If you want to know something new, read something ancient.
An old proverb
The language of symbols is a true, universal, pan-human language, equally valid for all times and peoples.
V. Shmakov
Symbolic language is a universal language. Symbolism not only expresses the relationships between things, phenomena and ideas. However, most people do not speak the language of symbols and do not know how to decipher it, while symbols are extremely important for understanding the ways of development of human thought, art, customs, religion and mythology.
In former times, symbolism was secret knowledge, which was carefully guarded by a narrow circle of Initiates. Now the time has come when access to symbols is open to everyone, and the number of people who want to study them and work with them is constantly growing.
The surge of interest in symbols in the modern world is considered by many to be an indicator of the revival of people’s spiritual needs, their desire to break out of the tight cage of everyday life into which our lives often turn.
Symbols serve as pointers and help to better understand the world around us, and therefore live in harmony with it. And now is the time to reveal a new meaning of classical symbols, which, having arisen in the vast distance of centuries, have retained their meaning to this day. Who knows how many layers of the Unknown they still conceal within themselves, what laws of the universe that are still unknown to us are encrypted in them and are waiting in the wings to be revealed to Man!
The book is intended for a wide range of readers, regardless of age, education, or level of perception. Discover ancient knowledge that links our world together, expanding the horizons of both the past and the future.
Geometric symbols
The absolute symbolic language is the language of geometric figures...
Geometric figures are the concrete embodiment of numbers. Numbers belong to the world of principles, and they become geometric figures as they descend into the physical plane.
O. M. Aivankhov
Almost all geometric symbols consist of combinations of several geometric elements - simple components, each of which at the same time has its own special meaning, contributing to the overall composition.
“Geometric figures are like the frame of reality, while images still contain, so to speak, a little flesh, skin and muscles” (O. M. Aivankhov).
Geometric symbols are stable and are passed down from generation to generation without changes.
Swastika straight (left-handed)
Swastika as a solar symbol
A straight (left-sided) swastika is a cross with the ends curved to the left. Rotation is considered to occur clockwise (opinions sometimes differ in determining the direction of movement).
The 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 masculinity, spirituality, inhibiting the flow of lower (physical) forces and allowing the energies of a higher, divine nature to manifest.
Reverse swastika (right-handed)
Swastika on a Nazi war medal
The reverse (right-handed) swastika is a cross with the ends bent to the right. Rotation is considered to occur counterclockwise.
The reverse swastika is usually associated with the feminine principle. Sometimes it is associated with the launch of negative (physical) energies that block the passage to sublime powers of the spirit.
The Sumerian swastika, formed by four women and their hair, symbolizes the female generative force
Pentagram (pentacle): general meaning of the symbol
Pentagram sign
The pentagram, written in one line, is the most ancient of all the symbols that we possess. It had different interpretations in different historical times of mankind. It became the Sumerian and Egyptian star sign.
Later symbolism: five senses; masculine and feminine principles 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, and a safe return home.
Pentagram as a magical symbol
Pentagrams of the White and Black Magicians
The 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 characteristic change in symbolism from a positive to a negative sign when it is turned over.
The White Magician's Pentagram is a symbol of magical influence and the dominance of disciplined Will over the phenomena of the world. The will of the Black Magician is directed towards destruction, towards refusal to perform a spiritual task, therefore the inverted pentagram is seen 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 his arms spread apart. We can say that man is a living pentagram. This is true both physically and spiritually - man possesses and exhibits five virtues: 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, man is connected with the five elements working in the cosmos, and he can consciously work in harmony with them. This is precisely the meaning of the symbol of the double pentagram, in which the small one is inscribed in the large one: man (microcosm) lives and acts within the Universe (macrocosm).
Hexagram
Hexagram image
A hexagram is a figure composed of two polar triangles, a six-pointed star. It is a complex and seamless 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 an earthly symbol, 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.
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The red flag has been used by the Communards since the Paris Commune of 1871, in Russia during the revolutions of 1905–1907 and 1917, as well as in other countries where communist ideas found support. Since then, the red flag has been the flag of international socialism and the left wing in politics in general. The army of the revolution was called the Red Army.
The socialist song "The Red Flag", written by the Irishman James Connell, was first published in the Justice newspaper on December 21, 1889, and a few days later publicly performed in Liverpool and Glasgow. From the 1920s until 1986, Labor members performed the song as their anthem at their annual conferences. Labour's new image includes a red rose, which is considered a symbol of love.
In heraldic language, red is designated as "gülz", symbolizing right, strength, courage, love and bravery.
When the image is in black and white, it is indicated by vertical lines.
RED CROSS- the symbol of the International Committee of the Red Cross, founded in Geneva in 1863. It is a red cross on a white background - the colors of the Swiss flag on the contrary. The brainchild of Swiss banker Henry Dunant, for which he received the first Nobel Prize in 1901, it was intended to provide medical care and ensure the neutral status of doctors in all warring armies of Christian countries.
In Muslim countries, the creation of a similar organization called the Red Crescent was approved, which was established in 1877 in Turkey. In Iran, the traditional emblem was first used - a lion and a sun, also in red and white colors, but after the 1979 revolution this emblem gave way to a crescent. In the USSR, this flag was a cross and a crescent next to each other. Currently, national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies exist in 149 countries with a membership of more than 250 million people.
Source: Foley J. Encyclopedia of Signs and Symbols. M., 1997;
Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001.
