Why did the laurel wreath become a symbol of victory in ancient Greece? What does a laurel wreath tattoo mean?

The drawing of a laurel wreath has deep meaning and several opposite meanings. In Ancient Greece, winners were awarded wreaths Olympic Games, famous philosophers, doctors, scientists. This is where the association with victory came from. This was the highest level of recognition of a person’s services to society in any field.

Features of the tattoo

• Tattoo Laurel wreath becomes a symbol for those who are used to winning. This is also a distinctive sign talented people. Victory can be different - over circumstances, in solving any problems, and, most importantly, over oneself, one’s negative traits.
• Since laurel is an evergreen tree, it symbolizes eternity and constancy. This is loyalty to personal values ​​and ideas. The laurel wreath also symbolizes renewal and hope for immortality.
• People who get this tattoo tend to constantly dig into their souls in order to identify those aspects that define their lives and push them to conquer new heights. The desire to win distinguishes tattoo owners from other people.

A tattoo can be applied to any part of the body. The wreath looks most advantageous on the back, not the neck, on the chest, on inner surface hands.

The laurel wreath tattoo has another meaning. IN Ancient Rome laurel symbolized martyrdom. It was inflicted on those people who were persecuted undeservedly. This meaning turned into prison tattoos. It is done by those who were wrongly convicted, who ended up in prison through no fault of their own. The meaning of prison tattoos with a laurel wreath is one - he was imprisoned undeservedly, he suffered for the truth.

The choice of what the tattoo will symbolize depends on each person, on the characteristics of his character. If you do not take into account, the wreath, along with additional elements, will be a symbol of the will to win, the desire to become better and better every day.

Photos and sketches of laurel wreath tattoos

Most popular materials

Elena Letuchaya's tattoos

The desire for triumph, glory and global achievements - all this is a symbolic image of the laurel wreath tattoo. Despite such a positive interpretation, the tattoo has a contradictory meaning. What meaning does it carry in itself, what sketch to choose to attract fortune to life?

Laurel in history and myths

The laurel is traditionally considered a symbol of victory, and even the word “laureate” is literally translated from Latin as “crowned with laurel.” The plant was respected and revered in ancient times. In Rome, it represented peace after victory over enemies. That is why laurel wreaths were awarded to the best warriors for their services in battles and battles. Emperors also decorated their heads with sprigs of the plant as a sign of power, glory and honor. Another meaning of laurel is piety and chastity. By the way, in Christian religion it symbolized martyrdom and immortality.

The ancient Greeks had a myth about the patron of the arts, the god Apollo, and the nymph Daphne. Apollo fell in love with the girl and began to woo her, not suspecting that she had taken a vow of chastity. Daphne had to turn to higher powers for help, and the gods turned the nymph into a laurel tree. Since then, the plant has become a sacred symbol of Apollo and the highest reward for outstanding artists.

Who is the tattoo suitable for?

A laurel wreath tattoo in modern body art means determination, vanity, wisdom, glory, and courage. A person with a similar body pattern is a maximalist by nature and sets high goals for himself. He achieves what he wants by any means, strives for universal recognition, respect and glory. Belief in victory, extraordinary mind, confidence in own strength help such a person on the path to his dream. His goal is not just to live the life of an average person, but to achieve unprecedented heights and climb to the top of some Olympus.

Musicians, writers, poets, dancers, actors and other people creative professions A laurel wreath tattoo is often applied as an amulet. The image gives them inspiration, hope for the fulfillment of their desires, and helps them in their career. For the tattoo to have magical properties, it should be applied to closed areas of the body. This type of tattoo is equally relevant for men and women.

The meaning of a laurel wreath tattoo in prison is somewhat different. Such a tattoo indicates that the person is serving a sentence for a crime he did not commit. This interpretation of laurel is taken from Christianity, where the plant is a symbol of martyrdom.

Application technique

The laurel wreath is considered more male symbol, so it is advisable to choose a sketch in black and white. You can choose the graphic style. It is quite simple and concise, but at the same time modern. The image is done using black ink and shading only. For a small pattern, the inside of the arm, wrist, chest, neck, ankle are suitable.

Those who love original ideas will love the old-school technique. Despite the rich colors, wide contours and clear lines, the tattoo does not look provocative. Tattoos can be supplemented with ribbons or inscriptions to give meaning. Best places for applying large-scale compositions - back, shoulder, leg, thigh or lower leg.

