Symbols of Ancient Egypt: ankh, scarab and lamassu. Ancient Egypt: symbols and their meaning Ancient Egyptian signs

pharaohs Cheops, Mikerin and Khafre. From the very first pyramid of Djoser that has come down to us, these pyramids differ in that they do not have a stepped, but a strict geometric shape. Their walls rise strictly at angles of 51-53 degrees with respect to the horizon. Their faces indicate the cardinal directions. The famous pyramid of Cheops is generally erected on a rock created by nature, and placed exactly in the center of the base of the pyramid.

The Pyramid of Cheops is also famous for being the highest. Initially, it was more than 146 meters, but now, due to the loss of the cladding, it has decreased by almost 8 meters. Each side is 230 meters long and was built 26 centuries BC. According to various estimates, it was built for about 20 years.

It took more than two million blocks of stones to build it. At the same time, the ancient Egyptians did not use any binders, such as cement. Each block weighed about two and a half thousand kilograms, some reached a weight of 80 thousand kilograms. Ultimately, it is a monolithic structure, separated only by chambers and corridors.

Two more famous pyramids - Khafre and Mykern - were erected by the descendants of Cheops and are smaller in size.

The Pyramid of Khafre is considered the second largest in Egypt. Next to it is a statue of the famous Sphinx. Its height was originally almost 144 meters, and the length of the sides was 215 meters.

The Pyramid of Menkaure is the smallest of the great pyramids in Giza. Its height is only 66 meters, and the length of the base is a little more than 100 meters. Initially, its dimensions were too modest, so versions were put forward that it was not intended for the ruler of Ancient Egypt. However, this has not actually been established.

How were the pyramids built?

It is worth noting that there was no single technique. It changed from one building to another. Scientists put forward various hypotheses on how these structures were created, but there is still no consensus.

Researchers have certain data about the quarries where stones and blocks were taken from, about the tools used in stone processing, as well as about how they were moved to the construction site.

Most Egyptologists believe that the stones were cut in special quarries using copper tools, in particular, chisels, chisels and picks.

One of the biggest mysteries is how the Egyptians at that time moved these huge stone blocks. Based on one fresco, scientists have established that many blocks were simply dragged. So, in the famous image, 172 people are pulling a statue of the pharaoh on a sleigh. At the same time, the sleigh runners are constantly poured with water, which performs the function of lubrication. According to experts, the weight of such a statue was about 60 thousand kilograms. Thus, a stone block weighing 2 and a half tons could be moved by only 8 workers. Moving goods in this way is reputedly most common in ancient Egypt.

The method of rolling blocks is also known. A special mechanism for this in the form of a cradle was discovered during excavations of ancient Egyptian sanctuaries. During the experiment, it was found that 18 workers were needed to move a stone block of 2.5 tons in this way. Their speed was 18 meters per minute.

Also, some researchers believe that the Egyptians used the square wheel technology.

Amenta - this symbol denotes the Underworld, or the Kingdom of the Dead. Initially, it denoted the horizon - the place where the sun set. Subsequently, it turned into a symbol of the West Bank of the Nile, where the sun set and where the Egyptians traditionally buried the dead.

Ankh - a cross with a ring-shaped pommel, a symbol of eternal life. Often the gods are depicted bringing the ankh to someone's lips, thereby offering the person the "Breath of Life". He will need this "Breath" in the afterlife. It is often called the "Egyptian cross" due to the fact that for a long time after the adoption of Christianity by the Egyptians, the image of the ankh often appeared next to the Christian cross.

Ba is something that can be called soul. Usually depicted as a bird (hawk) with a human head, and sometimes with human hands. After death, Ba leaves the human body. During the day, Ba can benefit living people, but at night it always returns to the tomb of the deceased. Returning, Ba begins to look for the body of the one to whom it once belonged. This, of course, is already a mummy, but, as a rule, the Egyptians made for Ba and a statue depicting the deceased, in case the mummy was damaged or destroyed.

Shenu (shen) is one of the ornamental curls, or cartouches. It is a rope ring, without beginning or end, inside which the name was written. Served to protect the bearer of this name. This talisman, according to the ancient Egyptians, greatly contributed to the prolongation of life, protecting a person from the misfortunes of the mortal world.

Flail and staff - among the Egyptians, the staff and flail were the main attributes of Osiris as a judge of the dead; a staff with a pen for writing symbolizes the awakening soul. They were also symbols of royalty, majesty and power. The pharaohs of antiquity, like the monarchs of past centuries, carried a scepter and an orb.

Djed - according to legend, the spine of Osiris after his dismemberment was set upright. This is the Egyptian symbol for the djed. Indeed, there is an opinion that the jed is a stylized image of the human spine. It represents stability and strength. It was originally associated with the demiurge god Ptah, who was also called the Great Djed. As the cult of Osiris began to take over, this symbol came to represent the spine of Osiris. The column of Djed was often depicted at the bottom of the coffins, where the spines of the dead lay. This identified the deceased with the god of the underworld, Osiris. Also, this symbol played the role of a talisman in a person's journey through the afterlife.

Primordial hill - the Egyptians believed that this hill rose from the sea of ​​chaos and gave birth to dry land. The image of a hill rising from the sea inspired the Egyptians, as a result of which it was used in many buildings, for example in temples, and perhaps it was the primary hill that served as the prototype of the pyramids.

Feather Maat - personifies truth, justice, morality and balance. Keeping the pen of Maat was one of the duties of the pharaoh. When a pharaoh died, Maat was lost and the world plunged into chaos until the coronation of a new pharaoh helped regain the feather.

Maat herself was drawn in the form of a straight line and symbolized truth, justice, morality and balance. Often the gods and pharaohs were depicted standing on this symbol, which symbolized the devotion to Maat.

The bottom picture shows the Goddess Hefnut carrying the feather of Maat.

The scarab is called the dung beetle because it rolls balls made of dung on the ground. The Egyptians, who observed his behavior, associated it with how the ball of the Sun rolls across the sky. They mistook this food source for an egg that the female scarab laid and hid in the sand. When the eggs hatched, the beetles seemed to appear out of nowhere, thus symbolizing the birth out of chaos. Thus, the scarab beetle was also associated with sunrise. The scarab-headed god was called Khepri.

Ouraeus (cobra) is the emblem of Lower Egypt. She was associated with the ruler and with the kingdom of Lower Egypt itself. Urey was also associated with the sun and many gods. The cobra personified the "fiery gaze of Ra", which was depicted as two uraeus, located on both sides of the winged solar disk. Since the time of the Middle Kingdom, the uraeus has become a symbol that was placed on the crown or headdress of the ruler. It was used as a protective symbol, as the Egyptians believed that the cobra would spit fire at an approaching enemy.

Ujat is the penetrating eye of the god Horus. Symbolized healing and protection. It is a symbol of the power of the god of light and therefore a popular amulet. There are eyes-ujat, which are equipped with hands and hold a bow of life or a wand in the form of papyrus. The Book of the Dead (ch. 42) says: “The Eye of Horus bestows eternal life; and it protects me even when it's closed." Therefore, ujats were often painted on tombs.

Uas - this symbol of strength and power consisted of a forked stick at the bottom, which ends at the top with a dog's head. The gods held in their hands the scepter was (for example, the god of Memphis Ptah) as a sign of their power. It could also be owned by pharaohs, and later by people of lower rank at funerals.

Nemes is a striped headdress worn by pharaohs.

Deshret - The Red Crown. This crown personified Lower Egypt (northern).

Hedge - White crown. This crown was a symbol of Upper Egypt (southern).

Khepresh is a blue crown often worn during battle.

Pshent - a double crown, consisting of white and red crowns connected together, which symbolized the united Egypt. Although Egypt was not always a unified state, the benefits of reunification were undeniable. Egypt could become stronger, and therefore its unification was desirable. Narmer (Menes), founder of the First Dynasty in 3100 B.C. e., was the first ruler to wear such a crown.

Atef - The crown of Atef was worn by the god Osiris. It consisted of the White Crown of Upper Egypt and red feathers, symbolizing Busiris, the center of worship of Osiris in the Nile Delta.

Yeb - this symbol represents the heart. The Egyptians believed that the heart was the center of all consciousness, the center of life in general. When someone died, it was said that "his heart died." The heart was the only organ left in the body during mummification. The "Book of the Dead" describes the procedure of "weighing the soul", when the heart of the deceased was placed on one scale, and the feather of Maat on the other. Thus, it was decided whether a person was worthy to join Osiris in the afterlife.

Sky - this symbol personified gold, which was considered a divine metal and was considered as the flesh of the gods. The brilliance of its polished surface resembled the light of the sun. Great importance was attached to gold - it was it that was considered a symbol of immortality. Closer to the era of the New Kingdom, the royal tomb was also called the golden house.

Het - this sign symbolizes a lamp or lamp on a stand. Heth gave birth to a flame, originally the embodiment of the sun, the symbol of which was the uraeus - a serpent spewing fire. Fire played a big role in the Underworld as well. In this, the Egyptian idea of ​​the World of the Dead is similar to the Christian idea of ​​hell. Most of the Egyptians did not want to enter this world of fiery lakes and rivers inhabited by fiery demons.

Ka - Ka is often translated as "spiritual twin". This famous hieroglyph clearly depicts two outstretched hands, but its origin is unclear. Ka is born with a person. According to legend, the ram-headed god Khnum fashions the Ka on his potter's wheel at the time of the birth of a person. It was believed that when a person died, he "met his Ka". But even after the death of the owner, Ka continued to live. In some tombs, houses were built specifically for Ka, and in order for him to eat, food and water were placed at the entrance to the tomb.

Menhead - a clerk's tablet with writing accessories. Writing was one of the most important achievements of the ancient Egyptians. Not everyone could write, only clerks. These people used a tablet for writing, on which there was a small amount of black and red paint, a jug of water and a pen. Being a clerk was considered very prestigious, in connection with which even some rulers and nobility were depicted with tablets in their hands.

Pet - this symbol depicts the sky in the form of a concave roof, just as the sky seems to touch the horizon. Such a sign was often used in architecture - at the top of the walls and in doorways. It meant heaven.

Sesen is a lotus flower. It is a symbol of the sun, creation and rebirth. Lotuses close their petals and go under water for the night, emerging at dawn and blooming again. There is a belief about a giant lotus, which was the very first to rise from the waters of the pra-ocean. As soon as its petals opened, the sun emerged from them, which is in the sky to this day. Sesen is also a symbol of Upper Egypt.

She is a pool of water. The Egyptians depicted the flow of water using symmetrically arranged vertical wavy lines. If these lines were placed inside a rectangle, then such a symbol meant a pool or lake. The Egyptians believed that the whole world arose from water. In conditions of frequent droughts, water played a primary role for the Egyptians, and having a pool of water was considered a great luxury. The tombs often depicted the dead drinking water from a pool in the afterlife.

Ra - the sun was the main element in the culture and life of Ancient Egypt, and its significance is clearly visible in art and religion. Some of the most revered gods are related to the sun in one way or another. At first, Horus was considered the god of the sun, then - Ra, later - Amon-Ra. There are many incarnations of the sun, such as Khepri, the giant scarab, the symbol of the morning, or Khnum, the ram-headed god, the symbol of the evening. During the reign of Akhenaten, Aton was considered the god of the sun. The sun with rays coming out of it was depicted as a figure holding an ankh in his hands. Another image of the sun is in the form of Horus Behudeti, a winged solar disk entwined with uraea.

Menat - the symbol depicts a massive necklace with a crescent in front and a sharp tip at the back. This symbol was associated with the goddess Hathor and her son Ihy. Hathor was also known as the Great Menat. Often, Hathor is depicted using the Menat as the key with which she uses her powers. Her powers were based on joy, life, childbearing, fun and rebirth. During the New Kingdom, the pharaoh was usually depicted handing over the Menat to Hathor. Perhaps, in this way, parallels were drawn between the ruler and the son of the goddess Ihi. Such an idea of ​​the interaction of the ruler with the gods was traditional, although its most striking expression was the representation of the pharaoh in the form of the falcon-god Horus.

Tiet - The exact origin of this symbol is unknown. Many believe that he personifies the ankh with lowered handles. The meaning of this symbol also resembles the meaning of the ankh - well-being or life. During the Third Dynasty, the image of the tiet was used with the ankh and the djed column, and later with the was scepter. Tiet is associated with the goddess Isis, which is why it is often referred to as "the knot of Isis" or "the blood of Isis". It was called the knot of Isis for its resemblance to the knots that fastened the clothes of the gods. Its second name - "the blood of Isis" - is based on the fact that tiet was often used as a funeral amulet and was made of red stone or glass. In the later period, this symbol became associated with the goddesses Nephthys, Hathor and Nut, and not just with Isis. But the meaning of the symbol remained the same - it still personified the resurrection and eternal life.

Sekhem is a symbol of power in the form of a manifestation of divine power. This is the staff of the ruler, on the upper part of which eyes are drawn. This symbol of power is associated with Osiris, but over the years it has become a real emblem of the god of the dead, Anubis (along with the dog).

Sa - this symbol means protection. Its origin is unclear, but it is believed that it symbolizes either the shepherd's refuge or the papyrus device used by ancient Egyptian sailors as a life-saving device. Sa has played a large role in jewelry design since ancient times. As a rule, this sign is used in conjunction with other symbols, such as the ankh, the was scepter, and the djed. The goddess - the hippopotamus Taurt, the patroness of childbearing - was often depicted leaning on the sign Sa.

Ju (mountain) is a symbol depicting two hills, between which the Nile valley is located. The Egyptians believed that it was the heavenly mountain range that supported the firmament, preventing it from falling. This mountain range consisted of two mountain peaks - the western one, which was called Manu, and the eastern one, called Bahu. The sky rested on these two peaks. Manu and Bahu were guarded by two deities in the form of lions who protected the sun during sunrise and sunset. Also, the mountain was a symbol of the tomb and the afterlife - this was explained by the fact that in Egypt it was customary to bury the dead on the slopes of the mountains surrounding the Nile Valley. Sometimes in religious texts, the god of the afterlife, Anubis, was also called "the one who is on his mountain." Hathor, who was called the mistress of the City of the Dead, was also considered the goddess of the underworld. She was depicted as a cow-headed creature whose body was inside a mountain.

Akhet - this symbol depicts the horizon, from behind which the sun appears and disappears. Thus, the horizon was a symbol of both sunrise and sunset. Akhet resembles the peaks of Dzhu, between which there is a solar disk. The dual lion-god Aker was considered the patron of sunset and sunrise. During the New Kingdom, Harmakhet (“Mountains on the Horizon”) in the form of a lion with the head of a falcon or a sphinx began to be considered the god of the rising and setting sun. The Sphinx at Giza is one of the brightest images of Horus on the Horizon.

Nekhbet is a goddess depicted as a vulture. She was considered the protector of Upper Egypt.

Rekhit is a symbol depicting a lapwing with a comb on its head. The wings of the bird are bent back so that it cannot fly away. This symbol represents a group of people. Often he was depicted at the feet of the ruler to emphasize that people obey his will. In the era of the New Kingdom, the symbol began to be depicted with human hands folded in prayer. In this form, this sign can be interpreted as "a group of people offering prayers."

Naos is a wooden chest, a kind of tabernacle, in which the image of a deity or his sacred symbol was installed; a place of worship where statues of the gods were placed. These naos were especially common in sanctuaries. A small wooden naos was usually placed inside a larger naos carved from a single piece of stone. Naos were especially common in the late period, often richly decorated. Also, the term "naos" was used to refer to a temple or a sanctuary as a whole.

Winged solar disk - it was believed that the god Horus Bekhudeti (Horus from Edfu) took on such an image in battles with Set. God Thoth, with the help of magic, was able to endow Horus with such an ability. In the battle against Seth, the goddesses Nekhbet and Ouzet joined Horus, turning into urean serpents.

The two uraeus wrapping around the solar disk signify these two goddesses.

Sistrum (sistrum) - this sacred percussion musical instrument was used during the mysteries dedicated to the goddess Hathor. The sistrum was a wooden or metal frame, inside which metal threads with disks were stretched. Sistrum made ringing sounds that were designed to attract the attention of the gods. There were two types of sistrums. The iba looked like a simple ring, like a compressed horseshoe with metal cylinders inside, and was placed above Hathor's head with a long handle. Another sistrum - seseshet in the form of a naos above Hathor's head was decorated with ornaments and rings. There were rattling pieces of metal inside the naos box. Usually such an instrument was carried in the hands of a woman from the upper class in processions.

A fetish is an animal skin hanging from a pole. The fetish was the symbol of Osiris and Anubis.

Palm branch - marking the years of the life and reign of the pharaoh, the Egyptians made notches on the palm branch. It served to measure time.

Ushabti - in literal translation - "answer". Ushabti are small, mummy-like figurines that were supposed to work for the deceased in his afterlife. In some tombs built during the New Kingdom, entire groups of ushabti were found, equipped with a variety of tools. It was believed that the deceased should have had 401 ushabti: one for each of the 365 days and 36 guards for the rest.

Baboons - in Egypt, these animals were held in high esteem. They seemed so smart that they thought they understood human speech and were capable of learning to read. It is possible that they were tamed to perform some minor household chores.

The baboon, along with the ibis, was recognized as a favorite animal and a living personification of the god Thoth.

Canopy - during mummification, organs were removed from the body of the deceased, which were placed in four containers. The lids of these containers were often shaped like human or animal heads. The word "canon" comes from the name of a deity who was worshiped in the city of Canopus, located in the Nile Delta. This deity was depicted as a pot with a human head. Canopic canopies were made from alabaster, wood, clay, limestone, and even a dense likeness of cardboard.

Egyptian canopy. The "heads" of the vessels personified the four sons of Horus. From left to right: Imseti with a human head - the guardian of the liver; Quebeh-sennuef with a falcon's head is the guardian of the intestines; Hapi with the head of a baboon is the guardian of the lungs; Duamutef with the head of a wild dog or jackal is the guardian of the stomach.

At all times religion symbols displayed the abstract concept of God, which for a person is something incomprehensible. The main task of numerous symbols of all world religions is the visible image of the Higher Forces with the help of allegory. Religion symbols help believers to realize and better understand their faith, they connect meaningful perception of faith with emotional. Our whole life is surrounded by many different symbols, but the difference between religious symbols is that they have great power, as they express moral values ​​and relations of a higher order. A believer cannot do without religious symbols.

Such a phenomenon as paganism is a system of various religious cults based on belief in several gods. For example, before the adoption of Christianity, the Slavs revered Perun - the lord of thunder and lightning, Veles - the other world, Rod - the patron saint of the hearth. The main symbol of the Slavs was the pagan Kolovrat - an eight-pointed yellow swastika on a red background. Kolovrat is a sign of the sun, symbolizing the victory of the light side over the dark and life over death. Christianity is a religion based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians believe in the divine origin of Jesus of Nazareth. The gospel claims that He is God's son, who came to Earth to justify and atone for the sins of all mankind.