CREATIONISM AND MANIFESTATIONISM– symbolically decipherable theories of the origin of the world in the esoteric tradition. Cosmogony, the first of the doctrines, sees the origins of the Universe in the simultaneous act of creation of the Supreme Being. The creationist basis is found in three aspects of the profanation of doctrine:
1) full-fledged creationism (Judaism, Abrahamism, Islam);
2) truncated creationism (“mechanism”, the beginning of “positivist” science);
3) rationalism, atheism.
In archaic cults, creationism was closely associated with the lunar mysteries.
Mythologems and semiotics of moon worship are associated with the symbolism of the head - the “skull of Adam”. The secret forces of creationists are concentrated in the Order of the Death's Head. The socio-political model corresponding to the creationist dominant is theocracy and slavery, and its profane perversion is capitalism and liberalism. Whereas the cosmogony of manifestationism lies in the manifestation of certain aspects of the highest principle through emanation self-revelation and self-discovery. The manifestationist line of profanization comes down to the following levels:
1) full-fledged manifestationism (Judaism, Advaita Vedantism);
2) the doctrine of emanations (“Hellenism”, “Neoplatonism”);
3) pantheistic materialism (from magic to modern physics).
The esotericism of manifestationism in archaic societies was comprehended through the initiation of the polar cult. The microcosmic symbolism of sun worshipers is focused on the image of the heart, schematized in the Christian tradition in the cross. The secret structures of manifestationist forces are contained in the “Order of the Living Heart”. And the degradation of the socio-political model of manifestationism passes from the imperial and feudal system to socialism and communism.
Source: Bagdasaryan V. E. “Conspiracy theory” in domestic historiography of the second half of the 19th–20th centuries. M., 1999;
Dugin A. G. Crusade of the Sun// The End of the World (eschatology and tradition). M., 1997.
CROSS- “sign of signs”, which since prehistoric times has served as a protective symbol in almost all cultures of the world. The Scandinavians, for example, depicted the hammer of Thor, the god of war and thunder, in the form of a T-shaped cross. The cross was also an attribute of the gods of Assyria, Persia and India. Among the American Indians, it represented both man and the four cardinal directions and the four winds. For alchemists, the cross was a symbol of the four elements: air, earth, fire and water. There were also such interpretations of the symbol of the cross as “health”, “fertility”, “immortality”, “union of spirit and matter”.
1, 2. T-shaped “Antonievsky” cross. 3. Cross “Egyptian hieroglyph Ankh”. 4. Letter cross. 5, 6, 7. “Anchor-shaped” cross. 8, 9. Monogram cross “pre-Constantinian”. 10. Cross monogram “shepherd’s staff”. 11. Cross “Burgundy”, or “St. Andrew’s”. 12. Cross “monogram of Constantine”. 13. Monogram cross “post-Constantine”. 14. Monogram cross “sun-shaped”. 15. Monogrammed trident cross. 16. Monogram cross “Konstantinovsky”. 17, 18. Round “freeloading” cross. 19, 20, 21. Catacomb cross, or “sign of victory.” 22. The cross in Rus' is “patriarchal”, or in the West “Lauren”. 23. Four-pointed cross, or Latin “immissa”. 24. “Papal” cross. 25. Six-pointed “Russian Orthodox” cross. 26. Orthodox octagonal cross. 27. Seven-pointed cross. 28. Cross “crown of thorns”. 29, 30. Gallows-shaped cross.
31. Cross “grapevine”. 32. Petal cross. 33, 34. “Greek” cross, or ancient Russian “kite”. 35, 36. Domed cross » with a crescent. 37, 38. Trefoil cross. 39, 40, 41, 42, 43. “Maltese” or “St. George” cross. 44. Cross “Prosphora-Konstantinovsky”. 45, 46, 47, 48. Old printed “wicker” cross. 49. “Crystal” cross. 50, 51. Four-pointed “drop-shaped” cross. 52, 53. Cross “crucifixion”. 54. Schema cross, or “Golgotha”. 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60. The cross is “grammatical”, in the West “crux qrammata” »
The combination of two intersecting straight lines is the oldest and most common type of mystical sign. Almost everywhere, the cross is considered a symbol of fire and light. Mythology researchers see in it a stylized image of two pieces of wood that were used in ancient times to make fire. Esotericists endow the cross with a rich palette of mystical meanings. In particular, it is considered a symbol of the sacred Center of the Earth (René Guenon), a symbol of the spreading light of truth (Crowley); a symbolic image of Adam Kadmon among the Rosicrucians, a symbol of the four cardinal directions, and therefore the entire earthly world, as well as a symbol of the Holy Trinity (the three “branches” of the cross are interpreted as Father, Son and Holy Spirit). William Blake's cross is a symbol of the greatest sacrifice on the part of Christ, but he has the serpent of materialism nailed to the cross.
Of course, all these meanings were not inherent in the cross initially, but arose in the process of interpreting this symbol from the point of view of newly emerging mystical theories. It is known that Christians did not consider the cross “their” sign until the middle of the 4th century. Nevertheless, the cross primarily acts as a symbol of Christ, his crucifixion, the Christian faith and the Church. It is not only a means of violence and an attribute of suffering, but also the key to healing and life. Wherever Christianity was established as a religion, the cross became an integral part of church rituals and the main symbol in art, architecture and in many other areas, including flags and heraldry.
