Symbols of the CIS countries. From the eagle to Uncle Sam or the main state symbols of the USA

I am sure that most residents of our country are familiar with most of the state symbols. We will not undertake to test your knowledge - it is better to do it yourself.

STATE SYMBOLS OF RUSSIA

The state symbols of any country include the coat of arms, flag and anthem. This triad did not arise immediately. It was only in the 20th century that a mandatory tradition was established throughout the world - each country to have its own coat of arms, flag and anthem.

Residents different countries are rightfully proud of their symbols. The attitude towards the coat of arms, flag and anthem is the attitude towards the state itself. And it must be respectful.

The symbols of our Motherland date back hundreds of years.

The first state emblem appeared at the end of the 15th century, the first flag - in the 18th century, and the first anthem - in the 19th century. But more on that later.

MOSCOW IS CAPITAL OF RUSSIA

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THE KREMLIN IS A SYMBOL OF MOSCOW

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RED SQUARE – SYMBOL OF MOSCOW

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ST. BASIL'S CATHEDRAL

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COAT OF ARMS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.

The word “coat of arms” came into Russian in the 16th – 17th centuries. It is based on the German erbe, which means “inheritance.” So the word itself contains one of the important features of the coat of arms - stability, constancy in use.

The state emblem testifies to the sovereignty of the country, the family coat of arms indicates that its owner belongs to a certain class. A coat of arms can indicate land holdings, like many family coats of arms of the Middle Ages, and serve as a means of identifying its owner. Therefore, the coat of arms, as a rule, is officially approved by the highest authority.

Where did the emblem of the double-headed eagle come from in Rus'?

Initially, historians thought that Rus' borrowed it from Byzantium. As a sign of the imperial court, the double-headed eagle adorned the fabrics, clothing and shoes of emperors and courtiers. This emblem became especially popular under the emperors of the Palaiologos dynasty. Perhaps the double-headed eagle was their family emblem. His image can be seen on the handwritten Gospel that belonged to Dmitry Paleologus.

In Rome, the eagle has been revered since ancient times. According to legend, it was the eagle, this messenger of the gods, who predicted the acquisition of royal power by Tarquin the Ancient. The prevalence of the double-headed eagle emblem in the Balkans led scientists to believe that it was from this region that the eagle could have come to Rus'. But, the most interesting thing is that the double-headed eagle was also found in Rus' itself, and long before 1497. The double-headed eagle was intended to symbolize the power and independence of our country. In this capacity, he continued his history on Russian soil.

In the 16th – 17th centuries. In the Moscow kingdom, two state seals were used - the Great and the Small. They differed in size, placement of emblems and inscriptions, but both retained images of a horseman and a double-headed eagle. On Bolshaya state seal the rider was placed on the chest of a double-headed eagle. On the Small Seal, a horseman and an eagle were depicted on both sides.

At the end of the 1530s. The double-headed eagle acquired a more warlike appearance. They began to depict Him with open beaks and protruding tongues. In heraldry, such an emblem is called an armed eagle.

armed eagle

On the seal of False Dmitry I, an eagle is depicted with raised wings, and above his heads there are two crowns, between which there is a third, bigger size. On the seals of Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich, the eagle's wings were lowered, and three crowns were placed above the eagle's heads.

In the first half of the 19th century. The image of the Russian coat of arms has changed again. Two types of state emblem arose. In the first, an eagle with outstretched wings held the Moscow coat of arms on its chest in a shield of an elegant, pointed upward shape. A crown was placed above the eagle's heads. This eagle sometimes held a bunch of lightning and a torch in its paws, and in the other - Laurel wreath. The second type of coat of arms is an eagle with raised wings, crowned with three crowns. The shield with the Moscow coat of arms on his chest was framed by the chain of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. And on the eagle’s wings there are 6 shields with the coats of arms of the most important lands, the names of which were included in the imperial title. Last modified the state emblem in the pre-revolutionary period took place in 1882 - 1883.

Alexander III accepted the Large, Middle and two Small coats of arms made by the artist A.I. Charlemagne. The presence of three types of state coat of arms is explained by the fact that they were depicted on seals that sealed documents of different significance.

The revival of the Russian state entailed the inevitable return of the original Russian symbols, so recklessly consigned to oblivion during the Soviet period. The history of the creation of the coat of arms is enormous. Symbols are nameless, they do not know their authorship, they are created by history itself.

In 1917, the eagle ceased to be the coat of arms of Russia. The return of the double-headed eagle to the coat of arms of Russia took place in 1993 by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated October 30, 1993. The author of the sketch of the coat of arms is the artist of the State Heraldry under the President of the Russian Federation E.I. Ukhnalev.

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FLAG OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.

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ANTHEM OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW.