In the early stages of its inception, the ichthus was a symbol of Christianity. This is a picture of a fish. The symbol was taken from the parable of Jesus Christ about catching fish, the meaning of which was that the fish are unbelieving people, and the fishermen are Christians who spread the teachings of Christianity through the preaching of the Gospel.

The well-known Orthodox cross consists of two crossed crossbars. The hands of Jesus Christ were nailed to the horizontal bar. Above it is an upper, smaller crossbar, meaning a tablet nailed by order of Pontius Pilate, on which was written "Jesus the Nazarene King of the Jews." The slanting bar at the bottom symbolizes the story of two thieves crucified together with Christ, where the end of the bar, pointing upwards, recalls the forgiven thief who went to heaven, and the end pointing down - another who blasphemed God and ended up in hell.

The most common symbol of the religion of Christians in the Western world is the Latin cross, consisting of two crossbars, one of which crosses the other slightly above the middle. The cross symbolizes the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, hence its other name - the cross of the Crucifixion.

Another world religion - Islam, was founded by the prophet Muhammad in the 7th century. The main holy book of Muslims is the Koran. The very concept of "Islam" is translated as "peace and obedience to the Lord." Muslims revere one God - Allah and believe that the Koran was given to the prophet Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel. The symbol of Islam is a crescent moon and a five-pointed star. The five-pointed star denotes the five pillars of Islam or the five main prayers, and the crescent represents adherence to the lunar calendar.

One of the oldest world religions is Buddhism, which was founded by the Indian prince Sidhartha Gautama (Shakyamuni). The symbol of the religion of Buddhism is the Dharmachakra or "wheel of law". In the center of the wheel is a hub, symbolizing the point of consciousness. The eight spokes of the wheel express the eight principles on which the teaching is based.

A symbol, as a principle of generalization, as a content-formalized structure, is necessary in artistic creativity. But its absolutization leads to the fact that artistic thinking approaches the religious worldview, to the religious-dogmatic interpretation of the meaning of creativity. The modern English philosopher and aesthetician C. Collingwood drew attention to this feature of the religious symbol when he wrote that “religion is always dogmatic ... it is incapable of going beyond the symbol, since it always contains elements of idolatry and superstition.” And this inevitably leads to the loss of a historically concrete ideal, to pessimism and mystical moods, which give the artistic symbol a religious coloring.

The main part of the adherents of Hinduism lives mainly in India. The sacred books of teaching are 4 Vedas: Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda, which are collections of hymns and magic spells. The religious symbol of Hinduism is a combination of the word "Om" or "Aum" - this is the universal name of the three main gods and a description of their functions: creation, maintenance and destruction. Also, the letters symbolize the three states of consciousness - meditation, sleep and awakening. The second highly revered symbol is the swastika - in Hinduism, it personifies harmony, the unity of the elements and forces, as well as good luck and favorable opportunities.

This possible trend in art is especially clearly revealed in the fate of artistic symbolism that arose at the beginning of this century. Already in the poetic experiments of the late Baudelaire and Malarme, a tendency towards the de-idealization of reality was clearly revealed. This was due not only to their social and ideological position, but was dictated and supported by those artistic principles that were chosen by them and which became close to religious consciousness.

Judaism is the religion of the Jews, which proclaims the idea that God recognized the Jewish people as the chosen ones. The main meaning of the doctrine is faith in a single, omnipotent, immortal God. A person is connected with him through the mind and immortal soul, communication with God is carried out through prayer. The symbol of Judaism is the six-pointed star of David. David was the anointed of God and the ruler of the Jews. The five ends of the star symbolize human desires, which must obey the most important sixth end - the desire to submit to God in everything.

Taoism originated in ancient China. The father of Taoism is considered to be Lao Tzu, who wrote the famous treatise "Tao Te Ching". In this religion, a person is perceived as an immortal substance, eternal life is achieved by merging with the Tao (the ancestor of everything that exists in the Universe) with the help of religious contemplation, physical and breathing exercises and other methods of self-development. Graphically, the concept of Taoism is expressed by tai chi - a symbol of a single limit. This is a black and white circle called Yin and Yang, where the black side is given to the woman and symbolizes the inner world, and the white one is the outer, male side.

Kabbalistics is an ancient stream of Judaism, which was most developed in the 16th century. It is believed that Kabbalistics knows the divine revelation contained in the Torah. Kabbalah tries to comprehend the Creator, his role and purpose, as well as the meaning of human existence.

This trend is pointed out by many researchers of French symbolism. In particular, D. Oblomievsky writes: “The religious “conversion” of Baudelaire was expressed primarily in the fact that a person gradually loses in his poetry the features of a rebel, a troublemaker opposed to God. The poet condemns already in "The Retribution of Pride" (1850) the rebelliousness of man, his theomachism. The poet becomes for him not an opponent of the deity, as it was in the "Rebellion", but the mouthpiece and instrument of God.

And then D. Oblomievsky makes a very profound remark that the attraction of the late C. Baudelaire to mysticism and religion inevitably pushes him towards decadence: 1963". By the way, we note that this is typical not only for the fate of an individual artist, but also for entire currents, which, gravitating towards religious consciousness, inevitably become more and more formalist, decadent currents. Such, as will be shown below, is the fate of contemporary artistic modernism.

The social atmosphere in which European symbolism arose was vividly described by Philip Jullian in his book Aesthetes and Magicians, pointing out that at the end of the 19th century. "the industrial revolution, conformity and competitiveness have become too heavy on public life." And then the artists tried to revive the images of the mystical Middle Ages, endowing it with all the virtues that they were looking for in a pseudo-virtuous bourgeois society.

One of the striking examples of the rethinking of the Middle Ages in the art of the Symbolists, Philip Jullian considers the symbol of the lily. “The lily, a Christian symbol,” he writes, “was picked up by believing and unbelieving artists of the end of the century ... Lily is the image of the soul. The white lily of the Annunciation, the red Florentine lily, the tiger lily ... The lily symbolizes a newfound innocence, an untouched soul, despite the dirt of life.

A specific example of an attempt to create their own mythology of new symbols was the literary experiment of Aubrey Beardsley, who wrote the romantic novel Venus and Tannhäuser. In it, O. Beardsley tried to combine ancient and medieval mythology in the spirit of rococo and symbolism. Particularly characteristic in this regard is the scene of a ballet performed by the servants of Venus at the altar of Pan, who, on the one hand, are satyrs, ancient shepherds and shepherds, on the other, dandies in tailcoats and ladies of the French court. “What a lovely sight! exclaims O. Beardsley. What a delightful effect was achieved by this combination of silk stockings and hairy legs, expensive embroidered coats and modest blouses, cunning hairstyles and unkempt curls. However, O. Beardsley's romantic novel convincingly showed the eclecticism and superficiality of this experiment, as well as the attempts of the symbolists in general to rethink medieval symbolism.

The symbol of Hinduism is the quintessence of the word "Om" or "Aum" - the universal name of God, the triliteral signs of which personify the three main gods and their sphere of action - Creation, Maintenance and Destruction, and also identify the three states of consciousness - awakening, meditative immersion and deep dream.

The symbol of Islam is a crescent and a five-pointed star. It became a symbol of the Turkish dynasty after the capture of Constantinople by the Ottomans, where it was borrowed. Later it became a symbol of all Muslims. There is a claim that the crescent is associated with the hijra of the Messenger of Allah when he secretly left Mecca and went to Medina. According to them, that night, allegedly, there was a crescent moon in the sky. According to other versions, the crescent symbolizes the adherence of Muslims to the lunar calendar, and the five-pointed star - the five pillars of Islam or the five daily prayers. The symbols of the crescent and the star were known to mankind several thousand years before the Prophet Muhammad. It is difficult to trace their origin exactly. But most experts agree that these ancient symbols of heavenly bodies were revered by the ancient peoples of Central Asia and Siberia, who worshiped the sun, moon and sky.

One of the oldest complex mystical symbols - the pentagram - is a regular non-convex pentagon, it is also a regular star pentagon, or a regular pentagonal star. The first mention of the pentagram refers to Ancient Greece. Translated from Greek, "pentagram" literally means five lines. The pentagram was the hallmark of the school of Pythagoras (about 580-500 BC). They believed that this beautiful polygon had many mystical properties. For example, the number of rays of this star was represented by the Pythagoreans as the number of love: 5 = 2 + 3; 2 is the first female number, 3 is the first male number. That is why the pentagram was a symbol of life and health, it was assigned the ability to protect a person from evil spirits. The pentagram was considered a protection against evil and witchcraft. In the Middle Ages, it was painted in front of the entrance to the house and on the doors, in order to ward off evil in this way. Pentagon (pentagon) is an amulet of health, a symbol of eternity and perfection, a magical tool in conspiracies and some rituals. The regular pentagon in the form of a star served as the emblem of many gods: the Egyptian Thoth, the Aztec Quetzalcoatl, the Roman Mercury, the Celtic Hawaiian ... This sign was the totem of the American Indians. The Greeks used it as a sign of the cross, the Jews - as a sign of well-being, the legendary key of Solomon. Solomon's army had shields with the image of a yellow six-pointed star. For Christians, it symbolized the five wounds of Jesus, and for the Japanese it served as a sign of a high position in society. Apparently, the pentagram originally appeared four thousand years ago in Mesopotamia, probably as an astronomical diagram of the movement of the planet Venus. It became the Sumerian and Egyptian sign of the stars. This figure denotes mainly a person: the top point is the head, the other four are the limbs. Sometimes it is considered as a representation of the five senses. Light magicians, in order to act on spirits, used the Pentagram head up, and black magicians draw the Pentagram head down. Faust drew a pentagram so that Mephistopheles could not cross the threshold of his house. A pentagram inscribed in a circle meant the silence of the initiate among the Pythagoreans. The five ends of the pentagram symbolized the five years of silence and teaching that preceded initiation. Recently, the true role of the pentagram has been forgotten, although earlier it served as a symbol of protection even among Christians. Now it is used by some "forgotten" religions (which are not occult), based on magic and reverence for nature.

In Russian symbolism, the ideas of a non-ideal concept were picked up and expressed, perhaps even more strongly and consistently.

Baby talk is unbearable to me,

I hate the sound of cars

I want under the shade of pines

To be alone, always alone...

One of the most gloomy Russian symbolist poets Fyodor Sologub writes. Theorists of Russian symbolism tried to justify and make this artistic practice, which absolutizes the symbol as an artistic universal principle, and make it a universal condition for artistic creativity. “Romantic, classical, realistic and symbolic schools are only different ways of symbolization,” wrote Andrei Bely.

However, the absolutization of the socio-epistemological and artistic possibilities of the symbol inevitably leads to the loss of the ideal. This is what brings symbolism as a whole closer to the religious worldview, for which the ideal, as mentioned above, is something frozen and unchanging.

Andrei Bely very clearly showed this in the idea of ​​a symbol as a Face, which is something transcendent and eternal, leading the different to the One. “The image of the Symbol in the revealed Face of a certain beginning,” he wrote, “this Face appears in many ways in religions; the task of the theory of symbolism in relation to religions is to bring the central images of religions to a single Face.

Symbolism, therefore, should lead diversity to the mystical unity of the Face, which is rationally, and even more so visually, non-reproducible and non-depictable, and therefore a concrete-historical, full-blooded ideal is alien to symbolism. In the epistemological aspect, this leads to the fact that a “completely unnecessary element of agnosticism” is introduced into the reflection process, while in the aesthetic aspect, to the fact that the process of artistic creation is mystified, and the work of art itself largely loses elements of imagery.

A vivid example of how the absolutization of the symbol as a technique in art leads to the complete destruction of the artistic structure is the work of the Belgian poet and artist of the early 20th century. Jean de Bocher. In his book “In the Realm of Dreams and Symbols,” he seeks to create a picture of nature full of strange symbols: “Where they (birds. - E. Ya.) sing, flowers and fruits move gently, like some world of fragile jewels ... But the gloomy wind extinguishes this brilliant enamel and the birds stop singing... The fading waves also stop. The horror of silence is felt.

This picture of the world, created by the imagination of Jean de Baucher, is very close to the philosophical concept of agnosticism, for which the external is something unstable and constantly changing. Theoretically, this artistic practice is justified by contemporary neo-Kantians. So, Ernst Cassirer generally characterizes the world as something symbolic, and considers a person not a social being, but a symbolic animal.

Between ups and downs in art there sometimes lies a period of twilight; this is a time when art often gravitates towards symbolic thinking. This "twilight art" arises in the era of civilizations tending to decline, which are still able to give culture something, but can no longer create conditions for this something to become a step in the development of the artistic culture of mankind. And this something becomes "twilight art", art in which the given state of social life is grasped.

However, "twilight art" is not a sign of the culture of only one era - the era of imperialism. Such art, in the broad sense of the word, arises when the stable signs of a historically specific monistic (national, regional or certain type of civilization) culture are destroyed as a result of the gradual or rapid disintegration of its social foundations. This is one of the spiritual manifestations of the crisis that occurs at that stage in the development of society, when a transition is made in the structure of the socio-economic formation from progressive development to regressive development or to the restoration of the old. The loosening of the old structure is inevitably associated with the search for new systems of organization, including the search for a new artistic vision of the world, with attempts to create a new culture. In art, there is an attempt to capture and convey this process. But, as a rule, "twilight art" fixes only superficial signs of an emerging new culture, which still exists only as a trend. Such, for example, is the nature of the culture and art of Hellenism, the era of the decline of ancient Greek civilization.

In the era of Hellenism (IV-I centuries BC), the ideal of a “self-sufficient” creator, not connected with the outside world and independent of it, begins to dominate in philosophical and aesthetic thinking and art.

Epicurean ataraxia (internal independence and peace of mind) and apathy of the Stoics (freedom from affects) become dominant in the thinking and worldview of Hellenistic society. This general attitude, characteristic of Hellenism, also permeates art, in which interest in social problems is weakened and the problem of the individual is put at the forefront; the spiritual structure of a person deprived of social and political integrity prevails, he is the embodiment of a “citizen of the world”. In this art, epic genres die - tragedy and epic; they are replaced by small forms: epillium (“small epic”), elegy, idyll, which appeal to intimate - family and friendly - experiences. The genre of the epigram and light erotic anacreontics flourishes magnificently.

In the visual arts, especially in sculpture, the civic theme is depleted, the epic genres are weakening, they are being replaced by a pictorial or sculptural portrait and a genre scene. The pursuit of accurate transmission of small details, the diversity of the image led to an overload of details (the well-known group of the Farnese bull), and the desire to capture a separate, fleeting moment - to excessive external pathos (the image of the dying Alexander) or to absolute relativity, incompleteness of images (the frieze of Pergamon altar).

Thus, in Hellenistic art, the gravitation towards new genres that can capture individual features leads to a significant extent to the loss of civic qualities, and the fixation of a transient moment leads to the incompleteness of the work, to the principle that in modern bourgeois aesthetics is designated by the category “non finito” , which was discussed above.

Individualism and incompleteness - these are the features that convincingly indicate that the art of Hellenism was not able to combine the past and the present into a single whole. The connection between times was broken, and even realistically grasped details became just “material for an idealistic artistic synthesis.”

Something similar happens in Italy in the 16th century, when the High Renaissance is replaced by Mannerism, born of the Counter-Reformation and the formal, cold use of the techniques of the great Renaissance artists.

Mannerists strive for deliberate entertainment, virtuosity, external picturesqueness and complex formal solutions, losing the clarity of language, monumentality and deep citizenship inherent in the masters of the High Renaissance. Just as in the era of Hellenism, the art of sophistication, frivolity and perversion flourishes in Mannerism (Giulio Romano, Parmigianino); hedonistic aestheticism and eroticism become its main features. Mannerism is rapidly dying, because (like the art of Hellenism) it cannot connect the past with the present, and even more so with the future. His searches turned out to be purely external, very superficial, and therefore they did not find a response from the broad masses of the people, they could not grasp the deep processes of the birth of culture and art of modern times. These processes can only be mastered by the art of critical realism.

The same, in principle, is the aesthetics and practice of "art for art's sake" (Europe and Russia at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century), which grasped the surface of the deep transformations of critical realism. Such, in fact, is modernism (or modern modernism), which grew out of the search for new methods of artistic vision.

Strictly speaking, a developed culture is always traditional, as it is materially fixed in certain tools, in the labor system, in a stable level and skills of the producer, in the creations of spiritual and artistic thought, and its task is to reproduce in its entirety the existing system of socio-economic and spiritual relations.

"Twilight" art is always one-sided, it is only the use of new forms. It renounces tradition and therefore is unable to grasp the essential, cannot connect the past, the deep, with the present, the emerging; it does not fully realize the substantive task of art. Such art is connected, as already mentioned above, with the process of searching for new forms, but in the end this search absolutizes the form, turns it into a symbol. Such relativity of artistic search, unsteadiness, superficial novelty are most adequate to the spiritual atmosphere of confusion and the loss of humanistic guidelines, the atmosphere of a society that has entered a period of disintegration.

In its essential features, art is the most mobile element of culture, and yet it is possible as a developed aesthetic phenomenon only if there is an established sustainable method of artistic exploration of reality (realism, classicism, romanticism, critical realism, socialist realism). The artistic method presupposes, at least, the presence of such essential features (expressed in a concrete historical original form) as the recognition that art is: 1) a reflection of objective social and natural reality; 2) a system of generalization of this reality (or typification); 3) such a structure in which meaningful tasks determine the artistic merits of the form; finally, 4) a certain social position, expressed either in spontaneous tendentiousness, or in a clear and open partisanship of the artist.

All these functions can be carried out only by art that most thoroughly realizes the possibilities of artistic reflection, that is, art that owns a holistic and universal method within the limits of this type of creativity.

"Twilight" art, on the other hand, does not have stable and universal principles at the level of a universal artistic method; it, as a rule, exists only at the level of the system (formal systematization), combining various techniques into an eclectically unstable manner of creativity. The only thing such art can rise to is more or less stable stylistic principles, realized in the individual manner of the artist, and a sense of the tragedy and hopelessness of the life of a dying society.

"Twilight" art reaches its apogee in contemporary artistic modernism, when it not only loses progressive social guidelines, but in its artistic tendency goes towards self-destruction - towards ugliness and pointlessness, refusing even the symbol. Neither in the era of Hellenism, nor in late imperial Rome, nor during the period of counter-reformation in Europe, did art lose its most important artistic quality - figurativeness. The image in this art was deformed and distorted, but it artistically reflected the sick world in which this art lived.