Of course, execution on the cross was a pagan Greco-Roman tradition, but thanks to Christ, the cross became for Christians “a symbol of the power and authority of Christ.”
After the recognition of Christianity by Constantine the Great and especially from the 5th century. the cross began to be depicted on sarcophagi, lamps, caskets and other objects, replacing the XP monogram, which until that time had been the distinctive emblem of early Christianity. In the Middle Ages, its use expanded even further. It became a symbol of the power of the Church and in this capacity was used by knightly orders, included in the images of coats of arms and placed on banners.
The general plan of the churches also repeated his drawing. But there are two main types of cross - Latin and Greek - the features of which influenced the types of architecture of both Churches. The Latin cross represents the image of a man with outstretched arms and is a direct image of the Passion of Christ. This is the so-called crux imissa, the vertical axis of which is crossed by a horizontal line by 1/3 of its length. In the Greek cross, the horizontal axis intersects the vertical in the middle, forming a square - crux quadrata.
The cross is also an attribute of saints: a blossomed cross - Anthony of Padua, with a chalice - Bonaventure, with a lily - Catherine of Siena, with a monstrance - Clara, with a scroll - the prophet Jeremiah, with a palm branch - Margaret of Antioch, etc. Two burning rods, crossed like the St. Andrew's Cross, were the emblem of Piero Medici with the motto: “In youth, love burns to the depths of the soul.”
The material of the cross is also an essential element of symbolism. A gold cross means enlightenment, a silver one means purification, a cross made of other metals means humility, and a wooden one is a symbol of aspiration.
Source: K. V. P. History of the development of the shape of the cross: A short course in Orthodox stavrography. M., 1997;
Foley J. Encyclopedia of signs and symbols. M., 1997;
CROSS-DOME TEMPLE- a symbol of the abode of God, the main architectural form of temple architecture of Eastern Christianity, which arose in Byzantium and was defined in its main features by the 5th century. The geometric symbolism of the external, centrically organized pyramidal composition and the vertically oriented architectural space, closed by the planes of powerful walls, is transformed in the interior into a figurative whole - a symbol of the Christian cosmos. This image is expressed by a strictly canonical system of paintings, mosaics and decoration of the temple (the image of Pantocrator in the dome, the four evangelists on the sails, the Last Judgment on the western wall, etc.). The type of cross-domed churches, which was finally formed in the 9th–12th centuries, varied. For example, temples are known with a dome on sails, resting on four pillars (the northern temple of the Lipsa monastery in Constantinople) or on free-standing columns (Theotokos Church of the Hosios Loukas monastery in Greece), as well as with a dome on trompe l'oeil, resting on eight pillars (Davni monastery in Greece). There are also temples with a dome resting on two free-standing supports and two walls, and temples in which two pillars were added on the apse and entrance sides. In its various variants, the type of cross-domed churches became widespread in Russia, the Balkans and the Caucasus.
Source: Apollo. Fine and decorative arts. Architecture: Terminological dictionary. M., 1997;
Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001.
CRUSADER CROSS– represents five gold crosses on a silver background. This cross was taken as a coat of arms by the Norman conqueror Godfrey of Bouillon, who became Guardian of the Holy Sepulcher and the first ruler of Jerusalem after its liberation from the Muslims at the end of the First Crusade in 1099. The Crusader cross, also called the Jerusalem cross, is often used on altar covers: the great cross symbolizes Christ, four little ones - the authors of the four Gospels, spreading the teaching to the four corners of the world. The five crosses together can also symbolize the wounds of Christ.
The word "crusader" comes from the cross that soldiers carried on their banners, shields and robes as a symbol of the Christian faith and their mission. During the Eighth Crusade, which lasted until 1272, the crusaders already carried crosses of various shapes. They served as their distinctive signs when it was necessary to sort things out by force of arms. In addition to this, as soon as the color image appeared, each state began to depict the cross in its own color. According to the English chronicler of the 13th century. Matthew Paris, England had a white cross, France had a red cross, Flanders had a green cross, Italy had a blue or light blue cross, and Spain had a "jules" - heraldic red. The Crusaders from Scotland carried the cross of St. Andrew, the Templars took a red eight-pointed cross on a white background, and the Knights of St. John displayed on their banners an eight-pointed white cross on a black background, known as the “Maltese cross.”
Source: Foley J. Encyclopedia of Signs and Symbols. M., 1997;
Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001.
BAPTISM- a rite of initiation into the Christian faith through immersion in water or sprinkling with water. Historically, it was considered an act of purification and an act of rebirth, since the font was a symbol of the immaculate womb of the Virgin Mary, from which the initiate is born again.
Baptism is the first of the seven sacraments and one of the Epiphanies of Christ. Christ himself was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River during the general baptism of the people. In early images it was common to depict the Savior naked and completely submerged in water, with the exception of his head and shoulders, and Jordan was depicted as a river god. But by the time of the Renaissance, another trend was firmly established in both Italian and Flemish painting: in paintings of this period, Christ in one loincloth stands ankle-deep in water, and John the Baptist pours water on his head. On the opposite bank, two or three angels are depicted holding the clothes of Christ, and the dove of the Holy Spirit hovers above the Savior’s head. Even higher is the figure of God the Father, sending his blessing to the Son.
Source: Hall J. Dictionary of plots and symbols in art. M., 1999.
CRYPTOGRAPHY(from the Greek “cryptos” - secret, hidden) - the art of writing with secret codes and deciphering them. This is where the concept of “cryptogram” comes from, i.e. something written in a code or in another form that is understandable only to those who have the key to what is written. In turn, the scientific study of codes became known as cryptology.