A selection of photos of tattoos with a wreath

Among the Celts, Germans and Italians, oak was revered as a sacred tree. From them these ancient customs passed on to the Romans. Evidence of this can be seen in the “civil wreath” that was awarded to a soldier who saved the life of a Roman citizen in battle. The wreath, accompanied by the inscription “O.C.S” (“ob cirem servatum” - “to the savior of the [Roman] citizen”, Lat.), can be considered one of the most ancient military honors. We find the same wreath of woven branches in much closer times on the Order of the Oak Crown, established by the ruler of the Netherlands, when this grand duchy was still under Dutch rule.

However, primacy in the symbolic representation of military valor and, as a rule, noble birth, gradually won the laurel (in Italian - “alloro”), the sacred tree of Apollo, from the oak. It is not for nothing that the laurel is called the noble laurel (Laurus nobilis). Not only victorious generals during a triumph were crowned with a laurel “triumphal” wreath, but also emperors, and also, and most of all, poets.

As for the laurel wreath

In coats of arms, the laurel appears in the same variants as the oak, but unlike oak trees, separate laurel wreath leaves are much more common, not to mention the laurel wreath. Even more often you can find the image of a laurel on “speaking” coats of arms (Laurenti, Lauri, Loro, Loredano, last name is derived from Loreto = Lauretus).

Family coat of arms of the family Puccini (Pistoia) “Alternating gold and red pillars and green laurel wreath

Laurel branch, a hawk and a curved Turkish saber - this is what is depicted in the coat of arms of the Marazzi family, which is presented on this page. He appears to proclaim openly aggressive intentions: glory to you if you fight bravely with weapons. The idea is exactly the opposite of that symbolized by the images of a dove holding an olive branch.

The olive (Olea europea) is a symbol of peace, but also of victory, since victory precedes and ensures subsequent peaceful existence.

In addition, the olive also signifies chastity - and nowadays marriage announcements are decorated with a garland of wreaths made of olive branches. In Ancient Rome, the olive wreath was also awarded to those who indirectly contributed to the victory, as was the case with Lepidus (Lepidus is the common name of the Aemilian family - Note).

The fact that the dove appeared to Noah with an olive branch in its beak could be considered an accident if Greek mythology there was no more detailed and subtle explanation for it: Kekrop (founder of Athens. - Note. Transl.), choosing a name and symbol for the city, hesitated between the olive of the goddess Athena and the horse of Poseidon. In the end he settled on the name and gifts of the goddess. Poseidon's horse symbolized war, while the olive symbolized the oil trade, which flourishes only in years of peace, and peace is always preferable to war.

Personal coat of arms of Dunson-Richardson Carrer (York, UK) “Dissected: on the right, quadruple: in the first and fourth fields an ermine with three black double sashes, a blue head with a silver leopard (Carrer); in the second and third golden field there is a red belt, accompanied on the sides by three laurel branches natural color band on the right, two at the head and one at the tip (Rondell); left: three green in a silver field laurel leaf(2, 1) pillar (Folais)"

Noun, number of synonyms: 6 laurel crown (1) laurels (9) laurels of the winner (5) ... Synonym dictionary

Laurel wreath- Book Same as the Laurel Crown. The poem "Supreme Bliss" did not make a very strong impression on the public. The laurel wreath has already been woven for the author, but still invisibly (Karamzin. About Bogdanovich and his works). We also talked about art. How… … Phraseological Dictionary of the Russian Literary Language

Or a laurel branch since Greco-Roman antiquity, a symbol of glory, victory or peace. The triumphants wore a laurel wreath; the ships of the winners were decorated with laurels. IN special occasions all the people were married to L.; During sacrifices, priests wore...

Laurel wreath- among the ancient Greeks and Romans, a symbol of victory, triumph, glory. A laurel wreath was decorated with faces who won in various competitions and competitions (discus throwers, runners, poets, speakers, musicians). The tradition has survived to this day.… … Architectural Dictionary

Laurel wreath- A wreath of laurel leaves as a symbol of victory, triumph (the ancient Greeks and Romans awarded such a wreath to winners in various competitions and competitions) ... Dictionary of many expressions

Book Symbol of glory, victory, reward. F 1, 53... Large dictionary of Russian sayings

Laurel wreath- from the ancients Greeks and Romans symbol of victory, triumph, glory. L.v. the faces of those who won various victories were decorated. competitions and competitions (discus throwers, runners, poets, speakers, musicians) ... Ancient world. encyclopedic Dictionary