The refinement and artistic wretchedness of the art of late Rome is pointed out by Petronius in his famous Satyricon: “The art of sublime and ... chaste eloquence is beautiful in its natural beauty, and not pretentiousness and bombast. Only recently this inflated, empty verbosity crept into Athens from Asia, like a harmful star, sent an infection that took possession of the minds of young people ... And now, when the laws of eloquence were undermined, it froze in stagnation and became numb ... Even poetry no longer shines healthy blush: they are all definitely fed the same food; none will live to see gray hair. Painting is destined to the same fate, after the impudence of the Egyptians utterly simplified this high art. And, speaking of the social causes that gave rise to such art, Petronius exclaims: "The loud fame of riches blinded the eyes and souls of these unfortunate ones."

Modern modernism, in its extreme manifestations, encroached on the holy of holies of art - the image; he does not need an image, even an extremely generalized and symbolic one, his desire for self-destruction is evidence that the society that gave birth to him is losing his historical perspective, and at the same time all traditional humanistic values.

This process is connected with the general trend of increasing the active role of the individual in the social and spiritual processes of modern life. In art, this is expressed in an exaggerated interest in the emotional states of the artist's personality. “... The awareness of the exceptional significance of what is experienced and created ... is a characteristic feature of modernity,” M. Fabrikant once remarked, speaking of the initial stages of modernism.

This is emphasized by modern researchers of the artistic symbol. Thus, Todor Vidanu says that the artistic symbol is characterized by the prevalence of subjective reflection over objectivity, although the objective content is expressed through this subjectivity. But the subject still dominates here, and this is fraught with artistic subjectivism. Today, in modernism and among its theoretical interpreters, this process acquires a unique and absolute meaning. “...Only individuals keep pace with the evolution of art... This means that society follows the spiritual age of the minority that creates art...”, writes the aforementioned Greek aesthetician P. Michelis. The words-symbols of one of the typical representatives of modern modernism, Georges Rouault, sound aphoristically programmatic: “Painting for me is only a means to escape from life. Scream in the night. Suppressed sob. Laughter stuck in my throat. This desire for spiritual, and sometimes physical self-destruction is very characteristic of the worldview of a consistent modernist artist; in this he differs from the vacillating artist, the artist who still has a healthy sense of the necessity and value of life.

“To live in the world is both scary and beautiful,” A. Blok wrote in his diary of 1911, and this feeling of the beauty of life largely determined his further creative path, a departure from the extremes of modernism, from the tendencies of anti-humanism and self-destruction. The words of A. Blok are also symbolically aphoristic, but this is an aphorism that refutes and denies the boundless pessimism of Georges Rouault. The absolutization of the personal world clearly appears at the social and epistemological levels, but it is much more difficult to detect it at the aesthetic level, since art always and necessarily fixes the individuality of the artist and at the same time it is a holistic, in its mobility, phenomenon. It is not so easy to separate the wheat from the chaff, structures based on a stable artistic method, from structures based on a system organized only in quantitative unity. The real life of art is internally contradictory and complex and therefore requires an analysis covering the most important aspects of its being. Therefore, turning to the analysis of modern searches for artistic symbols, one should first of all establish the content dominant of these searches.

Thus, the formal search for “pop-art” in its absolute version is a clear modernist destruction of the nature of art, while the use of real life forms in their meaningful aspect from a progressive position contributes to the creation of a modern artistic figurative vision (anti-tank hedgehogs as an artistic symbol of the defense of Moscow ; a tank raised on a pedestal as a symbol of liberation, a fire on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, etc.). The principles of extreme formal symbolism, deformation and metaphor in surrealism lead to the destruction of art, but these same principles, included in the method of a certain monumental school of painting (Siqueiros, Orozco, etc.) or modern realistic expressionism (Kate Kollwitz, Ernst Barlach, Renato Guttuso), become the means of progressive, democratic art.

Complicated and contradictory, for example, is modern symbolic expressionism, but in its main tendencies it manifests a protest against human suffering; it is the exposure of suffering - for the sake of denying it, for the sake of rejecting this suffering. As an impressive image of humanistic suffering, V. Kataev writes about the monument of O. Zadkine "Destroyed Rotterdam". "Oh, if anyone knew what a torment it is to be an iron man-city with a torn out heart, doomed to eternal immobility and silence on its concrete plinth ...".

Often works of symbolism are the fruit of a tragic delusion or hopeless protest, in which the hope of salvation sometimes still glimmers. At one time, Andrei Bely wrote:

Lying ... Fall asleep in oblivion

And melting and gentle snow,

Flying - on my chest,

To slightly vegetating shoots.

These "slightly vegetating shoots" indicate that the creation of artistic values ​​is still possible. Therefore, they are not without interest for a holistic understanding of the history of the artistic culture of mankind.

Thus, in the process of historical life, there was an ever closer rapprochement between religious symbolism, which was static and dogmatically unchanged, and artistic symbolism, which, developing and transforming, in its extreme manifestations, followed the path of convergence with the extreme tendencies of contemporary bourgeois modernism.

This was deeply felt by the neo-Thomist J. Maritain, who saw the closeness of the religious symbol to the most “spiritual” currents of modern modernism, although outwardly he strongly renounces it, because he understands art as a symbol of the transcendent. J. Maritain says that art is not only the "world of things", but, most importantly, the "world of signs", those signs that are inexpressible either through scientific truths or through ideas. A work of art is a double symbol: firstly, a symbol of human feeling and, secondly, a symbol of superhuman concepts, since the highest meaning of a work of art is "the sign of the feelings of divine being."

One of the bourgeois researchers in the philosophy of J. Maritain - V. S. Simonsen emphasizes precisely this in Maritain's interpretation of the symbol: “... it is no longer the only, final symbol that dominates ... not a symbol accompanied by a clear epithet, but next to changing characters. Therefore, it becomes clear J. Maritain's statement that the formation of his aesthetics took place under the influence of the work of French symbolists, such as Rimbaud, Mallarme, Verlaine.

J. Maritain, supporting symbolism in contemporary artistic modernism, puts forward the principle of "discovering invisible things through visible things." That is why he does not accept surrealism, since the latter suffers from a lack of the mysterious, mystical, "spiritual". But on the other hand, Maritain speaks enthusiastically about the work of Georges Rouault. “A philosopher could study the work of Rouault as a field of pure art with all its obligations, secrets and chastity ... He grabbed for us in the real and actual splashing a certain light that no one has yet discovered. His pathetic art has a profoundly religious significance." With no less enthusiasm, J. Maritain speaks of M. Chagall, who, in his opinion, is a true artist. “... The gospel feeling is unconscious in him and, as it were, bewitched,” writes J. Maritain. “Chagall knows what he says, but he probably does not know everything brought by what he talks about.”

Thus, J. Maritain requires a fairly unambiguous answer to the question of true "spiritual" values, which are revealed only through a symbol close to the radiant light of the divine.

But, as V. Dneprov correctly notes, "art is more steadfast than any other ideology, it resists pressure from the bourgeoisie ...". And not only the bourgeoisie. Precisely because the search for something new in art is always associated with the desire to reflect the complexity of the spiritual life of society, the artist is looking for new forms, new means of expressing the era. And so “the forms themselves are not to blame. Any forms may be needed for art and sculpture ... ". Those social forces, including religious ones, are to blame, which demand from art the limitation and unambiguity (with all the external diversity) necessary to protect their interests. “In modern conditions, when the general crisis of capitalism has deepened significantly, its irreconcilable contradictions have become aggravated ...”, the inevitability of the union of religion and the extreme currents of modernism becomes especially clear.

Throughout the history of the great civilization of Ancient Egypt, the sun was given a special role. After all, the life of people on earth depended on it: heat drying up rivers or favorable weather, harvest or famine.

The symbol of the sun in ancient Egypt

The cult of worship of the sun was the main among the Egyptians, and numerous solar deities were considered the most important among all the others. The main king of the deities was Ra, he created other gods and goddesses. The ancients had a myth about how Ra sails on the Mandzhet boat along the heavenly river during the day, illuminating the earth with rays, and with the advent of evening, he transfers to the Masektet boat and travels through the afterlife during the night. In the morning, Ra again appeared on the horizon, giving people the warmth of the sun. Therefore, the sun was a symbol of rebirth and the continuity of life.
The pharaohs were revered as the deputies of the sun god on earth, being the guarantor of the well-being and happiness of their people. Symbolic - a winged solar disk, a pyramid, a scarab and a phoenix. The eyes of Ra are also a very common ancient Egyptian symbol that can ward off troubles and heal.

Sun star in ancient Egypt

It is not surprising that the Egyptians treated our star with such trepidation. After all, she bestowed warmth, influenced agriculture, the well-being and prosperity of the country depended on it.
An interesting fact is that they gave the name "stars of the sun" to an ordinary apricot. It did not grow in Egyptian lands due to climatic conditions, but was brought here from Asian countries. The sweet juicy fruit was so fond of the inhabitants of Egypt that they named it so poetically. By the way, the shape and color of the apricot is very similar to the sun, maybe this is where the unusual name came from.

One of the key regions whose culture left its mark on the entire civilization is Ancient Egypt. The symbols of this culture are still being studied, they are of great importance in understanding this vast civilization. It was located approximately within the borders of the modern state of the same name in northeast Africa.

History of Egyptian Symbols

Mythology is the main cultural component that Ancient Egypt is famous for. Symbols of gods, animals and natural phenomena are of particular interest to researchers. At the same time, it is extremely difficult to trace the path of the creation of mythology.

Written sources that could be trusted appeared later. What is evident is the enormous influence of natural forces on the Egyptians. The same is observed in the formation of any ancient state. People who lived before our era tried to explain to themselves why the sun rises every day, the Nile overflows its banks every year, and thunder and lightning from time to time fall on their heads. As a result, natural phenomena were endowed with a divine beginning. So there were symbols of life, culture, power.

Moreover, people noted that the gods were not always favorable to them. The Nile could flood very low, leading to a lean year and subsequent famine. In this case, the ancient Egyptians believed that they had somehow angered the gods and sought to appease them in every possible way so that a similar situation would not happen again next year. All this played a big role for such a country as Ancient Egypt. Symbols and signs helped to understand the surrounding reality.

Symbols of power

The rulers of ancient Egypt called themselves pharaohs. The pharaoh was considered a god-like monarch, he was worshiped during his lifetime, and after death he was buried in huge tombs, many of which have survived to this day.

The symbols of power in ancient Egypt are the golden gartered beard, the staff and the crown. At the time of the birth of the Egyptian state, when the lands of the Upper and Lower Nile had not yet been united, the ruler of each of them had his own crown and special signs of power. At the same time, the crown of the supreme ruler of Upper Egypt was white and also had the shape of a pin. In Lower Egypt, the pharaoh wore a red crown like a top hat. Pharaoh Men made the Egyptian kingdom unified. After that, the crowns were, in fact, united by inserting one into the other, while retaining their colors.

Double crowns called millet - these are symbols of power in ancient Egypt, which have been preserved for many years. At the same time, each crown of the ruler of Upper and Lower Egypt had its own name. The white one was called atef, the red one was called hedzhet.

At the same time, the Egyptian rulers surrounded themselves with unprecedented luxury. After all, they were considered the sons of the supreme sun god Ra. Therefore, the symbols are simply amazing. In addition to those listed, it is also a hoop on which a ureus snake is depicted. He was famous for the fact that his bite inevitably led to instant death. The image of the snake was located around the head of the pharaoh, the head is exactly in the center.

In general, snakes are the most popular symbols of pharaoh's power in ancient Egypt. They were depicted not only on the headband, but also on the crown, military helmet and even the belt. Along the way, they were accompanied by jewelry made of gold, precious stones and colored enamel.

Symbols of the gods

The gods played a key role for a state like Ancient Egypt. The symbols associated with them were associated with the perception of the future and the surrounding reality. Moreover, the list of divine beings was huge. In addition to the gods, it included goddesses, monsters, and even deified concepts.

One of the main Egyptian deities is Amon. In the united Egyptian kingdom, he was the supreme head of the pantheon. It was believed that all people, other gods and all things are united in it. His symbol was a crown with two high feathers or depicted with a solar disk, because he was considered the god of the sun and all nature. In the ancient Egyptian tombs there are drawings of Amon, in which he appears in the form of a ram or a man with a ram's head.

The kingdom of the dead in this mythology was headed by Anubis. He was also considered the guardian of necropolises - underground cemeteries and crypts, and the inventor of embalming - a unique method that prevented the decay of corpses, was used in the process of burial of all pharaohs.

The symbols of the gods of Ancient Egypt were often very frightening. Anubis was traditionally depicted with the head of a dog or a jackal with a red collar in the form of a necklace. Its invariable attributes were ankh - a cross crowned with a ring, symbolizing eternal life, was - a rod in which the healing powers of an underground demon were stored.

But there were also more pleasant and kind deities. For example, Bast or Bastet. This is the goddess of fun, feminine beauty and love, which was depicted as a cat or a lioness in a sitting position. She was also responsible for fertile and fruitful years and could help establish family life. The symbols of the gods of Ancient Egypt associated with Bast are a temple rattle, which was called a sistrum, and an aegis, a magic cape.

Healing symbols

With great attention in ancient Egypt treated the cult of healing. The goddess Isis was responsible for fate and life, she was also considered the patroness of healers and healers. Gifts were brought to her to protect newborns.

The symbol of healing in ancient Egypt is cow horns, on which the disk of the sun was held. This is how the goddess Isis was portrayed most often (sometimes in the form of a winged woman with a cow's head).

Also, the sistrum and the ankh cross were considered its invariable attributes.

Symbol of life

Ankh or - a symbol of life in ancient Egypt. It is also called for them it is one of the most significant and key attributes.

It is also called the key of life or the Egyptian cross. Ankh is an attribute of many Egyptian deities, with which they are depicted on the walls of the pyramids and papyri. Without fail, he was placed in the tomb with the pharaohs, which meant that the ruler would be able to continue the life of his soul in the afterlife.

Although many researchers associate the symbolism of the ankh with life, there is still no consensus on this issue. Some researchers argue that its leading meanings were immortality or wisdom, and also that it was a kind of protective attribute.

Ankh enjoyed unprecedented popularity in such a state as Ancient Egypt. The symbols depicting him were applied to the walls of temples, amulets, all kinds of cultural and household items. Often in the drawings, he is held in the hands of the Egyptian gods.

Nowadays, the ankh is widely used in youth subcultures, in particular among the Goths. And also in all sorts of magical and parascientific cults and even in esoteric literature.

Sun symbol

The symbol of the sun in ancient Egypt is the lotus. Initially, he was associated with the image of birth and creation, and later became one of the incarnations of the supreme deity of the Egyptian pantheon Amon-Ra. In addition, the lotus also symbolizes the return of youth and beauty.

It is worth noting that in general the cult of worshiping the daylight was among the Egyptians one of the most important and significant. And all the deities, one way or another connected with the sun, were revered more than others.

The sun god Ra, according to Egyptian mythology, created all the other gods and goddesses. The myth of how Ra was sailing in a boat along the celestial river was very widespread, simultaneously illuminating the whole earth with the sun's rays. As soon as evening comes, he transfers to another boat and inspects the possessions in the afterlife all night.

The next morning it floats on the horizon again and so a new day begins. This is how the ancient Egyptians explained the change of day and night during the day, for them the solar disk was the embodiment of rebirth and the continuity of life for everything on earth.

Pharaohs at the same time were considered the sons or vicegerents of God on earth. Therefore, it never occurred to anyone to challenge their right to rule, as everything was arranged in the state of Ancient Egypt. The symbols and signs that accompanied the main god Ra are the sun disk, the scarab beetle or the Phoenix bird, which is reborn from fire. Much attention was also paid to the eyes of the deity. The Egyptians believed that they could cure and protect a person from troubles and misfortunes.

The Egyptians also had a special relationship with the center of the Universe - the Sun star. They rightly directly linked its impact on warmth, good harvests, and a prosperous life for all the inhabitants of the country.

Another interesting fact. The ancient Egyptians called the apricot familiar to each of us the star of the sun. Moreover, in Egypt itself, this fruit did not grow, climatic conditions did not fit. It was brought from Asian countries. At the same time, the Egyptians fell in love with the "overseas guest" so much that they decided to name this fruit so poetically, correctly noticing how its shape and color are similar to the sun.

Sacred symbols for the Egyptians

The fact that ancient Egypt and their significance, many scientists still argue. This is especially true of sacred symbols.

One of the main ones is naos. This is a special chest made of wood. In it, the priests installed a statue of a deity or a sacred symbol dedicated to him. It was also the name of a sacred place of worship of a particular deity. Most often, naos were placed in the sanctuaries or tombs of the pharaohs.

As a rule, there were several pumps. One wooden one was small, it was placed in a larger one, hewn from a single piece of stone. They were most widespread in ancient Egypt already in the late period. At that time they were richly and variously decorated. Also, the temple itself or the sanctuary of some deity was often called naos.

Also sacred symbols of Ancient Egypt - sistrums. These are percussion musical instruments that were used by the priests during the mysteries in honor of the goddess Hathor. Among the Egyptians, it was the goddess of love and beauty, who personified femininity, as well as fertility and fun. Modern researchers believe that Venus was its analogue among the Romans, and Aphrodite among the Greeks.

The musical instrument sistrum was clad in a wooden or metal frame. Metal strings and disks were stretched between it. All this made ringing sounds, which, as the priests believed, attracted the gods. In rituals, two types of sistrums were used. One was called iba. It was in the form of an elementary ring with metal cylinders in the center. With the help of a long handle, it was placed above the head of the goddess Hathor.

A more formal version of the sistrum was called the seseshet. It had the shape of a naos and was richly decorated with various rings and ornaments. The rattling pieces of metal that made sounds were located inside a small box. Seseshets were only allowed to be worn by priests and wealthy women from the upper classes.

culture symbol

The symbol of the culture of Ancient Egypt is, of course, the pyramid. This is the most famous monument of ancient Egyptian art and architecture that has survived to this day. One of the oldest and most famous is the pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser, who ruled over 18 centuries BC. It is located in the south of Memphis and has a height of 60 meters. It was built by slaves from limestone blocks.

The pyramids built in Egypt are the most amazing marvels of the architecture of this ancient people. By right, one of them - the pyramid of Cheops - is considered one of the seven wonders of the world. And one more - the pyramids of Giza - one of the candidates to become the so-called "new wonder of the world."

Outwardly, these are stone structures in which Egyptian rulers, the pharaohs, were buried. From the Greek language, the word "pyramid" is translated as a polyhedron. Until now, among scientists there is no single time about why the ancient Egyptians chose this form for the tombs. Meanwhile, 118 pyramids have been discovered to date in different parts of Egypt.