The Russian national anthem - the official state symbol of Russia - is performed in the most special occasions, during official ceremonies of national importance. Hymns as solemn cult chants originated in ancient times. In Russia, until the 17th century, ceremonies were accompanied by church chants.

« Anthem" - word Greek origin, it means “solemn, song of praise.” The anthem has great value for his people, both past and present.

Since the time of Peter I special place occupied military marches. And it has become a generally accepted tradition to have a national anthem in the last 200 years. In December 2000, Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed adopting the “old” Soviet anthem with music by Alexandrov.

The first official national anthem appeared after the victory of Russian weapons over Napoleonic army.

In 1813 in St. Petersburg, to the tune of the English anthem “God Save the King/Queen!” for the first time they performed “Song to the Russian Tsar,” the author of which was the famous poet, translator, and philologist A.Kh. Vostokov. In 1815, new lyrics appeared for a song called “Russian Prayer”:

God save the king!
The glorious one has long days
Give it to the earth!….

V.A. Zhukovsky.

After 2 years, Zhukovsky added two stanzas to the text, and the anthem acquired its final form in 1833, thanks to the officer and composer A.F. Lvov. The anthem of Lvov was heard everywhere - both in the army and during civil celebrations. It became the national anthem Russian Empire.

Russia knew several more melodies that became its unofficial anthems. One of them belongs to the genius of Russian music M.I. Glinka, author of the opera “A Life for the Tsar”:

Glory, glory, our Russian Tsar,
The Lord has given us a king-sovereign!….

In February 1917, along with the monarchy, the old anthem became a thing of the past. Completely different songs were heard on the streets, and “La Marseillaise” occupied the main place among them.

The anthem is the official state symbol. He is, as it were, the musical and poetic embodiment of the country and its people, and therefore there should be the most respectful attitude towards him.

These symbols are part of Russian history, the embodiment of its heroic and tragic pages, a reflection of the life of the peoples of our country.

— We should all know well the history of the state symbols of Russia.

— The attitude towards the coat of arms, flag and anthem is the attitude towards the state itself. It must be respectful.

— Insulting state symbols is akin to insulting the state, its people, its history and culture.

What is a symbol? Translated from Greek language this word means a sign, a sign inherent in something specific. But not everything that surrounds a person has symbolic meaning. Falling snow is a sign of winter, and dripping from roofs means spring is approaching. But these phenomena are not symbols. The latter carry a deeper, philosophical meaning.

We all know very well that a dove is a symbol of peace, and a pair of white swans symbolizes love and fidelity. Different countries also have their own signs and signs. They are official and unofficial. Official symbols include state symbols: coat of arms, flag and anthem. When did they first appear? What do they mean?

What plants are symbols of the countries of the world? What were the first flags made of and what was depicted on the first Russian coat of arms? Next, we will consider the most interesting and unusual symbols of countries and cities of the world. But first - small excursion into history.

Distant past

One of the important symbols emphasizing the uniqueness of the country is the coat of arms. It appeared as the very first of the other official signs. Slavs who lived in the VI-VIII centuries. AD, with the help of various ornaments, individual territories were distinguished. The prototype of the oldest coat of arms can be considered a seal with the image of a falcon. These belonged to the great Russian princes. Any documents were certified with a seal so that any person, even an uneducated one, could appreciate the importance of such paper.

The first Russian coat of arms was a coin with the image of St. George the Victorious. In the middle of the 15th century, the double-headed eagle appeared. His image was present on the royal seal and on the coin.

Pole, banners, banners, flags

At all times, people communicated with the help of symbols; thanks to them, membership in a certain clan or tribe was indicated. Roman legionaries, going on campaigns, carried with them a pole with a pennant. Images of gods could be applied to them, various symbols. With their help, warriors during a battle could determine where the enemy army was located.

The first flags appeared in China and Egypt, their history thus goes back about 3000 years. They became armies, territories, and then states. They were called differently: standard, banner, manipulus, banner. Performance of troops, military battles, military parade, oath - all these events cannot be imagined without the use of such symbols. Banners could be decorated with fringe, ribbons, and tassels. They could contain various inscriptions and mottos. Carrying the banner in battle was considered very honorable, and losing it meant saying goodbye to honor and your life.

Types of Russian flags

In Rus', the first banners appeared in the 10th century. The Savior Not Made by Hands was most often depicted on the panel.

The national flag appeared at the end of the 17th century, during the reign of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. On a huge panel of fabric there were three stripes of white, red and blue, and in the middle there was an image of a double-headed eagle. Subsequently, commercial ships begin to sail under this flag, and trade with foreign countries is conducted.