The hero of the American romantic writer Edgar Poe's book "The Gold Bug" William Legrand finds a piece of parchment with numbers and punctuation marks representing a cryptogram. Legrand deciphers the code by noticing that one number appears more often than others, and remembering that the letter “e” is the most common in the English alphabet. Remembering also that the most commonly used word is the article, he finds the right combination that allows him to find the hidden treasures.
For a long time, the use of codes was considered indispensable in military and diplomatic circles. However, ciphers have long been used to hide the truths of symbolic philosophy from laymen and to reveal them to those who can read symbols. The code was embedded in the watermarks of the paper and given on the title page or in the binding of the book. For example, messages could be encrypted in the first letters of the first paragraph. Kabbalistic and magical alphabets were specially invented to hide the sacred language. The most famous of them is the “angel letter”, the letters of which are directly derived from the shape of the constellations. But since completely equivalent alphabets are one way or another amenable to translation, secret cryptography has become the most popular in Europe.
CRIS-CROSS- a crossing cross, originally called the Cross of Christ. From Elizabethan times to the mid-18th century. To study the alphabet, they used images of letters on paper under a thin horny plate. Since the letters in the alphabet were depicted in the form of a cross, these crosses began to be called “criss-cross” (Cross of Christ), and then this word became synonymous with the alphabet. In William Shakespeare's historical chronicle "Richard III", George, Duke of Clarence says that his father Edward IV sent him to the Tower because "... he follows the prophecies of others and prophetic dreams, in criss-cross the letter D, as he claims to see ..." Eventually, criss-cross came to mean just a few crossed lines.
In England, this word is also used to describe the popular game “tic-tac-toe”, which is popular all over the world. The English word “cancel” comes from another form of crossed lines. When medieval scribes made a mistake, they drew a cross in the form of a “lattice” over the typo.
Source: Foley J. Encyclopedia of Signs and Symbols. M., 1997;
Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001.
BLOOD- a symbol of kinship, ancestral connection and difference. During fraternization, people cut their hands and mixed the blood. "Blue blood" is a symbol of noble birth.
Blood is also the carrier of life: it contains the principle of vital heat, which is why Moses forbade the consumption of animal blood. Since ancient times, it has been a symbol of the place of the soul and vitality, closely interacting with fire and the sun. In the ancient Greek myth of Adonis, blood is a symbol of the spring rebirth of nature: the blood of the god turns into the first spring flower - an anemone, and the blood of Aphrodite colors white roses red. The Chinese also considered fresh blood to be a symbol of life and the seat of the soul. In China, it was a symbol of an oath; it was used to smear the mouth.
The Greeks allowed blood to flow into the graves of the dead to strengthen their vitality after death. The ancients considered blood to be the abode of passions and good spirits or divine emanations. From blood, the fundamental principle of life and power endowed with purifying powers, the Australians and other primitive tribes asked for an increase in their own strength by smearing their bodies with it. Among these tribes, blood was used in all ritual ceremonies: for example, in fertility rites, before harvesting a new crop, the field was sprinkled with the blood of domestic animals.
The ancient Mayans and Aztecs attributed healing properties to blood and believed that blood from the penis even had magical properties, making a person invulnerable, although in a number of ancient traditions blood, especially menstrual blood, was considered unclean and was seen as a symbol of illness and misfortune.
In the Christian tradition, the shed blood of Christ is considered to have the power of salvation. It is through the shedding of blood, predicted by Christ at the Last Supper, that the atonement for human sins is realized. Of particular importance in Christianity is the wound inflicted on Christ, which turned out to be endowed with rich symbolic meaning. “Blood and water,” which poured out, according to the Evangelist John, from the wound, according to St. Augustine, symbolize the Eucharist and baptism. Just as Eve was created from the side of Adam, so the two most important Christian sacraments poured out from the side of the Savior. Thus the Church was born from the wound of the Lord.
According to legend, the Roman warrior Longinus kept drops of the Savior’s blood in a tabernacle. In the late Middle Ages, the figure of Adam emerging from the grave may be located below the cross and hold a cup into which saving blood is collected. Since the 16th century, angels have acted in a similar way. The wound was usually depicted on the right – “good” – side of the body, on the side, according to St. Augustine, “eternal life”. By the beginning of the 17th century. this symbolic meaning is forgotten, and the wound can henceforth be on either side.
Blood has traditionally been associated with sacrifice. It was sprinkled on the altar, and in the cults of Cybele and Mithras, initiates were baptized in the blood of a sacrificial buffalo. The sacrifice, according to the ancients, must appease the gods and restore the cosmic balance that arose due to man's violation of moral laws. Anything liquid: milk, honey, wine, used for these purposes, represents blood. Thus, wine as a symbol of the blood of Christ is served at the sacrament of communion. Blood seen in a dream is a symbol of the secret wounds of the soul.
The zodiac meaning of the sign Libra, representing Divine legality, reveals the metaphor of blood expressed in the idea of sacrifice. The same context is expressed in the language of alchemy when a substance passes from the white stage to the red stage. Metaphorically expressed in the image of the ever-ardent “red knight” Parsifal - the one who defeated both the horse and the monster.