The largest number of these structures are located in the Giza region, near the capital of this African state - Cairo. They are also called the Great Pyramids.

The mastabas were the forerunners of the pyramids. So in ancient Egypt they called "houses after life", which consisted of a burial room and a special stone structure, which was located above the surface of the earth. It was these burial houses that the first Egyptian pharaohs built for themselves. For the material, unbaked bricks were used, obtained from clay mixed with river silt. Massively they were built in Upper Egypt, even before the unification of the state, and in Memphis, which was considered the main necropolis of the country. Above the ground in these buildings there were rooms for prayers and rooms in which grave goods were stored. Under the ground - directly burial of the pharaoh.

The most famous pyramids

The symbol of ancient Egypt is the pyramid. The most famous Great Pyramids are in Giza. These are the tombs of Mikerin and Khafre. From the very first pyramid of Djoser that has come down to us, these pyramids differ in that they do not have a stepped, but a strict geometric shape. Their walls rise strictly at angles of 51-53 degrees with respect to the horizon. Their faces indicate the cardinal directions. The famous pyramid of Cheops is generally erected on a rock created by nature, and placed exactly in the center of the base of the pyramid.

The Pyramid of Cheops is also famous for being the highest. Initially, it was more than 146 meters, but now, due to the loss of the cladding, it has decreased by almost 8 meters. Each side is 230 meters long and was built 26 centuries BC. According to various estimates, it was built for about 20 years.

It took more than two million blocks of stones to build it. At the same time, the ancient Egyptians did not use any binders, such as cement. Each block weighed about two and a half thousand kilograms, some reached a weight of 80 thousand kilograms. Ultimately, it is a monolithic structure, separated only by chambers and corridors.

Two more famous pyramids - Khafre and Mykern - were erected by the descendants of Cheops and are smaller in size.

The Pyramid of Khafre is considered the second largest in Egypt. Next to it is a statue of the famous Sphinx. Its height was originally almost 144 meters, and the length of the sides was 215 meters.

The smallest of the great ones in Giza. Its height is only 66 meters, and the length of the base is a little more than 100 meters. Initially, its dimensions were too modest, so versions were put forward that it was not intended for the ruler of Ancient Egypt. However, this has not actually been established.

How were the pyramids built?

It is worth noting that there was no single technique. It changed from one building to another. Scientists put forward various hypotheses on how these structures were created, but there is still no consensus.

Researchers have certain data about the quarries where stones and blocks were taken from, about the tools used in stone processing, as well as about how they were moved to the construction site.

Most Egyptologists believe that the stones were cut in special quarries using copper tools, in particular, chisels, chisels and picks.

One of the biggest mysteries is how the Egyptians at that time moved these huge stone blocks. Based on one fresco, scientists have established that many blocks were simply dragged. So, in the famous image, 172 people are pulling a statue of the pharaoh on a sleigh. At the same time, the sleigh runners are constantly poured with water, which performs the function of lubrication. According to experts, the weight of such a statue was about 60 thousand kilograms. Thus, a stone block weighing 2 and a half tons could be moved by only 8 workers. Moving goods in this way is reputedly most common in ancient Egypt.

The method of rolling blocks is also known. A special mechanism for this in the form of a cradle was discovered during excavations of ancient Egyptian sanctuaries. During the experiment, it was found that 18 workers were needed to move a stone block of 2.5 tons in this way. Their speed was 18 meters per minute.

Also, some researchers believe that the Egyptians used the square wheel technology.

Continuation of the first part: Occult and mystical symbols and their meaning. Geometric symbols, Universal symbols-images and symbols-concepts. Emblems of modern religions. Crosses: the most common forms. Time images. Symbolism of the kingdom of plants and animals. Mythical creatures.

Encyclopedia of symbols

Swastika straight (left-handed)

The swastika as a solar symbol

A straight (left-handed) swastika is a cross with the ends bent to the left. Rotation is considered to be clockwise (opinions sometimes differ in determining the direction of movement).

A straight swastika is a symbol of blessing, good omen, prosperity, good luck and aversion to misfortune, as well as a symbol of fertility, longevity, health and life. It is also a symbol of the masculine principle, spirituality, which inhibits the flow of lower (physical) forces and allows the energies of a higher, divine nature to manifest.

Reverse swastika (right side)

Swastika on a Nazi military medal

The reverse (right-handed) swastika is a cross with the ends bent to the right. Rotation is considered to be counterclockwise.

The reverse swastika is usually associated with the feminine. Sometimes it is associated with the launch of negative (physical) energies that close the passage to the elevated forces of the spirit.

The Sumerian swastika, formed by four women and their hair, symbolizes the female generative power

Pentagram (pentacle): the general meaning of the symbol

pentagram sign

The pentagram, written in one line, is the most ancient of all the symbols that we own. It had different interpretations in different historical times of mankind. It became the Sumerian and Egyptian sign of the stars.

Later symbolism: five senses; masculine and feminine, expressed by five points; harmony, health and mystical powers. The pentagram is also a symbol of the victory of the spiritual over the material, a symbol of security, protection, a safe return home.

Pentagram as a magical symbol

Pentagrams of the White and Black Magicians

A pentacle with one end up and two down is a sign of white magic, known as the "foot of the druid"; with one end down and two up, it represents the so-called "goat's hoof" and the horns of the devil - a sign change characteristic of symbolism from positive to negative when it is turned over.

The pentagram of the White Magician is a symbol of magical influence and the dominance of a disciplined Will over the phenomena of the world. The will of the Black Magician is directed to destruction, to the refusal to perform a spiritual task, therefore the inverted pentagram is considered as a symbol of evil.

Pentagram as a symbol of a perfect person

Pentagram symbolizing the perfect man

The pentagram, a five-pointed star, is a symbol of a perfect man standing on two legs with outstretched arms. We can say that a person is a living pentagram. This is true both physically and spiritually - a person possesses five virtues and manifests them: love, wisdom, truth, justice and kindness.

Truth belongs to the spirit, love to the soul, wisdom to the intellect, kindness to the heart, justice to the will.

double pentagram

Double pentagram (man and the universe)

There is also a correspondence between the human body and the five elements (earth, water, air, fire and ether): will corresponds to earth, heart to water, intellect to air, soul to fire, spirit to ether. Thus, by his will, intellect, heart, soul, spirit, a person is connected with the five elements working in the cosmos, and he can consciously work in harmony with them. This is the meaning of the symbol of the double pentagram, in which the small one is inscribed in the large one: a person (microcosm) lives and acts inside the Universe (macrocosm).

Hexagram

Hexagram image

Hexagram - a figure made up of two polar triangles, a six-pointed star. It is a complex and solid symmetrical shape in which six small individual triangles are grouped around a large central hexagon. The result is a star, although the original triangles retain their individuality. Since the upward facing triangle is a heavenly symbol, and the downward facing triangle is a symbol of the earth, together they are a symbol of a person who unites these two worlds. It is a symbol of a perfect marriage that binds a man and a woman.

Seal of Solomon

Seal of Solomon, or Star of David

This is the famous magical seal of Solomon, or the star of David. The top triangle in her image is white and the bottom triangle is black. It symbolizes, first of all, the absolute law of analogy, expressed by the mystical formula: "What is below is similar to what is above."

The Seal of Solomon is also a symbol of human evolution: one must learn not only to take, but also to give, to absorb and radiate at the same time, to radiate for the Earth, to perceive from Heaven. We receive and are filled only when we give to others. This is the perfect union of spirit and matter in man - the union of the solar plexus and the brain.

five pointed star

five pointed star

star of bethlehem

The five-pointed star is interpreted in different ways, including it symbolizes joy and happiness. It is also the emblem of the Semitic goddess Ishtar in her martial incarnation, and in addition, the Star of Bethlehem. For Freemasons, the five-pointed star symbolizes the mystical center.

The Egyptians attached great importance to the five- and six-pointed stars, as is clear from the text preserved on the wall of the funerary temple of Hatshepsut.

seven-pointed star

Seven pointed star of magicians

In the seven-pointed star, the characteristic features of the five-pointed are repeated. The Gnostic star has seven rays.

Seven- and nine-pointed stars drawn in one line are mystical stars in astrology and magic.

The star of the magicians is read in two ways: sequentially along the rays (along the line of the star) and along the circumference. In the course of the rays, there are planets that control the days of the week: Sun - Sunday, Moon - Monday, Mars - Tuesday, Mercury - Wednesday, Jupiter - Thursday, Venus - Friday, Saturn - Saturday.

nine pointed star

Nine-pointed star of magicians

Nine-pointed stars, like seven-pointed ones, if they are drawn in one line, are mystical stars in astrology and magic.

The nine-pointed star, made up of three triangles, symbolizes the Holy Spirit.

Monad

The four constituent parts of a monad

It is a magical symbol called the monad by John Dee (1527–1608), advisor and astrologer to Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Dee presents the nature of magic symbols in terms of geometry and tests the monad in a series of theorems.

Dee explores the monad at such a deep level that he finds links to his theory with Pythagorean harmony, biblical knowledge, and mathematical proportions.

Spiral

Spiral structure of the Milky Way

Spiral shapes are very common in nature, from spiral galaxies to whirlpools and tornadoes, from mollusk shells to human finger prints, and even the DNA molecule has the shape of a double helix.

The spiral is a very complex and ambiguous symbol. But first of all, it is a symbol of the great creative (life) force both at the level of the cosmos and at the level of the microcosm. The spiral is a symbol of time, cyclic rhythms, the change of seasons, birth and death, the phases of "aging" and "growth" of the Moon, as well as the Sun itself.

Tree of Life

Tree of Life in a human being

Tree of Life

The Tree of Life does not belong to any culture - not even to the Egyptians. It is beyond race and religion. This image is an integral part of nature… Man himself is a miniature Tree of Life. He possessed immortality when he was associated with this tree. The Tree of Life can be thought of as the arteries of a large cosmic body. Through these arteries, as through channels, the life-giving forces of the cosmos flow, which nourish all forms of existence, and the cosmic pulse of life beats in them. The Tree of Life is a separate section, part of the scheme of the universal code of life.

Sphere

Armillary sphere (engraving from Tycho Brahe's book)

A symbol of fertility (like a circle), as well as integrity. In ancient Greece, the sign of the sphere was a cross in a circle - the ancient emblem of power. A sphere made up of several metal rings, illustrating the cosmogonic theory of Ptolemy, who believed that the Earth is at the center of the universe, is an ancient emblem of astronomy.

Platonic Solids

Platonic solids inscribed in a sphere

The Platonic solids are five unique shapes. Long before Plato, Pythagoras used them, calling them ideal geometric bodies. Ancient alchemists and such great minds as Pythagoras believed that these bodies are associated with certain elements: cube (A) - earth, tetrahedron (B) - fire, octahedron (C) - air, icosahedron (D) - water, dodecahedron ( E) - ether, and the sphere - emptiness. These six elements are the building blocks of the universe. They create the qualities of the universe.

Planet symbols

Planet symbols

The planets are depicted by a combination of the simplest geometric symbols. This is a circle, a cross, an arc.

Consider, for example, the symbol for Venus. The circle is located above the cross, which personifies a kind of "spiritual attraction" that pulls the cross up into the elevated areas belonging to the circle. The cross, subject to the laws of generation, decay and death, will find its redemption if it is raised within this great circle of spirituality. The symbol as a whole represents the feminine in the world, which is trying to spiritualize and protect the material sphere.

Pyramid

The Great Pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Menkaure

The pyramid is a symbol of the hierarchy that exists in the universe. In any area, the pyramid symbol can help move from the lower plane of plurality and fragmentation to the higher plane of unity.

It is believed that the initiates chose the form of a pyramid for their shrines because they wanted the lines converging towards the top, rushing towards the Sun, to teach humanity the lesson of unity.

star tetrahedron

star tetrahedron

A star tetrahedron is a figure consisting of two mutually intersecting tetrahedra. This figure can also be perceived as a three-dimensional star of David.

Tetrahedra manifest as two opposite laws: the law of the spirit (radiation, bestowal, selflessness, selflessness) and the law of matter (drawing inward, cooling, freezing, paralysis). Only a person can consciously combine these two laws, since he is the link between the world of spirit and the world of matter.

The star tetrahedron thus represents the two poles of creation in perfect balance.

Universal symbols-images

A thing is not just because God wills it, but God wants it precisely because it is just.

Image symbols are often objects (things) or graphic images that imitate the shape of the creature or object with which they are associated. Their meanings are sometimes unexpected, but more often obvious, as they are based on some quality that these objects or creatures are originally inherent in: a lion - courage, a rock - stamina, etc.

arch, arc

Sacrifice to an astral deity (from a 13th-century Arabian manuscript)

The arch (arc), first of all, is a symbol of the vault of heaven, the god of Heaven. In the rites of initiation, passing through the arch means a new birth after the complete rejection of one's old nature. In ancient Rome, the army passed through the triumphal arch after defeating the enemy.

The arch and arc are common elements in the culture of Islam. Mosques often have arched entrances. It is believed that a person entering the mosque through the arched door will be protected by the symbolic forces of the spiritual (higher) sphere.

Ba-gua

Ba-gua and the Great Monad (charm against evil forces, China)

Ba-gua (in some sources, pa-kua) - eight trigrams and pairs of opposites, usually arranged in a circle, which symbolizes time and space.

Scales

Outweighing scales. The lung gives way. heavy overtights

Libra symbolizes justice, impartiality, judgment, evaluation of the merits and demerits of a person. A symbol of the balance of all opposites and complementary factors. Attribute of Nemesis - the goddess of fate.

Disk

Solar winged disk (Egypt)

The disk is a multifaceted symbol: a symbol of creation, the center of the Void, the Sun, Heaven, deity, spiritual and heavenly perfection. The disk of the rising Sun is a symbol of the renewal of life, life after death, resurrection. The disk of the Sun with the horned Moon or with horns means the union of solar and lunar deities, the unity of two in one.

The winged disk is a solar deity, the fire of Heaven, a combination of the solar disk and the wings of a falcon or eagle, the movement of the celestial sphere around the axis, transformation, immortality, the productive force of nature and its duality (protective and deadly aspects).

Wand, staff, scepter

Staff with hook and flail of Tutankhamen

The wand, staff, and scepter are ancient emblems of supernatural power.

The wand is a symbol of transformation associated with witchcraft and mysterious creatures. The staff is a symbol of male strength and power, often associated with the energy of trees, phallus, snake, hand (pointing finger). It is also an attribute of pilgrims and saints, but it can also mean knowledge, which is the only support of a person. The scepter is more ornate and is associated with higher deities and rulers, with spiritual power and at the same time compassionate wisdom.

Mirror

Divination scene depicted on the back of a bronze mirror (Greece)

It symbolizes truth, self-realization, wisdom, reason, soul, a reflection of the supernatural and divine intellect, reflected in the Sun, Moon and stars, the clearly shining surface of divine truth.

It is believed that the mirror has magical properties and is the entrance to the mirror world. If a mirror is hung with its reflective face down in a temple or over a tomb, it opens the way for the soul to ascend. In magic, mirrors serve to develop the gaze.

Snake Ouroboros (Oroboros, Ouroboros)

snake biting its own tail

The ring-shaped figure depicting a snake biting its own tail is a symbol of eternity, indivisibility, the cyclical nature of time, alchemy. The symbolism of this figure is interpreted in different ways, as it combines the creative symbolism of an egg (the space inside the figure), the earthly symbolism of a snake, and the heavenly symbolism of a circle. In addition, a snake biting its tail is a symbol of the law of karma, the wheels of samsara are the wheels of Incarnation.

Caduceus

Caduceus

Caduceus (Greek - "staff of the messenger") is often called the rod of Hermes (Mercury), the ancient god of wisdom. This is a “magic” wand with small wings, which is wrapped around two snakes, intertwined so that the bodies of the snakes form two circles around the wand, symbolizing the merging of two polarities: good - evil, right - left, light - darkness, etc., which corresponds to nature of the created world.

Caduceus is worn by all messengers as a sign of peace and protection, and it is their main attribute.

Key

Saint Peter with the keys to the gates of paradise (detail of a stone image, Notre Dame, Paris, 12th century)

The key is a very powerful symbol. This is power, the power of choice, breath, freedom of action, knowledge, initiation. The crossed golden and silver keys are the emblem of papal authority, the symbolic "keys to the Kingdom of Heaven" that Christ gave to the Apostle Peter. Although keys can both lock and unlock doors, they are almost always symbols of access, liberation, and (in initiatory rites) initiation, progression from one stage of life to another. In Japan, the keys to the rice vault are a symbol of prosperity.

Wheel

wheel of law

Wheel of existence (samsara)

The wheel is a symbol of solar energy. The sun is the center, the spokes of the wheel are the rays. The wheel is an attribute of all solar gods and earthly rulers. It also symbolizes the life cycle, rebirth and renewal, nobility, variability and changes in the material world (the circle is the limit of the material world, and the center is the “immobile engine”, the cosmic source of light and power).

The spinning wheel is associated with the cycles of manifestations (birth, death and rebirth) and the fate of man.

At the ordinary level, the wheel of Lady Luck (wheel of fortune) is a symbol of ups and downs and the unpredictability of fate.

Chariot

Antique hero on a chariot, symbolizing his readiness for battle

A dynamic symbol of power, power and speed of movement of gods, heroes or allegorical figures. The chariot is also a symbol of human essence: the charioteer (consciousness), using the reins (willpower and mind), controls the horses (vital forces) carrying the cart (body).

The chariot (in Hebrew - Merkaba) is also a symbol of the chain of descent from God through man into the world of phenomena and then the triumphant ascent of the spirit. The word Merkaba also means the body of light of a person.

Cauldron, bowl

Ritual cauldron (China, 800 BC)

Carl Jung sees the cup as a female symbol that takes and gives. On the other hand, the cup can be a symbol of a difficult fate ("bitter cup"). The so-called poisoned bowl promises hope, but brings trouble.

The cauldron is a more powerful symbol and is often associated with ritual and magic, representing transformative power. The cauldron is also a symbol of abundance, an inexhaustible source of life support, revival forces, the reproductive forces of the earth, the revival of warriors for a new battle.

Blood

Detail of the painting by Fey Pomeranes "The Sixth Palace of the Underworld": the last drops of blood, a symbol of life, flow out of a glass resembling an ankh in shape

Ritual symbol of vitality. In many cultures, the blood is believed to contain some of the divine energy, or more generally the spirit of the individual.