St. Andrew's flag. There is a blue cross on the white fabric. Ships sailed under this banner. It appeared at the end of the 17th century and began to be considered the flag of the Russian fleet. Later, panels of three colors appeared. White belonged to the admiral's ships, blue belonged to the vice admiral, and red belonged to the rear admiral. In 1992, the St. Andrew's flag was restored to its status, and now the white cloth with a blue cross represents the strength and power of the Russian fleet.

In 1858, the royal standard appeared. A black eagle was depicted on a yellow background. It was raised in the places where the king was located.

After October revolution The Red Banner of the RSFSR appeared. It depicted a sickle, a hammer, and a red star.

Since 1993, the Russian flag has become the way we all know it. Three identical stripes different colors: white, blue, red.

Flags of the world

There are about 250 of them in total. Each of them is unique. Possessing information about color symbolism flag, you can tell a lot about the country. In ancient times, the most popular colors were white, black and red. What do some flag colors say?

• White - purity of thoughts, innocence, truthfulness.
• Black - sadness, wisdom, modesty.
• Red - courage, strength, revolutionism.
• Blue - sea, calm, greatness.
• Green - in Muslim countries is considered the color of Islam.

Symbols from different countries around the world may have different meanings.

National symbols countries of the world are sometimes very unusual. Let's take flags for example. All of them have the shape of a rectangle on which symbols of different countries of the world are depicted. But there are exceptions. We bring to your attention the most interesting of them in form and content.

• The shape of the flag of the state of Nepal is pentagonal. But many people call it a “half-tree”. At the top of the flag there is a drawing of the sun, and at the bottom - the moon. The combination of these symbols suggests that the country will live and prosper forever, just as these heavenly bodies are eternal.
• The flag of Switzerland is shaped like a square. There is a large white cross painted on the red fabric. The flag of the International Committee of the Red Cross is its descendant, only in this case the cross is red and the fabric is white.
• The Vatican flag is also square. The base is two identical stripes of yellow and white, the last one depicts the country’s coat of arms - two keys to Paradise and Rome, and above them -
• The flag of Portugal features an astronomical instrument. It is a symbol of the country's geographical discoveries.
• The Angkor Wat temple is depicted on This is also a kind of sign of uniqueness, because usually the symbols of the countries of the world do not contain images of religious buildings.
• Russia's modern weapon, the Kalashnikov assault rifle, adorns the flag of Mozambique. There are no such paintings anywhere else.
• The coat of arms with the image of a chessboard distinguishes Croatia. On the red, white and blue stripes of the flag we can see the favorite symbol of chess players from all over the world.
• The outline of Cyprus can be seen not only on geographical maps, but also on the white flag of the state of the same name.
• A beautiful spectacle of the starry sky appears before our eyes on the flag of Brazil. All of it, of course, did not fit, only a part: 27 stars, according to the number of states in the country.
• At first glance, there is nothing unusual about the Norwegian flag. But this is a misleading impression. Part of this flag was painted by... a child.
• does not use any signs on its cloth. The green flag represents the state religion of the country - Islam.

History of the creation of the coat of arms

Symbols of countries of the world have rich history, rooted in ancient times. The tradition of creating a coat of arms begins with totems. This word means "kind". The Indians were the first to use totems. Each tribe chose an animal or plant, the image of which was applied to fabric, personal items, and sometimes even to the human body. By these signs it was possible to determine belonging to a particular tribe.

The Crusades and jousts in Western Europe contributed to the widespread use of coats of arms. They acted primarily as identification marks. In one of the poems by Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak there are the following lines:

This was the ancient custom -
So that from state emblems
The animal face threatened the neighbors
Bare all your teeth.

The first coat of arms of Russia also depicted a bird of prey - a double-headed eagle. This image is still present on it.

Animals on the coats of arms of the world

Since ancient times, people have treated them with great respect. Animals were idolized and worshiped. The images were present on dishes, clothes, and weapons. They were believed to bring good luck and prosperity.

Animal symbols of the countries of the world are quite diverse:

• Lion is one of the oldest and most popular images. Represents strength, fearlessness, agility. The symbol can be found on the coats of arms of Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Spain, Bulgaria, India and others.
• Kangaroo - lives in Australia, therefore it occupies an honorable place on the coat of arms of this country. Symbolizes forward movement, since these animals do not jump back.
• The image of a cow is on the coat of arms of Andorra.
• The leopard symbolizes perseverance, courage, courage. Can be seen on the coat of arms. Here you can read the motto of this country: "Brotherhood. Justice. Labor."
• The antelope is present on the coat of arms of the state of Zimbabwe.

Symbols of countries around the world can be expressed not only with the help of animals. Some coats of arms contain images of plants, objects, natural phenomena, and fruits.