There is an interdependent color and semantic symbolism of the concept of red and blood. In general, the symbolic meaning of blood corresponds to the symbol of red and fire. But the color of blood - red - is associated with both the emotions of love and hatred. For example, the communists associated the color of the red banner with the idea of blood shed in the struggle for the liberation of humanity from exploitation.
Source: Julien N. Dictionary of symbols. Chelyabinsk, 1999;
Hall J. Dictionary of plots and symbols in art. M., 1999;
Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001;
Encyclopedia of symbols, signs, emblems. M., 1999.
CROCODILE- in the European tradition, a symbol of deception and hypocrisy. It is believed that he cries in order to arouse pity from potential victims and lure them closer. It was from these ideas that the expression “crocodile tears” emerged. But in classical mythology, the crocodile symbolized silence, since it was believed that it had no language. The ancient Egyptians saw the crocodile as a symbol of the destroyer demon and an emblem of the deity. In modern perception, the crocodile is a symbol of predation, gluttony and toothiness. For example, the satirical magazine "Crocodile" aims to criticize the negative aspects of social life.
In the Egyptian tradition, the crocodile, like the sun, was born from water and was both a chthonic and solar deity. Some American Indians believed that a crocodile living in the primordial waters was the creator of the world. Other tribes believed that he carried the world on his back. The biblical Leviathan is sometimes associated with a crocodile. In modern Africa, the crocodile, as a primitive animal, still participates in initiation rites.
In Christian art, the crocodile is sometimes associated with a dragon, and in the beliefs of Ancient Rus', the word “crocodile” meant a water serpent, the owner of the river bottom. The crocodile is an attribute of the holy warrior Theodore, a Roman soldier from Pontus in Asia Minor. According to legend, he set fire to the temple of Cybele and was sentenced to death for this. A dragon or crocodile is depicted at his feet, perhaps to distinguish him from other saints.
Source: Foley J. Encyclopedia of Signs and Symbols. M., 1997;
Hall J. Dictionary of plots and symbols in art. M., 1999;
Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001;
Encyclopedia of symbols, signs, emblems. M., 1999.
CROCOTT AND LEUCROTT- mythical creatures. The astrologer of the Persian king Artaxerxes Mnemon Ctesias in the 4th century. BC e., using early Persian sources, compiled a description of India. In the 32nd chapter he talks about the cinema-lycus (dog-wolf), which the Roman writer and scientist Pliny the Elder later - probably in the 1st century. - turned into his crocotta - an animal “born of a dog and a wolf”, noting that “this beast is capable of chewing anything with its teeth, and what it swallows is instantly digested in its stomach.” In his Natural History, Pliny described another Indian animal, placed for some reason in the landscape of Ethiopia, the leukrotta: “an extremely agile animal, the size of a donkey, legs like a male deer, the tail and chest of a lion, the head like a badger, hooves bifurcated, mouth to ear, and instead of teeth there is one solid bone. They say that this animal can imitate the human voice.” Later scientists believed that Pliny's Leucrotta was a cross between an Indian antelope and a hyena.
Source: Borges X. L. Bestiary: Book of Fictitious Creatures. M., 2000.
RABBIT- a symbol of fertility and vitality. Since ancient times, its fertility has been associated with luck and prosperity. There is a belief that the rabbit's foot, the part that has the closest contact with the source of life - the earth, brings good luck to the owner.
In African folklore, the rabbit is a smart and resourceful positive character. In the Chinese horoscope, the rabbit, as one of the most feminine signs, is very receptive, methodical, graceful, sensitive, sentimental, with a good sense of humor, inventive, cold, diplomatic, self-possessed and does not waste time. Those born in the year of the Rabbit do not like noisy gatherings and companies, they have a developed sense of danger, they are uncompromising, but strive to stay as far as possible from any danger or threat.
In all centuries, the rabbit, personifying fertility, acted as a symbol of debauchery and an attribute of Venus. In this capacity, he is often depicted in scenes with loving couples, although at the feet of the Virgin Mary he symbolizes the victory won by chastity.
Source: Foley J. Encyclopedia of Signs and Symbols. M., 1997; Hall J. Dictionary of plots and symbols in art. M., 1999; Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001.
CROSS YEARS, or Teutonic Cross - four small crosses symbolize the four Gospels. In the form of an oblique cross, it is called the cross of St. Julian.
Source: Foley J. Encyclopedia of Signs and Symbols. M., 1997; Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001.
CIRCLE– the primary symbol of unity and infinity, a sign of absolute and perfection. As an endless line, the circle symbolizes time in eternity, and as a macro-cosmic sign it forms the circle of the Zodiac.
It is the oldest mystical symbol, traditionally denoting Heaven, the Universe and Eternity. Sometimes depicted as Ouroboros - a snake biting its own tail. The void in the middle of the circle rarely remains unfilled: most often a square, or a cross, or an equilateral triangle, or a pentagram is inscribed in it. In any case, a figure inscribed in a circle symbolizes the relationship between the concept denoted by this figure and eternity. This, in particular, is the mystical meaning of the ancient problem of “squaring the circle”: having solved it, the adept comprehends the equivalence of Earth and Sky, Space and Time, Man and the Universe. In Egypt, a circle with a dot in the center was a symbol of man.
