Each culture of antiquity left behind a large number of symbols. They arose as a way of depicting deities, supernatural and ordinary phenomena in the life of the people. Most often, the symbols were directly related to religion, with the help of which the carriers of a particular culture learned and explained the world around them. Intricate images were used in various rituals. Many of them were unraveled by historians and archaeologists only after lengthy research.
Ancient Slavs
They are known for their love of various images. The ancient symbols of this people can be found on a vast territory from the Volga to Germany and the Balkans. Even before it was divided into tribal unions and groups, common drawings appeared in everyday life. This includes the symbols of Ancient Russia.
The Sun played a great role in the images. There were several signs for him. For example, it was a caroler. It was worn mainly by men who wanted to acquire wisdom in battle and everyday life in this way. God Kolyada was responsible in the Slavic worldview for the constant renewal of the world and the victory of light over darkness.
Odolne-grass was used as a talisman against evil lower spirits. It was worn on clothes, armor, weapons, etc. The symbols of the ancient Slavs were included inhimself a warrior. It was a sign of a warrior, for whom the most important thing was courage, bravery and honor. It was believed that the Ratiborets bestows these qualities on everyone who sincerely and passionately loves his homeland and home. Most often, he was depicted with the help of engraving - an art in which the Slavs knew a lot. Like many other ancient symbols, the ratiborets was a solar sign, a bit like the Sun. In this series, the swastika stands out, denoting the eternal cycle of the Universe. The person who wore it recognized his citizenship before the higher forces of nature.
The symbols of the ancient Slavs were also identified with the family - the smallest unit of any society. It was a wedding, which meant the fusion of the body, soul, conscience and spirit of those who enter into a marital union.
Symbols of the elements among the Slavs
Many ancient symbols came from the tradition of worshiping fire as the greatest element. Several of these can be cited. Yarovrat was worn by worshipers of the God Yaro, who, with the help of the forces of fire, controlled the weather, and therefore was in charge of the harvest. Therefore, those wishing to receive a large number of cultures used this sign. Doukhobor also symbolized fire, but only internal fire. It was the symbol of the flame of life. If a person fell ill in the tribe, he was covered with bandages with Doukhobor. The thunderstorm helped protect temples and houses from bad weather, thunderstorms, storms and other cataclysms.
The symbol of the earth among the ancient Slavs is the solard. The soil was also associated with the cult of motherhood, which was practiced by some tribes. Prosperity of the earth meant steady growthfood and satisfying life kind.
Runic alphabet
Scandinavian runes were used by numerous Germanic tribes. They had a developed mythology with their own unique images associated with the harsh living conditions of this people. Runes were not only symbols, but also written signs. They were applied to stones to convey this or that message. They wrote epic sagas that tell about the history and myths of the Germans.
However, each sign, if considered separately, also had its own meaning. The runic alphabet consists of 24 runes, divided into three rows of 8 each. About 5 thousand surviving inscriptions in this amazing language have been found in the world. Most of these artifacts are found in Sweden.
Examples of runes
The first rune, Fehu, meant livestock, and in a broad sense - any personal property of a German. Uruz symbolized a bull or bison. Thus, the difference between the first and second signs was that in one case it meant a domestic animal, and in the second - wild and free.
Thurisaz denoted a sharp spike or hammer of Thor, one of the main gods of the Germanic pantheon. It was used to ensure that the wearer would be lucky, as well as protected from hostile forces. Ansuz is an image of open mouths, that is, replicas or spoken wisdom. In addition, it is a sign of caution, as the Scandinavian peoples believed that an intelligent person would never be reckless.
Raido is the wagon or the path ahead of the wanderer. Ancient symbols and their meaning among the Germans often had a double meaning. Kenaz is a sign of fire. But this flame is friendly. Most often, such a fire meant a torch that would warm a person and give him a feeling of comfort and homeliness.
The next two runes symbolize joy. Gebo is a gift and generosity. He was portrayed as a sign of good intentions. If the runes were used in divination, then the fallen Gebo was a great success for a person who had a pleasant surprise in the future. Ancient signs and symbols even now often become material for the occult services of neo-pagans. Vunyo means joy. It was often used in conjunction with Gebo. If it was written next to another rune, then this meant success or good luck in the sphere that the neighboring sign symbolized. For example, Vunyo and Fehu were an omen of a large addition to the domestic livestock population.
Some runes were synonymous with natural elements, their presence can be found in almost all peoples and cultures. For example, Laguz is a symbol of water, a lake, or even intuition in a figurative sense.
Development of runic writing
Interestingly, over time, common runes broke up into several variants of the alphabet for different peoples, from the borders of the Roman Empire to the extreme polar north of Norway. The most common is the so-called Proto-Scandinavian version, from which all subsequent ones went. It was used until the 8th century AD, which corresponds to the Iron Age in these territories. Most often, such runes are found on ancient weapons, armor and roadsidestones. Such symbols were used in magical and religious rites in the future. Sacred and memorial inscriptions are still found in necropolises and thickets.
In Eastern Europe, Gothic runes, brought here from Scandinavia, became widespread. They can be found even in Ukraine and Romania. After some Germans settled in the British Isles, they developed their own variation of this script. This was due to isolation from the former homeland and assimilation with the "natives" - the Angles, Saxons, etc. They had new runes, many of which began to denote double sounds in writing (linguists call them diphthongs). Such have survived even in modern German.