Flowers-symbols of countries of the world

The world of plants is amazing and wonderful. Each country, as a rule, has its own flower. His image is even present on some coats of arms:

• Great Britain - rose, clover and thistle.
• Mexico, Malta - cactus.
• Guyana - water lily.
• Antigua and Barbuda - red hibiscus.

Similar symbols of countries around the world (plants and trees) can also be found on coats of arms.

• Peru - laurel branch.
• The Bahamas, Haiti, Cuba, Dominican Republic and many other countries are palm trees.
• Australia - eucalyptus.
• Jamaica, Antigua, Barbuda - pineapple.
• Armenia, Georgia, Moldova, Turkmenistan - grapes.

The most exotic coat of arms of the world

The state of Dominica is located on an island in the Caribbean Sea. The coat of arms of this country is called the most exotic. Judge for yourself. The blue and yellow shield is held by two sisseru parrots. Above them is an image of a roaring lion. The shield is divided into four parts.

Each of them contains a specific symbol.

• Boat with a sail - indicates a position in the Caribbean Sea.
• Banana is one of the main agricultural crops of the country.
• The coconut palm on the island symbolizes the highest point - the extinct Diabloten volcano, 1447 m).
• The Dominican mountain frog is an endemic animal found only on the islands of Dominica and Montserrat.

At the bottom of the coat of arms there is a ribbon with the country’s motto: “After God (the main thing) is the earth.”

1. The main solemn song of the Russian Empire is “God Save the Tsar!” and "God Save the Queen!" Britain were very similar. The fact is that the words of the Russian anthem were set to British music. Only more than ten years later another version was written. This time the music was by a Russian composer.
2. The longest anthem in the world is Greek. Officially it only consists of two verses, but when it was written there were over a hundred verses. A short version is played at the opening and closing of the Olympic Games.
3. The Armenian anthem is based on the poem "Song of an Italian Girl".
4. At one of the international tournaments, an athlete from Kazakhstan took first place. During the award ceremony, instead of the anthem, a song from the film was played, since it was the song that appeared in the search engine next to the real anthem of Kazakhstan.
5. During the Great Patriotic War In Norway, Nazis burst into the Philharmonic Hall. They were going to seize one of the violinists, who was of Jewish origin. The musicians began to play the Norwegian anthem, and this gave him the opportunity to escape.

Unofficial symbols representing different countries

In addition to official symbols, each state has its own distinctive signs and signs. Among them are artistic symbols of countries around the world. Let's remember the most famous:

• In Russia - samovar, birch, Red Square, Kremlin.
• In the United States of America - the Statue of Liberty.
• In Great Britain - Big Ben.
• In France - the Eiffel Tower.
• In Japan - sakura.
• In Egypt there are pyramids.

In addition, there are animal symbols of the countries of the world. Some of them:

• Australia - kangaroo.
• Great Britain is a lion.
• Russia is a brown bear.
• Holland is a cow.
• India is a tiger.
• China - panda.
• Canada - beaver.
• Mongolia is a horse.
• Thailand is an elephant.
• New Zealand - kiwi bird.
• Germany is an eagle.

State symbols of the countries of the world and other signs emphasize the uniqueness of each state. While respecting the traditions and customs of other peoples, it is necessary to know their symbolism.

Symbols are the most international and timeless language. We see them every day and roughly know what they mean. However, during the course of their thousand-year history, symbols could change their meaning to the opposite.

Yin Yang

Appearance time: According to the famous Russian orientalist, Dr. historical sciences Alexei Maslov, yin-yang symbolism may have been borrowed by Taoists from Buddhists in the 1st-3rd centuries: “they were attracted by Buddhist drawn symbolism - and Taoism developed its own “mandala”: the famous black and white “fish” of yin and yang.”

Where was it used?: The concept of Yin-Yang is key to Taoism and Confucianism, the doctrine of Yin-Yang is one of the foundations of traditional Chinese medicine.

Values: In the Book of Changes, yang and yin served to express light and dark, hard and soft. As Chinese philosophy developed, yang and yin increasingly symbolized the interaction of extreme opposites: light and dark, day and night, sun and moon, sky and earth, heat and cold, positive and negative, even and odd, and so on.

Initially, “yin” meant “northern, shadowy”, and “yang” meant “southern, sunny slope of the mountain.” Later, “yin” was perceived as negative, cold, dark and feminine, and “yang” as positive, light, warm and masculine.

Being the basic (fundamental) model of all things, the concept of yin-yang reveals two provisions that explain the nature of Tao. First of all, everything is constantly changing. Secondly, opposites complement each other (there cannot be black without white, and vice versa). Purpose human existence, therefore, is the balance and harmony of opposites. There can be no “final victory”, because nothing is final, there is no end as such

Magen David

Appearance time: It is reliably known that the hexagram was widely used back in the Bronze Age (late 4th - early 3rd millennium BC) over a vast territory: from India to the Middle East.