Blood is red solar energy. It embodies the principle of life, soul, strength, including rejuvenating. To drink someone's blood means to become related, but you can also absorb the strength of the enemy and thereby secure him after death. The mixing of blood is a symbol of union in folk customs (for example, blood brotherhood) or an agreement between people, as well as between a person and God.

labyrinth

Plan of a medieval labyrinth dance on the marble floor of the cathedral in Chartres (France)

The labyrinth symbolizes the world, the Universe, incomprehensibility, movement, a complex problem, an enchanted place. This is a symbol of mystery, mystery, which has many different interpretations, often contradictory, sometimes frightening.

Images of a labyrinth on houses are considered an amulet for protection from hostile forces and evil spirits.

Burials, burial caves and labyrinth-shaped burial mounds protect the dead and prevent them from returning.

Lotus

Vishnu and Lakshmi watching the creation: Brahma grows from a lotus flower originating from the navel of Vishnu

The amazing veneration of the lotus in various cultures is explained both by the extraordinary beauty of the flower, and by the analogy between it and the idealized form of the vulva as the divine source of life. Therefore, the lotus, first of all, is a symbol of fertility, birth and rebirth. Lotus is the source of cosmic life, a symbol of the gods who created the world, as well as the gods of the sun. The lotus symbolizes the past, present and future, as each plant has buds, flowers and seeds at the same time. This is a symbol of a noble person who has grown out of mud, but not stained with it.

Moon

Above - the growing moon and the full moon; below - the waning moon and the new moon

The moon is the ruler of the feminine. It symbolizes abundance, cyclical renewal, rebirth, immortality, occult power, volatility, intuition and emotion. The ancients measured time by the cycles of the moon; determined the timing of the onset of tides; predicted what the future harvest would be like.

Although the moon is usually symbolized in a positive way, in some cultures it is represented as an evil eye watching what is happening, associated with death and the ominous darkness of the night.

magic circle

Dr. Johann Faust and Mephistopheles (from The Tragic History of Dr. Faust by Christopher Mardlowe, 1631)

The magic circle is the basis of ceremonial magic. It serves as a symbol of the will of the magician and at the same time a protective barrier that protects the magician from the negative influence of the invisible world. In such a circle, all magical operations are performed. Different circles are used for different purposes. The drawing of a circle is a certain magical ritual that must be performed according to all established rules. In addition, it is believed that the inscription of magic circles and inscriptions contributes to the development of self-control and gait.

Mandala

The circle and square of the mandala represent the spherical shape of Heaven and the rectangular shape of the Earth. Together they symbolize the order of things in space and in the human world.

This is a geometric composition, symbolizing the spiritual, cosmic or psychic order. In Sanskrit, "mandala" means "circle". Even when this geometric composition is based on squares or triangles, it still has a concentric structure. The overall meaning of the composition remains unchanged and symbolizes the guiding mind, supernatural structures, the clarity of enlightenment.

Mandorla, or Vesica Piscis (surrounds the entire body of the person)

Mandorla, or Vesica Piscis

Image of an almond-shaped halo (radiance), which was used in medieval Christian art to highlight the figure of Christ ascending into heaven, and sometimes ascending saints.

In mysticism, "almond" (in Italian - mandorla) is a symbol of purity and chastity. The mandorla, due to its oval shape, was in antiquity the symbol of the vulva. It is also a graphic image of a flame, a symbol of spirituality. On the other hand, it symbolizes the dualistic unity of Heaven and Earth, depicted as two intersecting arcs.

Halo

halo buddha

A kind of halo: a luminous circle surrounding a person's head. The golden halo symbolizes the sanctity of the individual or confirms the fact that a person communicates directly with a higher plane.

The image of the halo is borrowed from the magical symbolism of the Egyptians, as evidenced by images from the ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead.

Nimbus

The halos and halos surrounding the heads of the saints symbolize the Light of God emanating from them.

Nimbus - a kind of halo: a luminous ring around the head. It symbolizes spiritual strength, as opposed to secular power, represented by the crown. Sometimes a halo is used as an attribute of the Phoenix bird as a symbol of solar power and immortality.

The halo can be blue, yellow or rainbow colored. In Greek mythology, a blue halo is an attribute of Zeus as the god of Heaven. The Romans have a blue halo - an attribute of Apollo and Jupiter. A triangular nimbus or a nimbus in the form of a rhombus means God the Father.

Sword

Inlaid swords found by Schliemann at Mycenae (Athens, National Museum)

The sword is one of the most complex and most common symbols. On the one hand, the sword is a formidable weapon that brings life or death, on the other hand, it is an ancient and powerful force that arose simultaneously with the Cosmic Balance and was its opposite. The sword is also a powerful magical symbol, the emblem of witchcraft. In addition, the sword is a symbol of power, justice, supreme justice, all-pervading reason, insight, phallic strength, light. The sword of Damocles is a symbol of fate. A broken sword is a defeat.

bird feather

Aztec feather headdress (drawing from the Codex Mendoza)

The bird feather symbolizes truth, lightness, Heaven, height, speed, space, soul, the element of wind and air, opposed to the principle of moisture, dryness, travel beyond the material world. In a broader sense, feathers worn by shamans, priests or rulers symbolized a magical connection with the spirit world or divine power and patronage. Wearing feathers or feathered hairstyles means taking the power of a bird into yourself. Two feathers symbolize light and air, two poles, resurrection. The white feather symbolizes clouds, sea foam and cowardice.

Horns

Depiction of a Persian king from the Sasanian period

The horns symbolize supernatural power, divinity, soul power, or the life principle arising from the head. Horns are both a solar and a lunar symbol. Being sharp and piercing, the horns are a phallic and masculine symbol; being hollow, they signify femininity and receptivity. Horned gods symbolize warriors, fertility for both people and animals. Horns with a long ribbon falling from them signify the god of the storm. In more recent times, horns have become a symbol of shame, contempt, depravity, and a deceived husband.

Hand

"Hand of Fatima" (Muslim carved pendant)

Power (worldly and spiritual), action, strength, domination, protection - this is the main symbolism that reflects the important role of the hand in human life and the belief that it is capable of transmitting spiritual and physical energy.

The hands of kings, religious leaders, and miracle workers are believed to have healing powers; hence the laying on of hands in religious blessing, confirmation and ordination. They bless with the right hand, they curse with the left. In Islam, the open palm of Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad, symbolizes the five pillars: faith, prayer, pilgrimage, fasting, mercy.

Sun

Variants of the image of the disk of the Sun

The sun is one of the twelve symbols of power, the main symbol of creative energy.

As a heat source, the Sun represents vitality, passion, courage, and eternal youth. As a source of light, it symbolizes knowledge, intelligence. In most traditions, the Sun is a symbol of the masculine. The sun is also life, vitality, the embodied character of the personality, the heart and its aspirations. Sun and Moon are gold and silver, king and queen, soul and body, etc.

tetramorphs

Image of Christ with tetramorphs in the corners (from a manuscript of the 12th-13th centuries)

Tetramorphs are considered a synthesis of the forces of the four elements. In some cults, these are four-headed guards of the four cardinal directions. In many traditions, they symbolize the universality of divine protection and protection from the return of primary chaos.

The four biblical tetramorphs have the heads of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. Subsequently, in Christianity, these images began to be identified with the apostles - Saints Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, as well as with the incarnation of Jesus Christ, his resurrection and ascension.

Thyrsus

Thyrsus

Thyrsus is the rod of the Greek god of wine Dionysus (in Roman mythology Bacchus). It is a spear-shaped pole (originally from a hollow stem of dill) topped with a pine cone or bunch of grapes and entwined with vines or ivy. It symbolizes fertilizing, fertile power - both sexual and vegetative.

The bump is present on the thyrsus, probably because fermented pine resin was mixed with the wine that was drunk during bacchanalia - it was believed that this enhances sexual sensations.

Ax (axe)

Great Mother with a double ax in her hands (the ax here is a phallic symbol)

The ax is a symbol of power, thunder, fertility, rain brought by the heavenly gods, and stormy winds, correction of mistakes, sacrifice, support, help. It is also a common symbol of sovereignty associated with the ancient sun gods.

The double ax (double-sided ax) denotes the sacred union of the god of Heaven and the goddess of the Earth, thunder and lightning. Sometimes the blades of a double-sided ax, resembling crescents, symbolize the Moon or the unity of opposites. It is also a symbol of supreme power and strength.

Trident

Vishnu's trident as a symbol of his triune essence: creator, keeper and destroyer (from a painting from Rajasthan, 18th century)

The trident is the most famous symbol of power over the sea and an attribute of the ancient Greek god Poseidon (in Roman mythology - Neptune).

The trident symbolizes thunder and lightning, three flames, triple weapons - the forces of heaven, air and water. This is the weapon and attribute of all heavenly, thunder gods and goddesses of the storm, as well as all water gods, the strength and fertility of the waters. It can symbolize the Heavenly Triad, as well as the past, present and future.

Trigrams

Eight trigrams underlying the "Book of Changes"

Trigrams are a triple combination of continuous (yang) and broken (yin) lines. There are eight of them, and they formed the basis of the great Chinese book of predictions "The Book of Changes" ("I-Ching"). Trigrams symbolize the Taoist doctrine that the cosmos is based on constant flows of complementary forces: male (active, yang) and female (passive, yin).

Trigrams also personify the three essences of a person - his body, soul and spirit; irrational emotions, rational mind and suprarational intellect.

Trikvetra (three-pronged swastika)

Triquetra

The triquetra is largely swastika-inspired. This is also the movement of the Sun: at sunrise, at the zenith and at sunset. There have been suggestions about the connection of this symbol with the lunar phases and the renewal of life. Like the swastika, it is a symbol of good luck. He often appears with solar symbols; it can be seen on ancient coins, on Celtic crosses, where, as they say, this sign symbolizes the triad and is a symbol of the sea god Manannan. It is also present in Teutonic symbolism, where it is associated with Thor.

triskelion

triskelion

The symbol of dynamic energy in the form of three legs connected together. It is similar to the swastika, but with three rather than four bent arms, creating a cyclic effect. As a motif in Celtic art and on Greek coins and shields, the triskelion has less to do with the solar and lunar phases (one of the suggested meanings) than with power and physical strength. In addition, the triskelion is a symbol of victory and progress.

Shamrock

Shamrock

Heraldic shamrock

The shamrock-clover symbolizes unification, balance, and also destruction. The sour shamrock, which the Arabs call shamrah, symbolizes the Persian triads. The shamrock is generally a symbol of triads, it is the Mystic Tree, the “solar wheel”. In Christianity, it is a symbol of the Trinity, as well as the emblem of St. Patrick and the coat of arms of Ireland.

To always be profitable, carry a dried shamrock with you.

Trimurti

Trimurti - the Indian Trinity (a sketch of a very ancient image on granite, India House Museum)

Holy Hindu Trinity - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Symbolizes the three cycles of life: creation, preservation and destruction. Despite similarities to the Christian Trinity, the Trimurti is not a monotheistic concept of a "triune god".

Trimurti is sometimes depicted as a tortoise. She also symbolizes the Great Mother - both in her terrible manifestation (with symbols of flame and skulls), and in her beneficial (as Lotus, Sophia, Tara, as wisdom and sympathy).

Trinity

Symbol of the Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - as One God

The trinity differs from the triad in that it is unity, the union of three in one and one in three. It is a symbol of unity in diversity.

In Christianity, this is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit or Mary, Joseph and Jesus. The symbols of the Trinity are the hand (symbol of the Father), the lamb (symbol of the Son), and the dove (symbol of the Holy Spirit).

The Trinity is symbolized by the colors yellow, red and green; three qualities - Love, Faith and Hope.

Human

Symbolic representation of man as the Universe: a square in a circle (China)

The crown of all living things. A symbol of what is capable of improvement. Created in the image and likeness of God, it combines the material and the spiritual, the heavenly and the earthly. This is a microcosm, symbolically containing all the elements of the universe (macrocosm). The human body in the Pythagorean tradition is depicted as a pentagram consisting of arms, legs, and a head. In man, three principles are united together, which modern scientists call the body, life and will. Symbolically, this can be represented by three points (beginnings) enclosed in a circle.

Universal symbols-concepts

The knowledge of ideas reveals in temporal phenomena their timelessly eternal meaning.

Andrey Bely

Concept symbols are numbers or geometric shapes that reflect ideas, feelings, or abstract qualities of something directly related to the inner world of a person.

Duality of the world

Solomon's Double Triangle Diagram: God of Light and God of Reflection

The duality of the world - the interaction of the two polarities behind the created universe (light and darkness, good and evil, etc.) - is reflected in many symbols. The most famous of these is the yin-yang symbol. Also of interest are the symbols presented by the famous occultist Eliphas Levi, such as the "Double Triangle of Solomon" diagram.

The main symbol used by people far from the occult to depict duality is the most common number two, although, nevertheless, it also has a magical nature.

Yin-yang (principle)

Yin-yang sign

The Chinese call the symbol "yin-yang" Tai Shi - the circle of existence. The circle is divided into two equal parts by an S-shaped curve: dark, feminine (yin), and light, masculine (yang). The circle seems to rotate, the darkness is replaced by light, and then the light is replaced by darkness. The Chinese claim that even in the purest light there is an element of darkness, and vice versa. Therefore, in the center of each part, a small circle of the opposite color is depicted: black on a white background and white on a black one. This image symbolizes the balanced dynamism of opposing forces and principles in the cosmos.

Rays

Sun with zigzag rays (golden mask of the Incas)

It is a symbol of fertilizing power, holiness, spiritual enlightenment and creative energy, creative power. The rays can depict the hair of the sun god, a manifestation of the divine essence, or a radiance (halo) emanating from the saints. In solar symbolism, the seventh ray is the main path to heaven.

Wisdom

Ancient Greek goddess of wisdom Athena (in Roman mythology Minerva) with a coiled snake at her feet

The main symbols of wisdom are the snake (daytime, solar, but feminine flexible male sign) and the owl (night, lunar, acting imperceptibly, silently, but resolutely and quickly masculine female sign). It is the combination in each of them of the most important properties of the male and female principles that very accurately corresponds to wisdom. Other symbols of wisdom: dragon, griffin, peacock, sphinx, unicorn, bird, bee, rat, lotus, heart, number seven, scepter, scroll, ring, etc.

“Out of many roses, a drop of oil; out of many torments, a drop of wisdom” (Persian saying).

world axis

Tet of Osiris

In the esoteric tradition, the symbols of the axis of the world, the World Tree, are the spear, sword, key and scepter.

The Egyptians as a symbol of the world axis and the North Pole use Tat (or Tet) - the spine of Osiris, which, in addition, personifies stability, strength, immutability, preservation.

Light

Light emanating from the Buddha

Light is the first creation. It is associated with the beginning and the end. Light and darkness are two aspects of the Great Mother: life and love, death and burial, creation and destruction.

The light of the Sun personifies spiritual knowledge, and the reflected light of the Moon represents rational, analytical knowledge.

Light is usually depicted as straight or undulating rays, the disk of the Sun, or a halo. As a rule, a straight line represents light, and a wavy line represents heat. Light and heat symbolically complement each other and are the two poles of the element of Fire.

Death and rebirth

Death and rebirth of human beings. Detail of symbolism on a gravestone in Dieste (Belgium)

This image in Christianity is expressed by ancient complex symbols. The above composition combines two pairs of "circle-cross", each pair personifies death and rebirth. The lower pair is represented by crossbones and a rounded skull (a symbol of death). From the lower circle (skull) grows a cross similar to the one on which Christ died - the cross of resurrection, rebirth. This whole allegory is inscribed in a larger circle - a sign that the death and rebirth of human beings are within the great spiritual sphere of the cosmos.

Consciousness (three aspects)

Symbols representing the three aspects of consciousness

Usually the three aspects of consciousness are depicted as three animals: one of them lives underground, the other on the ground, and the third flies above the ground. The animal that lives underground represents the microcosm; that which flies in the air is the macrocosm; and the animal that walks the earth represents the middle step between the first two - like us, for example. The most common symbols are: in Egypt - a cobra, the right eye of Horus, a hawk; in Peru - rattlesnake, puma and condor; the American Indians have a rattlesnake, a mountain lion and an eagle; in Tibet - a snake, a pig and a rooster.

Dance

Dervish dance (the grace of God descends to the dancer through the raised hand, penetrates through his body and spirit and, leaving him, unites with the earth through the lowered hand)

The main symbolism of the dance: cosmic creative energy, the transformation of space into time, the rhythm of the universe, the imitation of the divine "game" of creation, the maintenance of strength, emotions, and activity.

Circle dances are an imitation of the movement of the Sun in the sky. Dancing in a chain is a symbol of the connection between a man and a woman, Heaven and Earth. When the dance is performed around an object, it is thereby closed, enclosing in a magic circle, protecting and giving strength.

Shadow

Priestly Esotericism: The Sign of Anathema (from Eliphas Levi's Transcendental Magic, 1896)

A symbol of the negative beginning, as opposed to the positive solar. In some primitive tribes, the shadow symbolizes the human soul, the same is in witchcraft and conspiracies. To fall into the shadow of another person is a bad omen.

The above engraving depicts a human hand performing an act of blessing. A strong beam of light casts a shadow from the blessing hand on the wall, and this shadow is the image of the horned head of the Devil. The main idea of ​​the allegory is this: evil and good are intertwined, and darkness and light oppose each other in a kind of moral duel.

Emblems of modern religions

It is difficult to find the Creator and Father of this universe, but even having found Him, it is impossible to express Him in a language understandable to everyone.

In our time, there are three world religions on the globe - Christianity, Islam (Muslim) and Buddhism. Each of them is accepted in many countries. They arose a long time ago: Christianity is 2000 years old, Islam is almost 1400 years old, and Buddhism is about 2500 years old.

There are other religions, which, although not global, are also widespread.

Christianity

Cup and cross

One of the symbols of Christ's love is the combination of the cup and the cross. The cup, or goblet, in this case indicates the great suffering that Jesus endured, calling it "the cup."

The image of the bowl indicates the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Father! Oh, that You would be pleased to carry this cup past me! however, not my will, but yours be done.”

The cross is depicted as pointed. Its sharp ends, like swords of sorrow and pain, pierce the suffering soul.

Islam

Star and crescent of Islam

The main emblem of the youngest world religion, Islam, founded by the Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (570-632), is a crescent with a star inside. The emblem denotes divine patronage, growth, rebirth, and, together with the star, paradise. The star is a traditional symbol of independence and divinity. The crescent is one of the true forces capable of resisting evil, a powerful talisman.

The crescent in Islamic countries replaces the cross in Red Cross organizations.

Buddhism

Maitreya

In Buddhism, Maitreya is the name of the Buddha of the coming world order. This is the only Bodhisattva ("whose essence has become the mind"), which is recognized by all major branches of Buddhism. The essence of a Bodhisattva is the act of sacrifice: giving up the bliss of nirvana in order to help humanity within the limits allowed by karmic limitations.