Magic circle in European tradition
Magic circle in Islamic tradition
The circle is an ancient pre-Christian sign of the wheel-sun. A complex symbol that connects the idea of perfection and eternity, the circle surpasses all other geometric shapes. A circle line is the only line that has neither beginning nor end and all points of which are equivalent. The center of the circle is the source of endless rotation of time and space. That is why, in the understanding of Freemasons, the circle is the end of all figures, since it contains the secret of creation. The circle is one of the most widely used figures to express the idea of eternity, since movement in a circle symbolically means a constant return to oneself. The circle that the hand moves on a watch dial or on a compass scale also marks a return to the point of departure.
In Buddhism, the unity of the inner and outer worlds is symbolized by three circles. The first circle depicts a demon holding the 12 primordial causes in its mouth. In the inner circle, a chicken (voluptuousness), a snake (anger) and a pig (darkness) grapple. And the middle circle contains pictures of six categories: the kingdoms of people, gods, demons, animals, hell and suffering spirits. In Zen Buddhism, concentric circles signify the highest degrees of enlightenment and perfection in unity: therefore, yin and yang are depicted as enclosed in a circle.
The temple of a pagan god, as it appears, in particular, in Italian painting since the 16th century, is, as a rule, a round building. Columns forming a round colonnade support the vault of the cathedral - this form was traditional in ancient architecture. Renaissance architects, following principles first formulated by the Italian scholar Leon Alberti in the 15th century, returned to the circle as the basic form of church building. The circle and sphere were considered the perfect form, consistent with the Renaissance concept of God, in which he was a cosmic intelligence taking the form of a sphere containing the entire cosmos—spirit, mind, and matter—in descending concentric spheres.
In Christianity, concentric circles represent spiritual hierarchies or different stages of creation. For example, the circle is used symbolically in depictions of the sky as concentric choirs of angels and in the arrangement of the disciples standing around Christ. Three intersecting circles mean the Trinity, and an isosceles triangle with three circles is a monogram of the three hypostases of one God.
The circle represents the sky as opposed to the square of the earth. The perfect geometry of a circle embraces the imperfections in the temporary world that arise over time. The squared circle is a common Kabbalistic sign signifying the divine spark hidden in matter. Adam Kadmon in the Kabbalistic pictogram is depicted enclosed in a circle. In turn, a square in a circle means the world of physical elements. The circle, like the monogram of God, denotes not only His perfection, but also His pre-eternity. A series of concentric circles, one inside the other, signifies space.
The magic circle is an element of the traditional marking of a place for magical operations. As a rule, a special type of ring structure consists of three circles, i.e., two limbs and a central circle, inside which the magician performing the ritual is located. Most theorists and practical magicians claim that the circle has a protective function. Therefore, pentagrams and other signs that stop evil spirits are certainly included in the limbs. There are many legends that spirits do not see a magician who is in a circle, but can tear him to pieces if the magic circle is violated.
Source: Hall J. Dictionary of plots and symbols in art. M., 1999;
Encyclopedia of mystical terms. M., 1998;
Encyclopedia of symbols, signs, emblems. M., 1999;
Sheinina E. Ya. Encyclopedia of symbols. M., 2001.
WING– a symbol of air and flight. The winged ones were Greek and Roman messengers of the gods - Nike, Mercury and Iris, who were descendants of very ancient pre-classical winged figures. From the majestic Roman Victoria came the image of an angel - the Christian messenger of God, first depicted in mosaics of the 6th century. The archangels Gabriel, Michael and Raphael were depicted with wings.
Among the ancient winged figures depicted in the Renaissance and later were Glory (with trumpets), History writing on a tablet, Fortune with a blindfold and a globe. Since time is fleeting, wings are given to Time. Winged and Night, flying with two babies or sitting by the light of a lamp. Winged sandals and a cap became attributes of Perseus, who borrowed them from Mercury. Daedalus constructs wings with which he and his son Icarus fly away from Crete.
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Name: Encyclopedia of signs and symbols
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Mermaid. The mermaid, a captivating creature of folk fantasy, endowed with an angelic face, snow-white skin and seductive virgin breasts, but hiding from human eyes a slippery, scale-covered lower body ending in a forked fish tail, is a symbol of dangerous and sinful temptation, female cunning and deception, the embodiment of the painful voluptuous eroticism, fiery sexual lust, destructive passion and death.
It’s amazing, but true: belief in mermaids existed among almost all peoples of antiquity and the Middle Ages who lived along the banks of rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. The local variety of the mermaid tribe were the ancient Greek naiads, nereids and oceanids; Western European undines, lorelei, melusines and nyxes; eastern apsaras, albasts and farawaris; Slavic mermaids, Mavkas, Navkas and pharaohs. Of these, only the ancient sea maidens were distinguished not only by their beauty and the charm of their forms, but also by the kindness of their souls. Naiads - beautiful nymphs of springs, streams and shallow rivers - had a special love for people. The enchantress could heal a person they liked, who had bathed in the spring of naiads, from illness, endowed with the gift of clairvoyance and even immortality. All the mermaids of subsequent generations, for unknown reasons, experienced only unkind feelings towards representatives of the human race. The villains took pleasure in drowning single swimmers and fishermen, and sometimes even lured large ships to the reefs. According to legend, many sailors were killed by an insidious mermaid from Germany, who lured her victims to the rock with wonderful songs. This dangerous rock on the right bank of the Rhine is still called the Lorelei Rock.