Where was it used?: In Ancient India, the hexagram was called Anahata or Anahata chakra. The six-pointed star was known in the ancient Near and Middle East. In the Islamic tradition, in Mecca, the main Muslim shrine - the Kaaba - is traditionally covered with a silk blanket on which hexagonal stars are depicted.
The six-pointed star began to be associated with Jewry only in the Middle Ages, and in medieval Arabic books the hexagram is found much more often than in Jewish mystical works, and for the first time images of the hexagram appear in Jewish holy books precisely in Muslim countries, only reaching Germany in the 13th century. The six-pointed star is found on the flags of the Muslim states of Karaman and Kandara.

There is an assumption that the hexagram was the family symbol of the family of David al-Roi, who lived in Iran, one of the contenders for the role of Moshiach. This is sometimes used to explain the origin of the accepted name for the hexagram: Magen David, or “shield of David.”

The Rothschild family, having received the title of nobility, included Magen David in their family coat of arms. Heinrich Heine put a hexagram instead of a signature under his newspaper articles. It was subsequently adopted as a symbol of the Zionist movement.

Values: In India, the Anahata hexagram symbolized the attic chakra, the intersection of the masculine (Shiva) and feminine (Shakti) principles. In the Middle and Near East, the hexagram was a symbol of the goddess Astarte. The six-pointed star is included in the symbolism of Kabbalah: two triangles superimposed on each other are considered as a visual symbol of the sefirot.

In the twenties of the twentieth century, Franz Rosenzweig interpreted the Magen David as a symbolic expression of his philosophical ideas about the meaning of Judaism and the relationship between G-d, man and the universe.

The connection of the six-pointed star with the Jews was finally established as a result of Nazi policies in Germany. The yellow Magen David became a symbol of the Holocaust.

Caduceus

Appearance time: The exact time of appearance of the caduceus is unknown. Obviously this is a very ancient symbol. It is also found on the monuments of Ancient India and Ancient Egypt, Phenicia and Sumer, Ancient Greece, Iran, Rome and even Mesoamerica.

Where was it used?: The caduceus is still one of the most common symbols in heraldry. In the form of a caduceus there was a staff of heralds among the Greeks and Romans (the rod of Hermes). When they were sent to an enemy camp, the caduceus was a guarantee of their immunity.

In occultism, the caduceus is considered a symbol of the key that opens the limit between darkness and light, good and evil, life and death.

Since the 19th century, the image of the caduceus has often been used in a number of countries (for example, in the USA) as a symbol of medicine, which is the result of a common mistake due to its resemblance to the staff of Asclepius.

The image of the caduceus as an attribute of the god of trade is traditionally used in the symbolism of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of a number of countries around the world, including Russia.
Before the revolution and for several periods after it, crossed caduceus were used as a customs emblem.

Today, a caduceus crossed with a torch is part of the emblem of the Federal Customs Service and is one of the heraldic symbols of arbitration courts, the Federal Tax Service of the Russian Federation and the State Tax Service of Ukraine. Since September 2007, the caduceus has been used in the emblem of the Russian Federal Compulsory Medical Insurance Fund.
In heraldry, the caduceus was used in the historical coats of arms of the following cities of the Russian Empire: Balta, Verkhneudinsk, Yeniseisk, Irbit, Nezhin, Taganrog, Telshev, Tiflis, Ulan-Ude, Feodosia, Kharkov, Berdichev, Talny.

Meaning: The core of the caduceus is symbolically associated with the tree of life, the axis of the world, and the snake - with the cyclical rebirth of Nature, with the restoration of the universal Order when it is disturbed.

Snakes on the caduceus indicate the hidden dynamics in what is outwardly stable, symbolize two multidirectional flows (up and down), the connection of heaven and earth, God and man (the wings on the caduceus also indicate the connection of heaven and earth, spiritual and material) - everything that is born on earth comes from heaven and, after going through the path of trials and suffering, gaining life experience, must rise to heaven.

It is said about Mercury that with his staff - which has since been considered a symbol of peace and harmony - he separated two fighting snakes. Fighting snakes are disorder, chaos, they need to be separated, that is, distinguished, see opposites and unite, overcome them. Then, having united, they will balance the Axis of the World, and around it, Cosmos and harmony will be created from Chaos. The truth is one, and to come to it, you need to follow a straight path, which is symbolized by the axis of the caduceus.

The Caduceus in the Vedic tradition is also interpreted as a symbol of the Serpent Fire, or Kundalini. Wrapping around the central axis, the snakes connect at seven points and are connected to the chakras. Kundalini, the Snake Fire, sleeps in the base chakra, and when it wakes up as a result of evolution, it ascends along the spine along three paths: the central one, Shusumna, and two lateral ones, which form two intersecting spirals - Pingala (this is the right, male and active spiral) and Ide (left, feminine and passive).