Maitreya is depicted sitting on a throne in a "European pose" (with legs down), which indicates a sign of the haste of his arrival; it is golden in color. Next to Maitreya, it is customary to depict the wheel of dharma, a stupa and a vase.

Judaism

Mogendovid, or Shield of David

Judaism is the oldest of the monotheistic world religions (it arose in the 1st millennium BC in Palestine 4000 years ago). The main provisions of Judaism were later incorporated into Christianity and Islam.

The symbol of Judaism is Mogendovid, or the Shield of David. Most commonly associated with the six-pointed Star of David. A less common name is the Star of the Creator; each end of the star symbolizes one of the six days of creation, and the central hexagon symbolizes Shabbat (the holy day of rest).

Zoroastrianism

Ahura Mazda

Zoroastrianism is an ancient spiritual tradition, founded about 2500 years ago by the prophet Zoroaster, and now, unfortunately, forgotten. The supreme god is Ahura Mazda. The sacred canon is the Avesta ("law").

Zoroastrianism proceeds from the doctrine of the justice of the world order and the triumph of justice in the world struggle between good and evil, in which the free choice of a person, his active participation play a decisive role. Zoroastrian morality contains an ethical triad: a good thought, a good word, a good deed.

Hinduism

One of the symbols of the Trimurti

Hinduism combines elements of different creeds, rooted in the mists of time. Sacred books - Vedas (Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, Atharvaveda). The three main gods make up the Trimurti (triad): Brahma is the creator of the world, Vishnu is the keeper of the world and Shiva is the destroyer. Their images symbolize the fundamental processes of change in nature (prakriti).

The basis of Hinduism is the doctrine of the reincarnation of souls (samsara), which occurs in accordance with the law of retribution (karma) for virtuous or bad behavior.

Confucianism

The symbol of Confucianism is the figure of the “Highest Saint” himself

Confucianism and Taoism are the most famous of the philosophical currents that existed in China even before its unification (221 BC). Gradually intertwined with the traditions of Buddhists and Taoists, the teachings of Confucius acquired a religious connotation. According to Confucius, one must live in such a way that human behavior reflects the laws of the universe, which exists according to a certain order. “The master teaches his students the four disciplines: culture, behavior, loyalty and faith” (Lun Yu, 7.25).

Taoism

Tai Chi (yin-yang circle)

Taoism literally means "School of the Tao". (Tao means “way”). This is an integral part of the philosophical and religious triad (Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism). The Chinese apply all three teachings in practice, depending on the life situation. As part of his personal life, the Chinese profess Taoism, but when it comes to social norms of behavior, he becomes a Confucian, and when faced with troubles and life's hardships, he turns to Mahayana Buddhism.

Graphically, the concept of Taoism is expressed by tai chi (in some sources - Tai Shi) - a symbol of a single limit.

Shinto (Shinto)

Horin-rimbo - the wheel of the law (Japan)

Shinto is the Japanese national religion, its name comes from the Chinese word "shen-dao" ("sacred path" or "path of the gods"). At the heart of Shinto is the cult of the deities of nature and ancestors. The highest deities are Amaterasu (goddess of the Sun) and her descendant Jimmu. Jimmu is the first emperor of Japan, the mythical ancestor of Japanese emperors. Day February 11, when, according to myths, in 660 BC. e. Jimmu ascended the throne, is considered the founding day of the empire and is celebrated as a holiday.

Crosses: the most common forms

The cross is a cosmic symbol that should be studied and treated with the greatest respect.

"The Science of Initiation"

The common symbol of humanity is the cross. It can be found in the most ancient religions, among the most ancient civilizations: in Mesopotamia, Egypt, China, etc. Who invented the cross? Nobody - because it exists in nature. This is an ancient universal symbol and, above all, a symbol of the connection of micro- and macrocosm, spirit and matter in their combination. The cross symbolizes the involvement of the spirit (vertical line) in time (horizontal line).

The forms of the cross are various. They differ in the number of crossbars, and the number of ends of the cross, and proportions.

Greek cross

Greek cross

The cross of the simplest form: square, with ends of equal length, the horizontal crossbar is located in the middle of the vertical one. Cross of Saint George. This sign, also called crux quadrata, has been used since prehistoric times in a variety of meanings - as a symbol of the god of the sun, the god of rain, the elements from which the world is created: air, earth, fire and water. In early Christianity, the Greek cross symbolized Christ. It is also a symbol of secular, earthly power, but received from God. Used in medieval heraldry.

cross hammer

cross hammer

The hammer cross is a variation of the Greek cross. One of the main heraldic crosses, so named from the French potenee - "support", because its shape is similar to the supports used in antiquity.

latin cross

latin cross

Another name for the Latin cross is the long cross. Its horizontal bar is located above the middle of the vertical bar. This is the most common Christian symbol in the Western world. It is believed that it was from such a cross that Christ was taken down, hence his other names: the cross of the Crucifixion, the cross of the West, the cross of Life, the cross of Suffering. This form, so similar to a man with outstretched arms, symbolized God in Greece and China long before the advent of Christianity. For the Egyptians, the cross rising from the heart symbolized kindness.

Cross of Saint Peter

Cross of Saint Peter

The cross of St. Peter is an inverted Latin cross. Since the 4th century, it has been one of the symbols of Saint Peter, who is believed to have been crucified upside down on an inverted cross in 65 CE. e. during the reign of Emperor Nero in Rome.

An inverted Latin cross, that is, the cross of St. Peter, with pointed ends is the emblem of the Knights Templar.

St. Andrew's Cross (oblique cross)

St. Andrew's Cross (oblique cross)

It is also called diagonal or oblique. On such a cross, the apostle Saint Andrew was martyred. The Romans used this symbol to mark the border, the passage beyond which was forbidden. The oblique cross also symbolizes perfection, the number 10. In heraldry, this cross is called the saltire.

St. Andrew is the patron saint of Russia, and when Peter the Great created the Russian navy (in the 1690s), he adopted a blue oblique cross on a white background for the flag of the fleet.

Tau Cross (St. Anthony's Cross)

tau cross

Cross of Saint Anthony

The tau cross is so named because of its resemblance to the Greek letter "T" (tau). It symbolizes life, the key to supreme power, the phallus. In ancient Egypt - a sign of fertility and life. In biblical times - a symbol of protection. The Scandinavians have Thor's hammer. In Christian churches - the cross of St. Anthony (the founder of Christian monasticism, IV century). Since the beginning of the XIII century - the emblem of Francis of Assisi. In heraldry, this is the Almighty Cross. Also known as the "Gallows Cross" due to its resemblance to the gallows, as it was made in antiquity.

Ankh (Egyptian cross)

Ankh - the key to the gates of death

The ankh is the most significant symbol among the ancient Egyptians, also known as the "cross with a handle." This cross combines two symbols: a circle (as a symbol of eternity) and a tau-cross suspended from it (as a symbol of life); together they denote immortality, eternal life. Ankh also personifies "the life that will come", "the time that will come", hidden wisdom, the key to the secrets of life and knowledge, as well as the key that opens the gates of death. Perhaps it symbolizes the Tree of Life, as well as the sun rising over the horizon.

Maltese cross

Maltese cross

The Maltese cross is also called the eight-pointed. It symbolizes the four great gods of Assyria: Ra, Anu, Belus and Hea. Emblem of the Knights of Malta. The white cross of this form on a black background was from the very beginning the emblem of the military and religious order of the Hospitallers (Johnites), who moved their headquarters to Malta (in 1529) - hence the name.

In philately, the Maltese cross is the first postmark used to cancel postal items from 1840 to 1844.

Patriarchal Cross

Patriarchal Cross

The patriarchal cross is used by archbishops and cardinals. It is also called the cardinal's catholic cross and the two-bar cross. The upper crossbar is a titulary (board for writing a name), introduced by order of Pontius Pilate. Under the name of the archbishop's cross, it is often found on the coats of arms of archbishops.

This cross is widespread in Greece and is sometimes called Angevin or Lorraine. It is sometimes erroneously called the Lorraine cross.

papal cross

papal cross

The papal cross with three horizontal bars is also known as the triple cross. Used in processions in which the pope participates. Three cross lines symbolize power and the Tree of Life.

Russian cross

Russian cross (cross of St. Lazarus)

This eight-pointed cross is the cross of the Russian Orthodox Church. It is also called the eastern cross or the cross of St. Lazarus. Symbol of the Orthodox Church in the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Europe and Russia.

The upper of the three transverse crossbars is the titulary, where the name was written, as in the patriarchal cross, the lower crossbar is beveled.

Cross of Constantine (sign "Chi-Rho")

Cross of Constantine

Magic seal with the symbol "Chi-Rho" (Agrippa, 1533)

The Cross of Constantine is a monogram known as "Khi-Rho" ("chi" and "ro" are the first two letters of Christ's name in Greek). The legend says that the emperor Constantine saw this cross in the sky on the way to Rome, along with the cross he saw the inscription "Conquer this". According to another legend, he saw the cross in a dream the night before the battle and heard a voice: “With this sign you will win”). It is said that it was this prediction that converted Constantine to Christianity. And the monogram became the first generally accepted symbol of Christianity - as a sign of victory and salvation.

Rosicrucian cross

Cross with a rose (Rosicrucian)

Another name is the cross of the rose (five-petal). Emblem of the Rosicrucian Order. Symbol of harmony, center, heart. The rose and the cross also symbolize the Resurrection and Atonement of Christ. This sign is understood as the divine light of the Universe (rose) and the earthly world of suffering (cross), as the feminine and masculine, material and spiritual, spiritual and sensual love. The cross with a rose is a symbol of the initiate, who, thanks to the work on himself, has managed to develop in himself love, life-giving and transforming matter.

Masonic cross

Masonic cross (cross in a circle)

The Masonic cross is a cross inscribed in a circle. It means a holy place and a cosmic center. The four dimensions of space in the celestial circle symbolize the totality that includes the Great Spirit. This cross represents the Cosmic Tree extending horizontally over the Earth and touching the Heavens through the vertical central axis. Such a cross was either made in stone or depicted on the walls of Roman Gothic temples, symbolizing their sanctification.

Pacifist Cross

Pacifist cross (peace cross)

This symbol was designed by Gerald Holtom in 1958 for the then emerging movement for nuclear disarmament. To develop the symbol, he used the semaphore alphabet: he made a cross from its symbols - for "N" (nuclear, nuclear) and "D" (disarmament, disarmament) - and placed them in a circle, which symbolized a global agreement. Soon this cross became one of the most common signs of the 60s of the twentieth century, symbolizing both peace and anarchy.

images of time

The wise turn years into months, months into weeks, weeks into days.

Everything is perishable in this world.

The image of inexorable time is the road. The symbol of time is sand flowing through the fingers. Attributes of measured time - a clock, a burning candle; it is a symbol of the elusiveness of the present moment.

In the pantheon of gods of almost all ancient cultures, there is also the god of Time.

Abraxas

Abraxas - a symbol of time (gnostic gem)

Abraxas is the personification of the divine cycles of the solar year. This is the mystical image of the Supreme Being, the highest of the seven. It consists of five emanations (radiations): Nus (Mind), Logos (Word), Phronesis (Reason), Sophia (Wisdom), Dynamis (Power). The human body in the image represents God. The two serpent-supports emerging from it are Nus and Logos (intuition and quick understanding). The head of a rooster means foresight and vigilance (mind). Two hands hold the symbols of Sophia and Dynamis: the armor of wisdom and the whip of power.

Kalachakra

Namchu-vanden - emblem of Kalachakra

Kalachakra - literally "wheel of time", "course of time". Secret Doctrine in Vajrayana Buddhism. An astrological and astronomical system that entered Tibet from India. Kalachakra introduces the concept of the cyclical nature of time with periods of 12 and 60 years (Tibetan calendar). According to legend, the Kalachakra teaching was given by the Buddha Shakyamuni. According to other sources, this teaching was brought to Tibet by Pitop, or the Great Kalachakrapada, who, having miraculously found himself in Shambhala, was initiated there by the king of Kalki into the teachings of Kalachakra.

Kronos

Kronos (Rom. Saturn), XV century

The ancient Greek symbol of time - the titan Kronos - became the ancestor of many words in Russian (the particle “chrono” is part of compound words indicating their relationship to time): chronic, chronology, chronometer, etc.

Kronos (Rom. Saturn) - the god of Time, in the form of a fading autumn or the departing Sun, sometimes, along with his sickle, also has a hood, which symbolizes invisibility, death and retreat. Since the hood covers the head, it also signifies thought and spirit.

Ourobor (serpent that bites its own tail)

Ourobor as an Emblem of Death (from George Wheater's A Collection of Emblems, Ancient and Modern, 1635)

The most obvious meaning of the symbol is associated with the concept of time: the passage of time is accompanied by destruction, since the past seems to be irretrievably lost. This is reflected in the fact that the serpent "devours" its own tail, like time, which apparently consumes itself. It can be said that time has a cyclical nature (day follows night, the seasons repeat themselves, etc.), and this has found its expression in the form of a snake, in the fact that he curled up in a circle. The symbol of the emblem can be expressed by the phrase: "In my beginning lies my end" or "The end is in the beginning."

Tempus

Image of Time - Tempus (Rome)

The Romans depicted time in the form of a male winged figure with goat legs, with a scythe in his hands (“the inexorable scythe of time”) - this is Tempus (from Latin tempus - time).

The figure of Tempus personifies the frailty and transience of all living things, and therefore is associated with the symbol of Death.

"Clock" of our body

The “clock” of our body (the numbers in the inner circle are the time of day)

The Chinese consider it useful to influence the organs of the body in a strictly defined period of the day (stimulate - during activity, and vice versa).

Twelve major organs, according to medical practice, have two hours of activity (see figure). Designations: GB - gallbladder: (from 23:00 to 1:00); Liv - liver; Lu - lungs; Li - large intestine; St - stomach; Sp, spleen; H - heart; Si, small intestine; UB, urinary bladder; K, kidneys; P - brain; TW - spinal cord.

Symbolism of the plant kingdom

The beauty of plants is the common heritage of the world, that is, it is always macrocosmic, not microcosmic.

The symbol of the plant kingdom is the tree. Its branches, representing diversity, depart from a common trunk, which is a symbol of unity. A green, flowering tree is a symbol of life; dead, withered - a symbol of death. An old, gnarled tree can mean wisdom and strength.

The flower is the emblem of the cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth. Flowers represent beauty (especially feminine), innocence, divine blessing, spring, youth, but also the brevity of being. Everything in a flower can carry a certain symbolism: its shape, and the number of petals, and color, and smell ...

Vine

Ornament - vine motif

Grapes are one of the oldest symbols of fertility, abundance and vitality. The vine is one of the symbols of Christ. The importance of wine in many religious rituals is based on the symbolic association of grapes with divine blessings. The vine was the first plant Noah planted after the flood.

Grape juice resembles human blood. In some mysteries, grapes are a symbol of lust and debauchery, greed and drunkenness. The bunch of grapes is sometimes presented as a phallic symbol. But grapes are also seen as a symbol of the solar spirit.

Cherry

Sakura (19th century Japanese print by Utagawa Kunisada)

In Christian iconography, cherry is sometimes depicted instead of an apple as a fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil; sometimes Christ is depicted with cherries in his hand. In China, the cherry tree is a symbol of good luck, spring (due to early flowering) and virginity; The vulva is called the "spring cherry". Cherry blossoms (sakura) - a symbol of Japan; it is cultivated as an ornamental tree; its fruits are inedible. The Japanese identify cherry blossoms with the rising sun. Cherry, in addition, is the emblem of the samurai.

Pomegranate

Popping pomegranate

The opening pomegranate (fruit) symbolizes the Easter Resurrection of Christ, gives Christians confidence in forgiveness, faith in the life to come and resurrection. Due to the abundance of seeds, pomegranates are a symbol of fertility. It is also the ancient eastern emblem of the sun god and the emblem of life, a divine symbol called the "forbidden secret."

The remains of a flower (thorn) on the upper part of the fruit serve as an image of a crown in heraldry. The pomegranate is always depicted as golden. And pomegranate seeds are always twelve - a number symbolizing perfection since ancient times.

Oak and acorn

Acorn

Oak is a symbol of power, endurance, longevity and nobility, as well as glory. In ancient Rome, a wreath of oak leaves was the highest award for a victorious commander.

As an emblem of valor and courage, oak (oak leaf, oak branch, oak wreath, oak garland) is used in military insignia in many countries.

Oak with acorns - the emblem of maturity, full of strength. An oak without acorns is the emblem of youthful valor. The acorn is a symbol of fertility, prosperity, spiritual energy growing from the grain of truth.

Kabbalistic Tree

Kabbalistic Tree (drawing from the book by R. Fludd, 1574–1637)

This is an inverted Cosmic Tree. Its crown touches the ground, and its roots are fixed in the spiritual world and feed on the spiritual energy of the sky, spreading it to the outer world and down. This is a favorite image in Kabbalism and other mystical and magical teachings. It testifies that human life is the descent of the spirit into the body and back. It is also a symbol of philosophical growth, growth inwards.

In the Bhagavad Gita, an inverted tree means the origin of everything from a single root, in Islam it is a symbol of happiness and good luck.

Cypress

Seven cypresses and twelve branches - the personification of the universe and its eternal truths (Istanbul, Turkey)

In the West, cypress is a mystical symbol of death and mourning, the personification of sadness and sorrow, as it was used for embalming the body and for making coffins. In Asia, it is a symbol of longevity and immortality. The Arabs call the cypress the Tree of Life. In Greece, the cypress has always had a dual reputation: it was a symbol of the gloomy god of the underworld, Hades, but at the same time, more cheerful gods - Zeus, Apollo, Aphrodite and Hermes. Therefore, it has become a symbol of rebirth and life after death. In China, the smoke of cypress branches is a symbol of light forces, a talisman against misfortune.

Clover

Clover with four petals

The three-leaf clover (shamrock) is a symbol of the Christian Trinity. The rare quatrefoil is a symbol of good luck; there is a belief that Eve took one quatrefoil as a memory of the lost paradise. But a five-leaf clover brings bad luck.

In China, clover is the emblem of spring. The Irish use clover leaves as their national emblem, which probably goes back to the veneration of this plant by the Celts for its active growth in spring.

Roots

Seed and roots

A symbol of connection with the earth, with the family.

"A man with roots" - they say about a man who stands firmly on his feet.

"Look at the root" - pay attention to the most essential, delve into the essence.

The "root of evil" is the source, the core of evil.