In Slavic mythology, mermaids are unconditionally classified as evil spirits. Their ranks were constantly replenished by drowned women, women who died an unnatural death or were abducted by evil spirits. Among the mermaids there are many small mermaids of both sexes, called in Ukraine Mavkas or Navkas (from slavs, “navi” - “dead man”). Children who died unbaptized become Mavka-Navkas, so they often pester late passers-by walking through a forest or cemetery, begging in the most pitiful way to give them a cross. It is not worth fulfilling such a request, unless, of course, life is precious. It’s best to answer the ghoul with the magic spell of the great schemer: “Maybe I can give you another key to the apartment where the money is?” Then the kid will become embarrassed and, sniffling resentfully, will walk away - the dead man has no need for money. Just God forbid you look after him: from the front he is a boy like a boy (or a girl like a girl), but from behind he is a walking anatomical exhibit. The fact is that Mavka has no back at all, and all the disgusting insides are visible as if at an autopsy. In short, the spectacle is not for the faint of heart.
But let's return to our mermaids. Why the Slavs called the most beautiful representatives of evil spirits this way is not an easy question. Some scientists considered the starting point to be the word “bed”, which denotes the place of residence of river mermaids, others believed that they were nicknamed mermaids for their light brown hair color. The latter point of view was held, in particular, by our famous historian SM. Soloviev, who wrote on this occasion: “Mermaids are not at all river nymphs or any kind of nymphs; their name does not come from the channel, but from rusy (light, clear); mermaids are nothing more than the souls of the dead, coming out in the spring to enjoy the revitalized nature.”
Unfortunately, in this case the great scientist made a mistake. Not all mermaids are fair-haired - many of them are blondes and red-haired, but most evidence recognizes the color of their hair as green, “like your hemp.” And this is not surprising - the green color of mud, duckweed and other aquatic vegetation is characteristic of aquatic fantastic creatures.
The opinion that all mermaids are written beauties is also erroneous. The Belarusian mermaid, a blue-eyed beauty with green hair, is truly marvelously beautiful. Playful Ukrainian mermaids are also pleasant to look at, but their green-eyed and green-haired Great Russian friends, always disheveled and deathly pale, are not at all pleasing to the eye. The mermaids of Northern Rus' have the most repulsive appearance. This is what the main Russian expert on mermaids, D.K., writes about them. Zelenin in his fundamental work “Essays on Russian Mythology”: “In the northern provinces of Russia they think that mermaids are ugly, shaggy, humpbacked creatures, with a large belly, with sharp claws, with a long mane, with a large iron hook with which they catch passers-by.”
A distinctive feature of the appearance of all mermaids is long hair fluffed over the shoulders, which they like to comb with a golden comb, looking into the mirror of clear waters in the soft, silvery light of the month. Along the banks of rivers, in fields and forests, mermaids walk either completely naked, barely covering their nakedness with green leaves, or in white, translucent shirts without a belt. Many of them have husbands (water, goblin, or men killed by them) and children.
On clear moonlit nights, mermaids indulge in their favorite pastimes: swimming, splashing with water with laughter, dancing in circles on the shore, weaving wreaths, singing songs in clear, enchanting voices. They love to ride on a mill wheel or swing on birch branches. The most daring Vladimir mermaids, not at all embarrassed by the proximity of their homes, come to take a steam bath in the village baths.
All mermaids are werewolves, as they can transform into toads, frogs, rats, magpies and other “unclean” animals and birds. They almost always treat people with unreasonable hostility and harm them in every possible way: fishermen's nets are tangled, millstones are broken or dams are damaged.
Tattvas
In other words, the first tattva is fire, the second is air, the third is water, the fourth is earth, the fifth is space, “the basis of the world.”
TATTOO(from the French tatouer) - applying drawings to the body by introducing dyes under the skin. It is made by pricking with a wooden, bone or metal needle, which is struck with a hammer (among the peoples of Oceania, Southeast Asia, Indians of North and South America), or by stitching the skin with a needle with a dyed thread, which is then removed (among the peoples of Northeast Asia ). The tattoo is associated with the ancient customs of testing endurance during the initiation of young men into adult men; served as a sign of magical protection from evil spirits.
The tattoo dates back to the period of the primitive communal system, when it was not only a decoration, but also a sign of a tribe, clan, totem, and social affiliation. Common among peoples with fair skin, among dark-skinned people it is replaced by scarring, especially in Oceania, where it was performed by special craftsmen, covering the entire body and even the tongue with drawings.
The custom of tattooing was brought to Europe by sailors from Southeast Asia and is preserved as decoration or a memorial sign.
Source:
Mythological dictionary. M., 1991;
TAU- a symbol of symbols, hidden wisdom, a symbol of life, a sign of kindness, the so-called “key of the Nile”, i.e. the key to another of the secrets of human existence. A sign of great mystical power.
The mention of the Nile is not accidental, since it was found on Egyptian monuments, on the statue of the god Serapis, and is known as the emblem of the Egyptian gods. It is found in the burials of ancient Egyptians, many of whom considered it a “sign of creative power.”
Tau was considered a sign of heaven and immortality in Scandinavia, Britain, India and China. In other countries it acted as a sign of resurrection, liberation from physical suffering and divine unity.
Bogolyubov N. Secret societies of the 20th century. St. Petersburg, 1997.
The sign is an animal. Depicted as a bull (among the ancient Egyptians - the sacred bull Apis). Ruled by the planet Venus.
Taurus is decisive and intractable, loyal and constant in his passions. Connoisseur and connoisseur of beauty. This combination is typical for people with a delicate and easily vulnerable psyche. Taurus are people of the Moon, calm, unhurried, with a desire to create large families, with inclinations to get rich, he is passionate and sensual, he sees beauty even in the most insignificant.