LAUREL WREATH- The dream foretells victory in all areas of activity. Imagine being given a bucket full of laurel branches (see Bucket)… Big family dream book

Or the branch of L., since Greco-Roman antiquity a symbol of glory, victory or peace. The triumphants wore a laurel wreath; the ships of the winners were decorated with laurels. On special occasions, the entire people were married to L.; the priests wore laurel during sacrifices... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

And (obsolete) LAURAL, laurel, laurel. 1. adj. to laurel in 1 value Laurel Grove. Bay leaf(dried laurel leaf with a strong aromatic odor, used as a seasoning for dishes). 2. in meaning noun laurel, laurel, units. laurel, laurel... Dictionary Ushakova

Books

• Laurel wreath, Konstantin Paustovsky. The collection includes well-known stories about Russian writers and artists, as well as literary portraits Russian cultural figures of both the past and contemporaries and friends of Constantine...

The Greeks considered the laurel to be the tree of Apollo. There is a myth that a beautiful nymph named Daphne took a vow of chastity, but the god Apollo was so fascinated by her that he could not control himself and began to pursue her. Daphne began to pray to the gods for help, and they turned her into a laurel tree. The patron of the arts hugged him, but everything was in vain, the beautiful nymph could not be returned. Since then, the laurel has become the sacred tree of Apollo. Therefore, in Greece, all outstanding artists began to be awarded with laurel wreaths.

In the Roman Empire, the best warriors received a laurel wreath; it symbolized the peace that was to come with the overthrow of enemies. Emperors also wore wreaths made of laurel branches. The laurel was associated with the immaculate Vestals, so it became a symbol of chastity and piety.

Early Christians saw the laurel wreath as a symbol of martyrdom and eternal life. During the Hellenistic period, it became associated with glory. It is noteworthy that in the Middle Ages the laurel wreath disappeared from the list of traditional heraldic symbols, its revival occurred only at the end of the 18th century after the French Revolution.
By the way, the word “laureate” is directly related to this plant and means “crowned with laurel.”

Symbolism

The roots of laurel symbolism, as already mentioned, are in ancient times. So, what does a laurel wreath tattoo mean?

• Faith in victory. A person strives for victory with all his soul; there is nothing more important for him in life than to emerge victorious from any situation. For the sake of victory, he is ready to do absolutely anything.
• Determination. A laurel wreath tattoo indicates that a person spares no effort to achieve his goals. He has a fairly serious incentive to continue to move forward and achieve what he wants.
• Courage. Since wreaths of laurel branches were awarded to warriors who distinguished themselves more than others on the battlefield, it is also considered a symbol of courage, military honor and valor.
• Wisdom. Laurel wreaths were also worn by emperors, and only a wise emperor is able to rule long and justly.
• Greatness. A person who chooses such a tattoo dreams not only of living life with dignity, of realizing himself as a person, or of creating happy family, his dreams are much more global. He wants to achieve the highest position in society.
• Creation. The laurel wreath served as a reward for best poets, musicians, dancers. Such a tattoo can become a kind of amulet that attracts good luck in creative endeavors for young artists.
• Immortality of the soul. Laurel is an evergreen tree, so the association with eternal life inevitable.

The laurel wreath is also found among prison tattoos. IN in this context this symbol indicates that the prisoner was unfairly convicted, that he is serving a sentence for a crime that he did not commit. This meaning comes precisely from the Christian interpretation of the symbol.

Stylistic decisions

Both women and men love to reap laurels. The laurel wreath is most often depicted in black, without any decorative elements. But there are more original ideas, for example, a laurel wreath with flowers and ribbons, inscriptions, crowned with a laurel.

Such tattoos rarely have very big size, so they look great almost everywhere. The most suitable places are the shoulder, forearm, lower leg, thigh, neck, between the shoulder blades.

Graphics are quite suitable for monochrome work. Many people mistakenly attribute all black and white works to this style, but this is fundamentally wrong. The graphics are different in that there are no halftones in the image, only black. All shadows are done using shading. Looks quite original.

If you still prefer colored tattoos, look through the works in the new school style. The style emerged not so long ago, about 30 years ago, and adopted a lot from the old school. Such tattoos look impressive thanks to the use bright colors, clear and wide contours.

In any case, first discuss your future tattoo with the artists. Perhaps he will give you a truly unique idea.