"Uproot" - take away life, cut off access to food, radically solve the problem.

laurel

Laurel wreath

Laurel symbolizes immortality, but also triumph, victory and success. He personifies peace, purification, protection, divinity, secret knowledge. According to ancient Greek myth, Apollo, the god of the Sun, dawn and poetry, pursued the nymph Daphne, who, running away from him, turned into a laurel bush (in Greek, "laurel" - "daphne"). In the arms of Apollo was a tree, with the branches of which he decorated his head and lyre. That is why in ancient Greece musicians, poets, dancers, whose patron was Apollo, were awarded with laurel wreaths. The Romans extended this tradition to military victors.

Lily

Fleur-de-lys, coat of arms of the French kings

One of the most versatile and even controversial characters. The triple lily is a symbol of the Trinity and three virtues: Faith, Hope and Mercy. Lily is an attribute of many saints, including the Archangel Gabriel. White lilies can sometimes symbolize death. The lily is also associated with fertility and erotic love because of its arrow-shaped or spear-shaped (phallus-like) pistil and specific strong fragrance. Lily - a sign of prosperity and royal power in Byzantium, later - the emblem of the French kings.

Palm branch

Palm branch

This is the main symbol of victory and triumph ("palm tree").

In ancient Greece, a palm branch was given along with a wreath to the winner of the Olympic Games as a personal wish for health and longevity. In ancient Rome, they were also awarded to victorious soldiers and gladiators. On Palm Sunday celebrations in Jerusalem, priests hand out consecrated palm leaves in the form of a cross. In Russia, they are replaced by willows. The palm branch is a symbol of longevity and one of the emblems of the world, and unlike the dove, it is a secular emblem.

Rose

ten petal rose

The rose has polar symbolism: it is heavenly perfection and earthly passion, time and eternity, life and death, fertility and virginity. It is also a symbol of the heart, the center of the universe, the cosmic wheel, divine, romantic and sensual love. Rose - completeness, the mystery of life, its focus, the unknown, beauty, grace, happiness, but also voluptuousness, passion, and in combination with wine - sensuality and seduction. The rosebud is a symbol of virginity; withered rose - the transience of life, death, sorrow; its thorns are pain, blood and martyrdom.

roses heraldic

Heraldic roses: 1 - Lancaster; 2 - Yorks; 3 - Tudors; 4 - England (badge); 5 - German Rose Rosenov; 6 - Russian stamp

The heraldic medieval rose has five or ten petals, which connects it with the Pythagorean pentad and decade. A rose with red petals and white stamens is the emblem of England, the most famous badge of the English kings. After the "War of the Scarlet and White Roses", named after the breastplates of the families that fought for the English crown, the scarlet rose of Lancaster and the white rose of York were combined in the form of the "Tudor Rose". The bright crimson rose is the unofficial emblem of Bulgaria. The famous tea rose is the emblem of Beijing. Nine white roses are in the coat of arms of Finland.

sprouts

Fern sprouts (four-part scheme)

Sprouts (heart-shaped scheme)

The sprout is a symbol of the awakening of life. The simplest species is a grain “hatching out of its shell”, a sprout resembling a folded fern leaf. These images are accompanied by a rounded or heart-shaped stripe. The heart-shaped scheme (point up) is a stable expression of the agrarian ornament. A four-part composition with fern sprouts (a sacred plant among many peoples) is widely used, the leaves of which are directed in all directions.

Pumpkin

Painted gourd, vessel and talisman (China, 19th century)

The gourd in Chinese culture is a symbol of health, wisdom, and even the entire universe.

In America, a pumpkin is the main attribute of the traditional holiday of evil spirits - Halloween. For this holiday, faces are carved on pumpkins, and candles are inserted inside the pumpkins and they go home with such “lamps”.

In humiliated symbolism, a pumpkin is called a head.

Thistle

Thistle

Emblem of Scotland

Thistle means challenge, asceticism, vindictiveness, misanthropy. Donkey food. It also symbolizes sin, sorrow, the curse of God when expelled from paradise; according to Genesis, Adam was punished with thistles. In Christian art, the thistle is the emblem of martyrdom.

But there is another side to the thistle symbolism. Like some other thorny plants, it is considered a talisman and is endowed with the ability to heal wounds. It is a plant with strong magical properties.

Apple tree, apple

Sovereign apple - one of the symbols of monarchical power

The apple tree is a symbol of fertility, one of the symbols of Mother Earth. Blooming apple tree - eternal youth, and in China - peace and beauty. An apple is a symbol of bliss, especially sexual, a symbol of restoration of potential, integrity, health and vitality. The apple represents love, marriage, spring, youth, longevity or immortality, in Christianity it is associated with temptation, the fall of man and his salvation. A bitten apple is a symbol of sin, anarchy, but also knowledge and hope. In art, an apple in the mouth of a monkey or a snake is a symbol of original sin.

Symbolism of the animal kingdom

The animal kingdom in its different breeds embodies the different impulses of the human psyche.

N. P. Rudnikova

In the human mind, animals (animals, birds, fish, insects, etc.) act as symbols, on the basis of which figurative pictures of certain aspects of being are compiled. The symbolism of animals also extends to the highest foundations of man himself (for example, ideas about the soul are expressed in the form of a bird).

The ancient Egyptians believed that certain animals could embody cosmic and divine energies. The twelve animals of the zodiac are archetypal symbols and represent a closed cycle of energies.

Stork

“He who has gained immortality flies on a stork into the sky” (stork and crane are symbols of immortality)

The stork symbolizes new life, the arrival of spring, good luck, daughter or son affection. In Christianity, the stork personifies purity, chastity, piety, vigilance. In the East, the stork is a symbol of immortality. Among the Slavs, the stork is an ancient totem bird, a symbol of the motherland, family well-being, home comfort, love for one's home. The punishment for destroying a nest or killing a stork is a fire that incinerates the killer's house or himself. There is a belief that a stork brings newborn babies. A stork carrying a baby is a symbol of christening.

Butterfly

Butterfly image

At present, the symbolism of the butterfly is dominated by the meaning of the anemone, a carefree creature, but also pure joy. In ancient times, it was presented as a symbol of transformation and immortality due to its life cycle: life (bright caterpillar) - death (dark chrysalis) - rebirth (free flight of the soul). The butterfly is a symbol of the soul in many regions of the world. In China, it is a symbol of light entertainment and a sign of lovers. In Japan, a butterfly is a symbol of a fickle and windy lover, as well as female fussiness and the craft of a geisha; two butterflies - marital happiness.

Ram (ram)

ram head

One of the most important symbols and one of the most widespread emblems in the world (variants: lamb, golden fleece, ram's head, ram's horns). The ram symbolizes fire, solar energy, passionate passion, courage, impulsiveness, stubbornness. In many cultures since ancient times it means male power and sexual potency. The symbol of the elements - both creative and destructive, requiring sacrifice.

In the modern everyday sense, the word "ram" is often synonymous with stupidity or stupid stubbornness.

Bull

Sacred bull Apis (Egypt)

Symbol of the fertility of the earth. The most common symbol of sexual power, as well as violence and rage. This is the embodiment of power, power, male fertility. A symbol of divinity, royalty, the elemental forces of nature, which changed meanings in different eras and in different cultures. The bull's horns are a sign of the full moon, its huge body is the pillar of the world in the Islamic and Vedic traditions; its abundant seed is nourished by the Moon in Iranian mythology; his bellowing, hoof-stomping, and horn-shaking are universally associated with thunder and earthquakes.

Wolf

She-wolf feeding Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome (bronze figure, 6th–5th century BC)

The symbolism of the wolf is dual.

Negative symbolism: ferocity, deceit, greed, cruelty, evil, gluttony and sexuality. Stories of witches turned into wolves and men turned werewolves epitomize the fear of demonic possession and male violence.

Positive symbolism: courage, victory, concern for the food of the family. The wolf is a common symbol of knowledge through experience, the emblem of warriors.

AT heraldry the wolf is a symbol of anger, gluttony, greed.

Raven, crow

The raven on the shield is a symbol of purification

“Daughters of Jerusalem! I am black, but beautiful ”(alchemical symbol)

Raven and crow have similar symbolism. On the one hand, crows are associated with war, death, desolation, evil and misfortune. Because of their blackness, they are considered symbols of chaos and darkness that preceded the light of creation. On the other hand, the raven is a symbol of wisdom and justice. The raven has a connection with the world of the dead, he can get living and dead water. There is an opinion that the raven is a travel assistant and a fortune teller. There is a belief that when crows begin to leave their nests, this portends famine or other misfortunes.

Pigeon

Dove as a symbol of peace

Peace, purity, love, serenity, hope. Traditional Christian symbol of the Holy Spirit and baptism. There is a legend that the devil and witches can turn into any creature except a dove and a sheep. Pigeon cooing is associated with both sex and the birth of children. A pair of doves is a symbol of sexual harmony; so the dove became the personification of the tender wife. A dove with a laurel branch is a symbol of peace, a dove with a cornucopia is a happy accident. In the East, the dove is one of the many symbols of longevity.

Dolphin

"Boy with a Dolphin" (Andrea del Verrocchio, 1475. Sculpture for a fountain)

The dolphin symbolizes love, the power of the sea, speed, salvation, transformation. This is a friend of man in the sea element and its symbol. The dolphin is also a symbol of boundless joy, playfulness, unpredictability and even spiritual enlightenment. In ancient Greece, the lord of the waters, Poseidon, (the Roman counterpart is Neptune), was often depicted in a cart pulled by dolphins. As a symbol of the sacrifice of Christ, the dolphin is often depicted with a pierced trident or anchor (the secret symbol of the cross). Intertwined with an anchor, the dolphin is a symbol of caution, speed limits: "Hurry slowly."

Toad, frog

Stylized image of a frog

The toad is one of the attributes of witchcraft. According to European superstitions, this is a companion of witches, reminiscent of the death and torment of sinners. At the same time, the toad, which in the Middle Ages personified darkness and evil, greed and lust, is associated with birth and rebirth. A symbol of ugliness, behind which a beautiful soul can lurk. It also symbolizes longevity and wealth: it is believed that the toad, like a snake, carries a gem in its forehead that attracts good luck.

The frog is a widespread symbol of fertility, a harbinger of spring rains and the awakening of nature.

Crane

Dancing Cranes (bracelet from Kyiv)

In China and Japan, the crane symbolizes vigilance, longevity, wisdom, devotion, honor. The image of a crane flying towards the Sun is a symbol of social aspirations, its snow-white body is a symbol of purity, its red head is the fire of life. In India and in some Celtic regions, the crane is a symbol of betrayal, a harbinger of misfortune. In Russia, cranes, along with storks and nightingales, are considered "God's birds", their symbolism is associated with the Sun.

Throughout the world, the crane is a symbol of communication with the gods.

Snake: general symbolism

Python (Greece)

The snake is the most versatile and most complex of all animal symbols, as well as the most common and perhaps the most ancient of them. The snake signifies death and destruction, but also life and resurrection. This is both the solar and the lunar, light and darkness, good and evil, wisdom and blind passion, healing and poison, the keeper and the destroyer. Such a duality of symbolism forces one to balance between fear and worship, the snake appears either as a hero or as a monster.

Snake: positive symbolism

"Snake Power"

An example of the positive symbolism of a snake is the concept of kundalini: a symbol of inner strength, psychic energy, a snake-like ball of vital energy dormant at the base of the spine. The kundalini energy is called the "serpent power". Sometimes she is depicted as a coiled snake with heads at both ends. In India and other regions, snakes are often seen as guardians of shrines, water sources, and treasures. This tradition is associated with the symbolism of fertility inherent in the snake, and with the belief that precious stones are the frozen saliva of snakes.

Snake: negative symbolism

Illustration for the "Poem of Gilgamesh" (seal of the Sumero-Akkadian kingdom)

If we consider the frightening part of the symbolism of the snake, then it is a clear prototype of dragons and sea snakes or snake-like hybrids, symbolizing the many dangers that await a person in life. The snake is one of the worst omens, a symbol of darkness, evil, hatred, sin, temptation, deceit. The snake is blamed for the fact that because of it people lost God's gift of eternal life.

Snakes were an indispensable attribute of sorceresses, witches' potions included some parts of snakes.

Snake: cosmogonic symbolism

Snake and egg (the image of a snake that supports the world)

The snake is primarily a magical symbol of the forces that gave birth to life. A snake biting its own tail is a symbol not only of eternity, but also of divine self-sufficiency. The image of a snake guarding the eggs it lays is associated with a huge snake that wraps around the whole world and supports it or helps the earth's disk to swim in the surrounding Ocean. The snake is in constant contact with the forces of the earth, waters, darkness and the underworld - lonely, cold-blooded, secretive, able to rejuvenate by shedding its skin.

The snake as a symbol of wisdom

A snake wrapped around a wand

Totem symbolism, combined with the belief that snakes know the secrets of the earth and are able to see in the dark, endows snakes with wisdom or the gift of divination. “Be wise as serpents and simple as doves,” Christ said to his disciples (Matthew 10:16). The Greek word for "dragon" (which not only refers to a monster, but also means "snake with a piercing gaze") is etymologically related to vision. In the art of the snake - an attribute of the goddess of wisdom Athena (Minerva) and the allegorical figure of Prudence, meaning the gift of foresight.

Snake: Alchemy and Healing

Rod of Mercury (caduceus)

Staff of Asclepius (Aesculapius)

The snake coiled around the wand is the alchemical symbol of the Philosophical Mercury in its primary state.

According to mythology, Hermes (Mercury), the messenger of the gods, received a caduceus - a winged staff with the power to reconcile opponents. When he placed it between two fighting snakes, they peacefully coiled around the staff and calmed down. The snakes wrapped around the caduceus symbolize the interaction of opposing forces. The snake wrapped around a knotty staff is the emblem of the Greek god of healing Asclepius (Aesculapius), who, it is believed, could even resurrect the dead.

Ibis

Ibis (Egyptian papyrus from the 19th Dynasty, 1295-1186 BC)

The ibis is the sacred bird of the Egyptians. Symbol of wisdom. In ancient Egypt, the ibis was considered the incarnation of the lunar deity Thoth, the greatest god of Egypt, the patron of occult knowledge, who gave mankind writing. He is depicted as a man with the head of an Ibis. This bird is also called the guardian of the harvest. Killing an ibis, even by accident, was considered a heinous crime.

It is believed that the ibis can only live in Egypt and, transported to other countries, dies of boredom there.

Goat

Goat

The goat is a symbol of potency, vitality, masculinity, but also cunning, lust and stupidity; he personifies destructive tendencies in a man. In Western tradition, a goat is often referred to as an old, lustful man. In China and India, the goat is a positive male symbol. In Christianity, the goat is the personification of impurity and base lust.

The goat is often used for sacrifice ("scapegoat"). The goat is closely related to Dionysus (Bacchus).

Cow

Holy cow

For many peoples, this animal symbolizes fertility, prosperity, as well as patience and passive endurance. The cow is an ancient symbol of mother's milk and (like the bull) the cosmic forces that created the world. In many cults, from Ancient Egypt to China, the cow personifies Mother Earth. She also symbolizes the moon and the sky, because her horns resemble a crescent moon, her milk is associated with the Milky Way. The heads of the goddesses of the moon in various cultures are decorated with cow horns. The cow enjoys exceptional honor in India.

a lion

The lion is the symbol of the sun

The lion, commonly referred to as the king of beasts, has been one of the most frequently seen symbols of power and majesty for thousands of years. General symbolism: divine, solar energy (symbol of fire and the Sun), royal power, strength, courage, wisdom, justice, patronage, protection, but also cruelty, all-devouring ferocity and death. The lion is the image of all the great and terrifying forces of nature. He is considered both a destroyer and a savior, he is able to represent both evil and the fight against evil. The lion is one of the hypostases of the Sphinx.

Lions heraldic

heraldic lions

In heraldry - the most common and favorite image of an animal. Attributes of a heraldic lion: a bow and arrows, a saber, a sword, an ax, an ax, halberds, etc. The main heraldic form is a lion on its hind legs and in profile. In this case, one eye and one ear are indicated on the head. The bloody tongue sticks out of the mouth. This lion is a symbol of strength, courage, generosity. There are other image options. In state emblems, a crowned lion is an emblem of power over subjects.

Bear

heraldic bear

The bear is a symbol of good nature and rage, heroic strength and clumsiness, laziness and tender maternal feelings, gluttony and asceticism (albeit involuntary: he sleeps all winter without any food, “sucks his paw”). The bear personifies unpredictability, bad temper, evil, rudeness, greed, sinfulness, the devil, as well as cruel primitive force. Badge of warriors in Northern Europe and Asia.

In addition, the bear is a symbol of the moon and resurrection. K. Jung believes that the bear symbolizes the dark side of the subconscious.

Mouse, rat

mouse wedding

In Russia, the mouse is often called the "grey thief". The mouse is also a symbol of timidity, invisibility. The mouse helps to find the loss in the house: "Mouse, mouse, play and give it back." The mouse gives an increase. In China, the mouse is one of the popular deities of wealth.

The general symbolism of the rat is destruction, aggressiveness, greed; the rat is associated with disasters (pestilence) and death, but it is also the embodiment of perseverance, dexterity, cunning and fertility, and also has the gift of foresight (the legendary ability to foresee the death of ships).

A monkey

Hanuman, Monkey God Playing with the Peaches of Immortality (from a Chinese dish)

The symbolism of the monkey is controversial. Most often, the monkey personifies sin, in particular physical. She is also a symbol of cunning, deceit, the pursuit of luxury, spitefulness, laziness (due to her angular movements), drunkenness, sometimes a symbol of learning. The monkey (along with the white elephant and the cow) is the third sacred animal in India. Even now, insulting a monkey by action causes great resentment among religious people. In Japan, the cry of a monkey is a symbol of deep longing. Carvings of three monkeys are considered in the East as a talisman protecting from slander.

Deer

Stag (badge of Richard II, late 14th century)

A universal symbol associated with the East, sunrise, light, purity, renewal, creation and spirituality, but also with loneliness. Characteristic qualities of a deer: swiftness, grace and beauty. Deer are wonderful messengers and guides. They are credited with healing powers, especially the ability to search for medicinal herbs. The deer, in addition, is a symbol of caution and keen hearing. In China, the deer is associated with wealth (abundance) and good luck. The deer is a strong magical intercessor, one of the patron spirits of the Siberian peoples.

Eagle

The eagle as a symbol of the supreme power and solar nature of the lord of heaven and the head of all the gods Zeus (painting on a Greek bowl, 6th century BC)

The eagle is the lord of the air, the embodiment of power, speed. Solar symbol of the sun gods, rulers, warriors. Associated with greatness, power, dominance, courage, inspiration. It personifies the midday Sun, liberation from bonds, victory, pride, contemplation, royal origin, height. It is believed that the eagle is able to fly to the Sun, so it is called the messenger of heaven. Double-headed eagles can mean omniscience and dual power. An eagle with a snake in its claws symbolizes the victory of the spirit. In this fight, the eagle is the personification of the power of good, and the snake is the power of evil.