Taurus, zodiac sign
Taurus is a person attached to the earth, to the productive forces of nature, he is persistent and hardworking. As a rule, it achieves its goal.
Hebrew letter - Wow.
Hieroglyph - eye.
Tarot card - Lovers.
The sign of Taurus is the moon with a sickle on it.
Source: Encyclopedia of symbols, signs, emblems. M., 1999;
Foley J. Encyclopedia of signs and symbols. M., 1997;
Mythological dictionary. M., 1991.
BODY NUDE- a symbol of human belonging to nature and a symbol of human desire for natural poverty and simplicity. Here “poverty and simplicity” appear not as a manifestation of compulsion, but as a conscious merging with nature itself, a rejection of material excesses, which symbolizes virtue and innocence.
The so-called “criminal nudity” is associated with voluptuousness, vanity and lack of virtues.
Symbolic types of the naked body, however, are completely different in the interpretations of one or another artist, whose approaches to creativity are completely individual and do not copy their brothers and colleagues.
Source: Encyclopedia of symbols, signs, emblems. M., 1999.
SHADOW- one of the metaphors of the dark side of the human psyche. In the psychological aspect, this is an unconscious beginning, which is usually missed or rejected by the conscious beginning.
The shadow carries the function of a double; it can be a container and refuge for the soul. The shadow is not an imitation of life, it is rather a phenomenon of another type of existence.
There are shadows of the night, they are motionless and static. There are shadows of the day, they are the other side of the light.
According to Muslim traditions, the shadow of Allah is a symbol of the ruler on earth. The Tibetan sect of the “brothers of the shadow” was classified as black magic. In India, there was a belief in the shadows of saints, which had an amazing quality: they are indestructible. The mythological bird Humai is capable of making a person happy with its shadow, whose sins do not pose a serious obstacle to familiarization with the secrets. In Africa, shadow is associated with spirit. As can be seen from the above examples, the shadow is the second human body endowed with magical properties.
Representatives of creative professions have repeatedly turned to the shadow as a kind of symbol that personifies the peculiarities of the state of the human soul, sometimes drawing surprising and sometimes contradictory parallels.
Source: Encyclopedia of symbols, signs, emblems. M., 1999;
Foley J. Encyclopedia of signs and symbols. M., 1997;
Mythological dictionary. M., 1991.
TETRAGRAMMATON- the ineffable four-letter name of God - IHVH.
In Kabbalah this name is deciphered as follows:
I - Wisdom,
N - Understanding,
V - Beauty,
N - Kingdom.
Here is the desire to endow divine matter with all the excellent characteristics, including those more characteristic of people, for example, “kingdom”.
Ten Emanations of the Tetragrammaton
According to Christian Kabbalah, the four letters of the first Tetragrammaton represent the four elements:
fire (giving warmth),
air (giving life),
water (thirst quencher),
earth (giving food).
These elements determine the presence of life (physical existence) and the cycle of life and death.
The second Tetragrammaton is AGLA, a magical formula made up of the first letters of the phrase “ato gadol leolam adonai” (“may Your power be eternal, O Lord”).
This second name is associated with the concepts of “eternity” and “spirit”. “ato gadol leolam adonai” is also believed to embody the power of the Holy Trinity.
“Ato gadol leolam adonai” is also a powerful spell that can protect not only individuals, but also all of humanity, “engraved on rings, talismans” and other religious objects.
The third Tetragrammaton is AHIH or "Ehieh" (pure being of God). In Russian the equivalent is the word “existent”.
The fourth Tetragrammaton is ADNI (i.e. "Adonai" or "Lord"). It has certain mystical properties.
There are other interpretations of all four Tetragrammatons, which is the subject of constant debate among representatives of various religious teachings and worldview doctrines.
So, “Jewish Encyclopedia. The body of knowledge about Jewry and its culture in the past and present” interprets the Tetragrammaton somewhat differently than the above:
“Of the names of the Lord, the most often found in the Bible (6823 times) is the so-called tetragrammaton, that is, a four-letter image of the name of the Lord; this name is the distinctive personal name of the God of Israel. In the newest biblical translations it is most often represented by the form “Jehovah”, YHWH, which from a philological point of view is considered unacceptable. This form arose from an attempt to pronounce the consonants of this name as if they were equipped with the vowel signs of the name "Adonai" (lord), so that the Masoretes also introduced a text indicating that instead of YHWH one should read "Adonai" (keri perpetuum). When the name “Adonai” itself precedes the name YHWH, then, in order to avoid repetition of this name, the Masoretes began to supply YHWH with the vowels of the name “Elohim”, so that in these cases they read “Elohim” instead of YHWH. Following this Masoretic reading, some Bible translations generally translate the name YHWH as "Lord." Based on the story set out in the book. Exodus (3, 1 et seq.), this name first became known to Moses during a divine vision at Horeb; from another, parallel story (Exod. 6 , 2–3) it is clear that this name, indeed, was not yet known to the patriarchs. Later writers sometimes completely avoid using this name; it is, for example, completely absent from Ecclesiastes. The Compiler of Chronicles shows a clear preference for the form "Elohim", and in Psalms 42-83 the name "Elohim" appears much more often than YHWH, probably because, as some scholars believe, in some places one name may have been deliberately replaced by another. (cf. Ps. 14 and 53).”
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