Chrism

Appearance time: It is not known for certain, but researchers suggest that even during the life of the apostles, that is, in the 1st century. This symbol has been found in Christian tombs since the 3rd century AD.

Where was it used?: The most famous use of the symbol is on the labarum, the state banner of imperial Rome. The symbol was first introduced by Emperor Constantine the Great after he saw the sign of the cross in the sky on the eve of the Battle of the Milvian Bridge (312).

Constantine's labarum had a chrism at the end of the shaft, and on the panel itself there was an inscription: lat. “Hoc vince” (slav. “With this win”, lit. “With this win”). The first mention of labarum is found in Lactantius (d. c. 320).

Values: Chrisma is a monogram of the name of Christ, which consists of two initial Greek letters of the name (Greek ΧΡΙΣΤΌΣ) - Χ (chi) and Ρ (rho), crossed with each other. The Greek letters α and ω are often placed along the edges of the monogram. They go back to the text of the Apocalypse: “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

A number of later researchers discerned in the letters P and X, enclosed in a circle, an ancient pagan symbol of the Sun. For this reason, Protestants generally do not recognize the labarum as an original Christian symbol.

Appearance time: The symbol itself appeared during the formation of the Devanagari syllabic alphabet (“divine city letter”), that is, in the 8th-12th centuries.

Where was it used?: “Om” as a symbol denoting the sacred sound “Om” is used in Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and yogic practices. Currently, “Om” has already become a part of pop culture; it is applied as a print on clothes and tattooed. “Om” is depicted on George Harrison’s albums, the “Om” mantra is heard in the chorus of the group’s composition The Beatles"Across the Universe" and on the soundtrack to the film "The Matrix" in the composition Juno Reactor "Navras"

Values: In the Hindu and Vedic traditions, “Om” is a sacred sound, the primordial mantra, “word of power.” Often interpreted as a symbol of the divine triad of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
In Hinduism, “Om” symbolizes the three sacred texts of the Vedas: Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Samaveda, and is itself an originally sacred mantra, symbolizing Brahman. Its three components (A, U, M) traditionally symbolize Creation, Maintenance and Destruction - categories of the cosmogony of the Vedas and Hinduism.

In Buddhism, the three sounds of the word "Om" can represent the Body, Speech and Mind of the Buddha, the Three Bodies of the Buddha (Dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya) and the three jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha). However, Buddhologist Evgeny Torchinov noted that the syllable “Om” and similar syllables (“hum”, “ah”, “hri”, “e-ma-ho”) “do not have any dictionary meaning” and pointed out that these syllables, unlike from other syllables of mantras represent “sacred untranslatability” in the Mahayana tradition.

Ichthys

Time and place of origin: Images of the acronym ΙΧΘΥΣ (from the Greek Jesus Christ the Son of God the Savior) or the fish symbolizing it first appear in the Roman catacombs in the 2nd century. About widespread use of this symbol evidenced by the mention of him in Tertullian in beginning of III century: “We are little fish, led by our ikhthus, we are born in water and can only be saved by being in water.”

Where was it used?: The acronym Ichthys began to be used by the first Christians, since images of Christ were unacceptable due to persecution.

Values: The symbolism of fish was associated in the New Testament with the preaching of the apostles, some of whom were fishermen. Jesus Christ in the Gospel of Matthew called his disciples “fishers of men,” and likened the Kingdom of Heaven to “a net thrown into the sea and capturing fish of all kinds.” Ichthys was also associated with Alpha from the words of Jesus Christ: “I Am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”

At the end of the 20th century, ichthys became a popular symbol among Protestants in different countries, and opponents of creationism began to parody this sign by sticking a fish sign with the word “Darwin” and small legs on their cars.

Cup of Hygeia

Time and place of origin: Ancient Greece. III-I millennium BC

Where was it used?: Hygeia in Greek mythology was the goddess of health, daughter or wife of the god of healing, Asclepius. The word “hygiene” comes from her name. She was often depicted as a young woman feeding a snake from a vial. The snake was also a symbol of the goddess Athena in Greek mythology, who was often depicted as Hygeia and vice versa.

Values: In Ancient Greece, Hygeia personified the principle just war for health as light and harmony on all planes. And if Asclepius began to act when order was disrupted, then Hygieia maintained the order-law that reigned initially.

The snake in ancient traditions symbolized death and immortality, good and evil. They were personified by her forked tongue, the poisonousness of her bites, along with the healing effect of the poison, and the ability to hypnotize small animals and birds.