Eagles heraldic

Double-headed eagle (Russian embroidery)

Eagle - the emblem of the United States

In heraldry, the eagle is a symbol of power, dominance, generosity and insight. On coats of arms, the eagle is most often depicted flying chest forward, with wings raised up or soaring. It happens one- or two-headed. Since the time of the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, it has been depicted on the standards as the “bird of Jupiter”. After the Christians conquered Palestine, the double-headed eagle became the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, and later of the Austrian (Austro-Hungarian) and Russian empires. The American bald eagle with outstretched wings has become the emblem of the United States.

Peacock

Peacock (medieval Persian drawing)

This is shining glory, immortality, greatness, incorruptibility. The magnificent tail of a peacock is a symbol of the all-seeing Sun and eternal cosmic cycles, as well as the starry firmament and, as a result, unity and interconnectedness. In ancient Rome, the peacock was considered the emblem of the empress and her daughters, while the eagle was the bird of the emperor. In Islamic decorative art, the unity of opposites (the Sun at its zenith next to the full Moon) is depicted as two peacocks under the World Tree. In Christianity, the peacock, on the one hand, is a symbol of eternal life, and on the other, a symbol of pride, luxury and vanity.

Spider

Spider depicted on an American Indian amulet

feminine beginning. The Great Mother, in her terrible form as weaver of fate, is sometimes depicted as a spider. All moon goddesses are spinners and weavers of fate. The web that the spider weaves is woven from the center in a spiral - a symbol of the creative forces of the Universe, a symbol of the universe. The spider in the center of the web symbolizes the center of the world; Sun surrounded by rays; The moon, personifying the cycles of life and death, spinning the web of time. The spider is often associated with good luck, wealth or rain. Killing a spider is bad luck.

Pelican

Plate of red stone mass depicting a pelican feeding its chicks with its blood (Staffordshire, circa 1660)

Pelican symbolizes self-sacrifice and parental love, as well as mercy. In heraldry, this bird, as a rule, is depicted as looking like an eagle or a crane, standing in a nest and trying to feed the chicks with its blood. Early Christian writers compared the pelican, feeding offspring with its flesh, with Jesus Christ, who donated his blood in the name of the salvation of mankind. The pelican is also a symbol of European occultism (primarily alchemists and Rosicrucians), expressing the feat of self-sacrifice and the eternal rebirth of life.

Rooster

Rooster - a solar bird (image-amulet, China, XX century)

The rooster is vigilance, courage, courage, foresight, reliability. Herald of the dawn, symbol of the Sun and spiritual rebirth. These qualities of his prevail over pride, arrogance, lust, also inherent in him. The Romans mean "the third watch of time": between midnight and dawn. The rooster is a protector from all kinds of evil. It is believed that night ghosts and evil spirits disappear with the first cock crow. The red rooster takes away the fire from the house, and the white one - ghosts. The Eastern Slavs, before moving into a new house, launched a rooster there. If he spent the night safely, then it was possible to move in.

Bee

Young woman collecting bee honey (15th century herbalist)

The bee personifies hard work, diligence, organizational and creative abilities, cleanliness, sociability, modesty, spirituality, courage, wisdom, selflessness, eloquence (“honey speeches”). In the Greek, Middle Eastern, Islamic traditions, the bee is an allegory of the soul. The Chinese associate the bee with the fickleness of "choosy brides." Among the ancient Slavs, the bee was a symbol of love, as it combined "the sweetness of honey and the bitterness of the sting." Queen bee, mother goddess, symbol of supreme power, fertility.

Scorpion

Scorpio (gnostic gem)

Scorpio is a symbol of evil, self-destruction, death, punishment, retribution, revenge, betrayal, but also a deep understanding of the world. Sometimes the scorpion serves as a talisman and an amulet - Paracelsus advised people suffering from diseases of the reproductive system to wear it. In Africa, it was believed that the scorpion itself allocates funds against its poison, so it was a symbol of not only murder, but also healing. The red star Antares on the "back" of the celestial constellation Scorpio was considered in Europe the worst fire in the sky.

Elephant

White elephant

At present, the huge mass and slowness of the elephant have become metaphorical. However, the elephant, first of all, is a symbol of strength: both gentle, loving, and furious, destructive. Elephants are considered vindictive, as they never forget the wrongs and abuse done to them. The thick skin of an elephant symbolizes spiritual invulnerability. The elephant is also a symbol of power, insight, prosperity, happiness, personifies the element of the Earth, memory, wisdom, longevity, fidelity, patience, compassion. The elephant is often depicted on good luck charms.

Dog

Neter Anubis (dog god)

In some countries, a dog is a sacred animal, in others it is considered an unclean, greedy, even vile creature and personifies evil. According to Islamic beliefs, angels will never visit a house where a dog lives. But most often the dog is a symbol of protection and self-sacrifice. As well as hunting (sometimes this symbol carries a negative connotation - persecution).

In ancient Egyptian mythology, dogs, as good guides and guards in the afterlife, were considered companions of Anubis, depicted with the head of a jackal or a dog.

Owl

Wise owl - attribute of Athena (Greece)

The owl is a traditional symbol of wisdom, an allegorical figure of Night and Sleep. In some ancient cultures, especially in China, the owl has an ominous symbolism, signifying darkness, personifying the yang principle with a negative, destructive connotation. Due to the noiselessness of night flight, glowing eyes and eerie screams, the owl is associated with death and occult forces. She is also credited with the gift of prophecy. At present, the owl is mainly a symbol of insight and book erudition. "Scientific owls" are called people of mental labor.

Falcon

Falcon - the image of the rising sun

The falcon, like the eagle, is a solar symbol of victory. The personification of superiority, strong spirit, light, freedom. In ancient Egypt, the falcon was a sacred symbol of the Sun, temples were dedicated to it, killing a falcon was considered a grave sin. In Western tradition, the falcon is a symbol of hunting. A falcon with a cap on its head is a symbol of hope for light and freedom. The falcon as a symbol of aggression is rare. Among the Slavs, this bird is a symbol of strength, courage, a good fellow. The falcon is opposed to the crow (as the embodiment of evil forces): "Where the falcons fly, they don't let the crow in."

Ostrich

Australian coat of arms

In ancient Egypt, the ostrich feather is an attribute of the goddess of truth and justice, Maat. This feather, according to legend, was placed on the scales when weighing the souls of the dead to determine the severity of their sins. Since ostrich feathers are the same length, they were used as a symbol of justice. The belief that an ostrich hides its head in the sand when danger appears (a symbol of avoiding problems) probably came from the threatening posture of the ostrich, when it bends its head to the ground itself.

In the Australian coat of arms, the emu is the shield-holder along with the kangaroo.

Tigers

“The tiger spring contains the tiger. Having mastered the contents of the tiger cave, the perfect man who subjugated yin and yang "

The tiger is a symbol of energy, strength, speed and talent. This image is both lunar and solar at the same time. He is both the creator and the destroyer. A tiger fighting a snake is a symbol of solar power. In a battle with a lion or dragon, he becomes a symbol of the moon, cruel and ferocious. In Europe, the tiger is a symbol of power and bloodlust. In the Far East, it is a symbol of nobility and happiness. In the cultures of Asia and India, it can be a symbol of aggression and protection, life and death, evil and good.

Turtle

Turtle wrapped in a snake

The turtle symbolizes strength, patience, endurance, constancy, slowness, fertility, longevity, senile strength, wisdom. In many cultures, the turtle is the most ancient symbol of cosmic order surrounded by special reverence. According to ancient beliefs, a turtle entwined with a snake is a symbol of the creation of the world. In India, the symbolism of stability is expressed in the idea that the Earth rests on four elephants, which stand on a huge turtle, slowly making its way through chaos. The turtle is also a symbol of protection from fire and water.

Lizard

Pumpkin with a lizard

This nimble, fast animal is a symbol of agility, elusiveness, and also rebirth (the latter) is associated with the ability of a lizard to leave its tail to the one who caught it, which then grows back. Lizards, because they hide in the shade during the heat of the day, are considered the guardians of the shadows, as well as the guardians of sleep and dreams. The lizard, in addition, can symbolize the subconscious and the shadows of our inner world.

The lizard was considered a good sign in Egypt and in the ancient world, where it was sometimes associated with wisdom. It has become an attribute of allegorical images of Logic. The symbol of Mercury, the messenger of the gods.

Mythical creatures

Imaginary animals are found throughout the world in myths and folklore ... They enable us to clearly characterize phenomena that would otherwise be difficult to identify.

J. Tresidder

Mythical creatures are, as a rule, a combination of several animals, which allows the human imagination to endow them with unusual abilities, including freedom from the usual principles of our world. Monsters, combining the appearance of several different animals, are a symbol of the initial chaos or the terrifying forces of nature, they also personify the evil forces in the nature of man himself. Fairytale animals are often depicted guarding treasures or hidden, secret knowledge.

Ba (bird)

The bird of the soul Ba, bent over the mummy before flying to another world (Egypt)

The Ba bird is an Egyptian symbol of the soul of a person, which flies away after his death to another world. This bird has the body of a falcon (according to some sources, a hawk) and a human head.

Basilisk (cockatrice)

Rooster head basilisk

Basilisk is one of the deadliest creatures of medieval symbolism. According to some sources, the basilisk looks like a simplicissimus, but with the head and legs of a rooster. In occult and magical symbolism, the basilisk is depicted as a crowned serpent. Since, as is commonly believed, the basilisk destroys everything with its gaze, it has been adopted as a magical symbol of wisdom, devouring a person with it symbolizes the process of initiation. It is believed that the only way to defeat a basilisk is to place a mirror in front of it.

Harpies

Harpy (XVI century)

These are half-woman, half-bird (female head and chest, and claws - a vulture) of a disgusting appearance. Associated with sudden death, whirlpools and storms. The feminine principle in its destructive aspect.

Garuda

Garuda (emblem of Thailand)

Bird of Life, Heaven, Sun, victory. Sometimes identified with the Phoenix. She is also the vehicle of the god Vishnu, the creator and destroyer of everything ("Vishnu's horse"). She emerges from the egg already an adult and nests in the Tree of Life, which fulfills all desires. The head, chest (female), torso, legs to the knees at the garuda are human, beak, wings, tail, hind legs (below the knees) are eagle.

The garuda is often depicted fighting nagas (serpents) who personify evil.

Hydra

Hydra (Greece, 16th century)

In Greek mythology, the Hydra is a dragon-serpent with seven heads. She symbolizes the difficulties in the fight against evil: as soon as one of her heads is cut off, a new one immediately grows. Blind, animal force of life.

Griffin

Griffin-protector (XVI century)

A solar hybrid creature that combines the head, wings and claws of an eagle with the body of a lion - these animals personify power over air and earth (the king of birds and the king of beasts), so the griffin is a symbol of strength and vigilance. In Greece, the griffin was dedicated to Apollo, whose chariot he drove through the sky, for Athena he personified wisdom, for Nemesis - retribution. Legends say that the griffins guarded the gold of India and the Scythians. There is also a legend that griffins living in the Far North guard the gold of Zeus, located in the country of the Hyperboreans.

The Dragon

Chinese dragon Chiao, a symbol of a happy occasion

The dragon - "winged serpent", but only with paws like an eagle - combines a snake and a bird, spirit and matter. This is one of the most versatile and most complex symbols. The dragon can be solar and lunar, good and evil. This is the keeper of treasures and secret knowledge. Longevity symbol. In the East, the dragon, as a rule, is the Power of Heaven, bringing good, in the West - a destructive and evil force. In Russia, the dragon is a sign of Satan, the devil. The victory over the dragon means the victory of light over darkness, over one's own nature.

Unicorn

Heraldic image of a unicorn

A unicorn is a mystical creature, an animal with the body of a horse or deer, which has a long, sharp horn. In the general case, it symbolizes the feminine, lunar principle, purity, purity, chastity. In China, it represents abundance and longevity. According to the legends, it can only be caught by a chaste maiden sitting alone in the forest: sensing her purity, the unicorn can come up to her, lay her head on her lap and fall asleep. On the basis of these legends, he became a symbol of purity, in particular feminine.

Centaur

Centaur, lore hunter

According to Greek myths, a centaur is a creature with the body of a horse and the torso of a man. This is a symbol of the lower nature of man (lust, violence, drunkenness), his animal nature, connected with a higher nature by human virtues and the ability to judge. It is a symbol of the conflict between the ferocious and good aspects of human nature.

There is also a version about morally impeccable centaurs (among them - Chiron), descended from Kronos. They symbolize the superiority of reason over instinct.

Makara

Makara

In the Western tradition, makara is a fantastic sea monster of enormous size (a fish with the head of a crocodile). Symbol of the power of the seas and oceans, rivers and lakes. In Hinduism, Makara has the appearance of a fish with the head and front legs of an antelope. This is one of the creatures on which Vishnu travels. It is a positive symbol associated with the rainbow and rain, with the lotus rising from the water, the return of the Sun after the winter solstice. Makara in a number of legends is associated with deities acting as guardians of the world - lokapal (Varuna, Soma, Indra, Kubera ...).

Medusa Gorgon

Medusa Gorgon (Greece) - horror

Medusa Gorgon - a female monster with snakes instead of hair, boar teeth, golden wings and bronze legs. This is the most blatant personification of hostile evil, the Great Mother in her terrible aspect of the destroyer, the embodiment of horror. One look at her turned people to stone, so her image later became a protective amulet. After Perseus cut off Medusa Gorgon's head, the giant Chrysaor and the winged horse Pegasus were born from her blood.

Nagas

Buddha sitting on a coiled naga, symbolizing the knowledge hidden in instinct (statue from the temple of Angkor)

In Hinduism, these are demigods depicted with a snake body and one or more human heads (sometimes they are just many-headed snakes). They, according to legend, own the underworld - Patala, where they guard the countless treasures of the earth. According to legend, the nagas washed Gautama Buddha at his birth, and also protected his remains after death. Nagas are the guardians of treasures and esoteric knowledge, serpent kings and queens, the vital forces of the waters, passionate nature. These are the guardians of natural forces that can be controlled.

Pegasus

Pegasus (XVI century)

This is the winged horse of Muses, which emerged from the neck of Medusa when Perseus cut off her head. Pegasus, on which Bellerophon defeated the Chimera, personifies the combination of the lower and higher nature, striving for the higher, and symbolizes the superiority of the spiritual over the material. It is also a symbol of eloquence, poetic inspiration and contemplation. In European heraldry, Pegasus is depicted on the coats of arms of thinkers. Today it is often used as an emblem of air transport.

Mermaid

Mermaid (XV century)

A fish woman capable of living in the human world and the supernatural world. The magical symbol of initiation. The mermaid is a marine version of the Centaur. However, it also has more positive symbolism, according to the sailors. In Slavic mythology, mermaids (bathing, vodonitsy, rags, pitchforks, undines) are harmful creatures, especially dangerous in the mermaid week (following the Trinity). Often mermaids are confused with such creatures of ancient Greek mythology as Nereids, naiads, water nymphs. But these eternally young maidens do not have, unlike mermaids, a fish tail.

Salamander

salamander on fire

Salamander is a mythical creature in the form of an ordinary animal, but with supernatural powers. The salamander is usually depicted as a small lizard or wingless dragon, sometimes with a human or dog-like figure amidst flames. These creatures are considered the most poisonous of creatures, their bite is deadly. The salamander is the element of fire and is able to live in fire because it has a very cold body. It is a symbol of the fight against sensual temptations. Since the salamander is considered a sexless creature, it also symbolizes chastity.

Simplicissimus

Harold's emblem

Simplicissimus is a fictional beast that looks like a dragon, but with two eagle legs and a tail in the shape of a spearhead twisted in a loop. Symbolizes war, envy, stench, disaster, Satan, but also vigilance.

Simplicissimus was the personal emblem of King Harold (on the French carpets from Bayeux, telling about the Battle of Hastings and the death of Harold in 1066, the simplicissimus is depicted twice).

Fo dog

Dog Fo (China)

“Fo” means “great luck” in Chinese. This is a symbol of valor and energy, a talisman for the home. Pho dogs should be purchased in pairs and placed side by side. If you put them (or hang their images) in front of the front door, they meet all incoming people and protect each family member from troubles and failures. Placed in the Wealth Zone (Southeast), Pho dogs contribute to the well-being and prosperity of the home. Located in the central sector, they will bring wealth to the house faster.

Sphinx

Egyptian coin depicting the Sphinx

The Sphinx is a creature with the body of a lion and a human head (male or female) or with the head of a ram. The oldest and largest is the Great Sphinx in Giza (Egypt). This is an ancient image, personifying a mysterious, solar power, a symbol of dignity, royalty, wisdom, power, a symbol of the union of physical power with the highest intellect.

The Egyptian sphinx has nothing to do with the later Greek legend of the "mystery of the Sphinx", which made it a symbol of mystery, a keeper of ancient wisdom, but Jung considered the sphinx a symbol of female greed, as well as the "Terrible Mother".

Scylla and Charybdis

Scylla (Greece) - danger

In Greek mythology, these are two monsters of the Sicilian Sea, who lived on both sides of a narrow strait and killed sailors passing between them. Ruthless manifestations of the forces of the sea. Once upon a time, from beautiful nymphs, they were turned into monsters with six heads, with three rows of teeth in each head, with ugly long necks. These roaring, rumbling monsters swallowed the sea and spat it back out (the image of an opening sea abyss). Being between Scylla and Charybdis means being in danger from different directions at the same time.

Triton

Triton (Greece) - wave calmer

Depicted as an old man or a young man with a fish tail instead of legs. In Greek mythology, it is considered a sea deity - the son of Poseidon and the mistress of the seas, Amphitrids. Triton blows a horn from a shell and rules over the powers of the waters. A marine version of a mermaid, but male.

Phoenix

Phoenix (XVI century)

Phoenix is ​​the most famous of all symbols of resurrection, an ancient symbol of immortality, the Sun. An animal that has a normal appearance, but with supernatural powers. This legendary bird is reborn every 500 years from the ashes in a fire. Phoenix has become an emblem of the rebirth of the human spirit in the eternal struggle with the difficulties of the material world. From Ancient Egypt, this symbol passed into Slavic mythology (Firebird, Finist-Clear Falcon) in full integrity.

Chimera

Chimera (Vatican)

According to Homer's description, this is a monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat and the tail of a snake. Feeds on fire, was killed by Bellerophon, who rules the winged pegasus.

In heraldry, the chimera is sometimes depicted with the head and chest of a woman and the tail of a dragon.

The Chimera causes winds and storms on land and sea. Symbolizes danger, as well as delusion (may give rise to illusions). In addition, it is a symbol of non-existence.