trees occupying central roles in our stories of who we are and how we understand the world to be.

Trees are often associated with closeness to the divine, interestingly this holds true across vastly different cosmologies.

As a maker whose interests span nature, culture, science, and philosophy and myth, I wanted to explore wood through its material qualities, as well as through the other lenses that we might have historically used to relate to trees.

The Duir table draws inspiration from the Ogham character for oak. Consisting of four small pieces which when placed together form the Duir symbol. Each of the tables showcases the beauty of oak, albeit in different ways.

This table is as much an homage to Oak as it is to Ogham. I wanted to create an object to re-animate the story of the tree alphabet and give it a contemporary physical form.