The snake was depicted on the first aid kit of a Roman military doctor. In the Middle Ages, the combination of images of a snake and a bowl on the emblem was used by pharmacists Italian city Padua, and later this private pharmaceutical symbol turned into a generally accepted medical sign.

The bowl with the snake is still considered a symbol of medicine and pharmacy in our time. However, in the history of medicine in different countries, a snake entwined around a staff was more often considered the emblem of healing. This image was adopted by the WHO at the UN at the First World Assembly in Geneva in 1948. Then the international health emblem was approved, in the center of which a staff entwined with a snake is placed.

Rose of Wind

Date of origin: The first mention was in 1300 AD, but scientists are sure that the symbol is older.
Where was it used?: Initially, the compass rose was used by sailors of the Northern Hemisphere.
Meaning: The wind rose is a vector symbol invented in the Middle Ages to help sailors. The compass rose or compass rose also symbolizes the four cardinal directions along with the intermediate directions. Thus, she shares the symbolic meaning of the circle, center, cross and rays of the solar wheel. In the 18th – 20th centuries, sailors got tattoos depicting a compass rose as a talisman. They believed that such a talisman would help them return home. Nowadays, the wind rose is perceived as a symbol of a guiding star.

8 spoke wheel

Date of origin: around 2000 BC
Where was it used?: Egypt, Middle East, Asia.
Meaning: The wheel is a symbol of the sun, a symbol of cosmic energy. In almost all pagan cults, the wheel was an attribute of the solar gods; it symbolized life cycle, constant rebirth and renewal.
In modern Hinduism, the wheel signifies infinite perfect completion. In Buddhism, the wheel symbolizes the eightfold path of salvation, space, the wheel of samsara, the symmetry and perfection of dharma, the dynamics of peaceful change, time and fate.
There is also the concept of “wheel of fortune,” which means a series of ups and downs and the unpredictability of fate. In Germany in the Middle Ages, a wheel with 8 spokes was associated with Achtwen, a magical rune spell. In Dante's time, the Wheel of Fortune was depicted with 8 spokes on opposite sides. human life, periodically repeated: poverty-wealth, war-peace, obscurity-glory, patience-passion. The Wheel of Fortune is included in the Major Arcana of the Tarot, often along with the ascending and falling figures, like the wheel described by Boethius. The Wheel of Fortune Tarot card continues to depict these figures.

Ouroboros

Date of origin: The first images of the ouroboros date back to 4200 BC, but historians believe that the symbol itself arose much earlier.
Where was it used?: Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Mesoamerica, Scandinavia, India, China.
Meaning: Ouroboros is a snake devouring its own tail, a symbol of eternity and infinity, as well as the cyclical nature of life, the alternation of life and death. This is exactly how ouroboros was perceived in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece.

In Christianity, the symbol changed its meaning, since in the Old Testament the snake symbolized evil. Thus, the ancient Jews established an equal sign between the ouroboros and the serpent from the Bible. In Gnosticism, the ouroboros represents both good and evil.

Hammer and sickle

Date of origin: in state heraldry - 1918.
Where was it used?: USSR and various communist parties of the world
Meaning: The hammer has been a craft emblem since the Middle Ages. In the second half of the 19th century, the hammer became a symbol of the European proletariat. In Russian heraldry, the sickle meant harvest and harvest, and was often used in the coats of arms of various cities. But since 1918, these two signs have been combined into one, acquiring a new meaning. The hammer and sickle became a symbol of the ruling working class, the union of workers and peasants.

The moment of creation of the symbol was described as follows by Sergei Gerasimov, author famous painting"Mother of a Partisan": " Standing nearby Evgeny Kamzolkin with me, thoughtfully, said: “What if we try such symbolism?” - At the same time, he began to walk on the canvas. - Draw a sickle like this - it will be the peasantry, and inside the hammer - it will be the working class.

The hammer and sickle was sent from Zamoskvorechye to the Mossovet on the same day, and there they rejected all other sketches: a hammer with an anvil, a plow with a sword, a scythe with a wrench. Then this symbol was transferred to the state emblem of the Soviet Union, and the artist’s name was forgotten on long years. They remembered him only in the post-war period. Evgeny Kamzolkin lived quiet life in Pushkino and did not claim royalties for such a highly quoted symbol.

Lily

Date of origin: The lily has been used in heraldry since 496 AD.
Where was it used?: European countries, especially France.
Meaning: According to legend, the king of the Franks, Clovis, was given a golden lily by an angel after he converted to Christianity. But lilies became an object of veneration much earlier. The Egyptians considered them a symbol of purity and innocence. In Germany they believed that the lily symbolizes afterlife and atonement for sins. In Europe, before the Renaissance, the lily was a sign of mercy, justice and compassion. She was considered a royal flower. Today the lily is an established sign in heraldry.
Recent research has shown that the fleur-de-lis, in its classic form, is actually a stylized image of an iris.