Icelandic runes are considered especially exotic. They appeared on a distant island, which was then considered the northwestern edge of the world. They are characterized by the use of dotted lines. These runes were in use until the XIV century. As for the Scandinavian signs, they disappeared with the advent of Christianity in the kingdoms of Sweden, Norway and Denmark. The use of runes was considered heresy and severely punished by the authorities.
Ancient Egypt
One of the most famous symbols of Ancient Egypt is the Ankh. This is a cross, which is topped with a ring. It symbolized life and eternity. There are also interpretations of the cross and the ring as signs of the rising sun, the connection of the male and female principles. The ankh was used in burial rituals, as the Egyptians believed that those buried with the ankh in the sarcophagus would receiveeternal afterlife.
In everyday life, a rounded cross also meant well-being and happiness. He was often carried with him as an amulet and a talisman for good luck. Ankh was used to protect against dark magic. In addition, his images were even found on the walls of river channels. The Egyptians were very dependent on how the Nile flooded, what the harvest would be. That is why the Ankh was painted inside the canal so that trouble would not happen to it, and the natural elements would remain friendly to the inhabitants.
It is curious that after the ancient Egyptian culture went into oblivion, Ankh managed to survive. For some time, ancient culture triumphed on the banks of the Nile, and later Islam came. But even in the first centuries of our era, Christians appeared here, who founded their Coptic community. It was they who adopted the Ankh because of its external resemblance to the cross.
Eye of Horus
Another important Egyptian symbol is the all-seeing eye. The image of the painted eye is a reference to the god Horus, who is the master of the sky. The spiral, which was drawn under the eye, meant the perpetual movement of energy. This symbol was often used as a talisman against trouble and evil spirits.
In the mythology of Egypt there is a story about the battle of Horus and Set. This is a common metaphor for the struggle between good and evil. Since Horus was the personification of everything bright, healers and priests began to use his sign in order to treat the sick and injured in battles. The Egyptians also developed mathematics. The Eye of Horus also found its application here - it denoted a fraction.
Scarabs and Isis
Another popular symbol of Ancient Egypt is the scarab. The beetles that lived in the dung and molded balls out of it personified hard work. In addition, they were associated with the god of the Sun - Ra, who, like insects, moved this source of light every day. Scarabs were popular talismans, seals, and even medals of merit to the pharaoh. Figurines of beetles were used in afterlife ceremonies. They were put into the sarcophagus of the dead or even laid in the place where the heart used to be (all organs were cut out and laid out in separate vessels). Ancient symbols often had such a dual use - in everyday life and at funerals. The inhabitants of the banks of the Nile had a reverent attitude towards death.
Figurines of the goddess Isis were often found by treasure hunters in treasuries. It was a symbol of the earth, fertility and prosperity. Isis is one of the most revered gods of this pantheon. The symbol of water in Egypt meant life. And no wonder, because this culture was based on the banks of the Nile, beyond which was a dead and ruthless desert.
The symbols of ancient Egypt entered modern culture after the fashion for art deco appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. In the 1920s, all of Europe and the United States, with bated breath, followed the discoveries of archaeologists. These were pyramids and hidden tombs, the most famous of which is the tomb of Tutankhamun. The symbols of the ancient Egyptians were left on the walls as plots and omens.
Rome
The Roman Empire was built around its capital. For many centuries the capital was a symbol of the center of the ancient world. Therefore, inIn the Roman pantheon there was a special cult of this city. His symbol was the Capitoline she-wolf.
According to the myth, the founders of Rome, the brothers Romulus and Remus, were royal children. After their uncle came to power during the coup, he ordered the babies to be thrown into the river. This was done, but they survived after being found by the Capitoline she-wolf, who nursed them. When the children grew up, Romulus founded Rome and became the king of the new state, which lasted another millennium.
That's why all the symbols of Ancient Rome faded before the she-wolf. Her bronze sculpture stood at the capital's forum, where the most important government decisions were made. The image became iconic and was often used by the townspeople.
In Rome, ancient symbols and their meaning were often associated with power. For example, when it was still only a small republic, magistracies played an important role in it. It was an elected office for one year. The lictor had a symbol of power that distinguished him from the general ranks of the townspeople. These are fascia - bundles of birch or elm twigs, covered with a belt or cord. An ax was also used as a symbol, which meant that the person who wore it could execute the guilty.
Ancient Greece
Roman mythology was largely formed under the influence of another great culture - Greek. Therefore, some designations of Hellas were also relevant for Italians.
For example, the symbols of ancient Greece include the image of the staff of Asclepius, the god of medicine andhealing. According to legend, he was called by the Cretan king Minos, who asked him to resurrect his prematurely deceased son. Asclepius went to the palace with a staff in his hand. At some point, he was attacked by a snake, but the man killed it with his stick. Following the first, a second reptile crawled in, which had grass in its mouth. With her help, she resurrected the snake. Then Asclepius took this plant with him to the palace and helped Minos. Since then, the staff with the snake has become a symbol of medicine.
Another variation that exists in modern times is the bowl of Hygiea with a snake. This girl was the daughter of Asclepius. The symbol has become an international sign of medicine.
Another image of a staff, common in Greece and adopted by Rome, is the Caduceus. This wand was used by heralds who announced the end of the war between states (for example, between Athens and Sparta). Therefore, the Caduceus became a symbol of peace among both the Greeks and the Romans. The image also migrated to medieval European heraldry.
Greece's ancient symbols of love included the butterfly. This beautiful insect was associated with family harmony and happiness.