Crescent

Date of origin: approximately 3500 BC
Where was it used?: The crescent moon was an attribute of almost all lunar deities. It was widespread in Egypt, Greece, Sumer, India, and Byzantium. After the conquest of Constantinople by the Muslims, the crescent became strongly associated with Islam.
Meaning: In many religions, the crescent moon symbolizes constant rebirth and immortality. Christians revered the crescent moon as a sign of the Virgin Mary, and in Western Asia they believed that the crescent moon was a sign of cosmic forces. In Hinduism, the crescent moon was considered a symbol of control over the mind, and in Islam - divine protection, growth and rebirth. A crescent moon with a star meant heaven.

Double headed eagle

Date of origin: 4000-3000 BC
Where was it used?: Sumer, Hittite kingdom, Eurasia.
Meaning: In Sumer, the double-headed eagle had religious significance. He was a solar symbol - one of the images of the sun. From about the 13th century BC. e. the double-headed eagle was used as a coat of arms by various countries and principalities. The double-headed eagle was minted on coins of the Golden Horde; in Byzantium it was a symbol of the Palaiologan dynasty, which ruled from 1261 to 1453. The double-headed eagle was depicted on the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire. To this day, this symbol is the central image of the coats of arms of many countries, including Russia.

Pentacle

Date of origin: The first images date back to 3500 BC.
Where was it used?: Since the ancient Sumerians, almost every civilization has used this sign
Meaning: The five-pointed star is considered a sign of protection. The Babylonians used it as a talisman against thieves, the Jews associated the five-pointed star with five wounds on the body of Christ, and the magicians medieval Europe The pentacle was known as the “seal of King Solomon.” The star is still actively used both in religion and in the symbolism of different countries.

Swastika

Date of origin: The first images date back to 8000 BC.
Where was it used?: In Eastern Europe, Western Siberia, Central Asia, in the Caucasus, in pre-Columbian America. Extremely rare among Egyptians. Among the ancient monuments of Phenicia, Arabia, Syria, Assyria, Babylon, Sumer, Australia, and Oceania, the swastika was not found.
Meaning: The word “swastika” can be translated from Sanskrit as a greeting and wish for good luck. The swastika, as a symbol, has a great many meanings, but the most ancient of them are movement, life, Sun, light, prosperity.
Due to the fact that the swastika was used in fascist Germany, this symbol began to be strongly associated with Nazism, despite the original symbol of the sign.

All-seeing eye

Date of origin: 1510-1515 AD, but in pagan religions a symbol similar to the all-seeing eye appeared much earlier.

Where was it used?: Europe, Asia, Oceania, Ancient Egypt.
Meaning: The all-seeing eye is the sign of an all-seeing and all-knowing god who watches over humanity. In Ancient Egypt, an analogue All Seeing Eye was Wadjet (the eye of Horus or the eye of Ra), which symbolized various aspects of the divine structure of the world. The all-seeing eye, inscribed in a triangle, was a symbol of Freemasonry. Freemasons revered the number three as a symbol of the trinity, and the eye located in the center of the triangle symbolized the hidden truth.

Cross

Date of origin: approximately 4000 BC

Where was it used?: Egypt, Babylon, India, Syria, Persia, Egypt, North and South America. After the birth of Christianity, the cross spread throughout the world.

Meaning: In Ancient Egypt, the cross was considered a divine sign and symbolized life. In Assyria, a cross enclosed in a ring was a symbol of the Sun God. Residents of South America believed that the cross drove away evil spirits.

Since the 4th century, Christians adopted the cross, and its meaning has changed somewhat. IN modern world the cross is associated with death and resurrection, as well as with salvation and eternal life.

Anarchy

The combination “A in a circle” was used back in the 16th century by European alchemists under the influence of Kabbalistic magic as the first letters of the words: “Alpha and Omega,” the beginning and the end.

In modern tradition, it was first used in the Spanish section of the 1st International as a designation catchphrase the famous anarchist J. Proudhon “Anarchy is the mother of order” in capital letters “l’anarchie” and “l’ordre”.

Pacific

The famous symbol was developed in 1958 in Britain at the height of the anti- nuclear war as a combination of the semaphore alphabet symbols “N” and “D” (the first letters of the phrase “nuclear disarmament” - nuclear disarmament). Later it began to be used as a symbol of universal reconciliation and unity of mankind.

Card suits

In the classical (and most modern) French deck, the suit symbols were four signs - hearts, spades, diamonds, clubs, in the form in which they were widely used.

The oldest European deck, the Italian-Spanish one, passed down directly from the Arabs, depicted coins instead of diamonds, a sword instead of a pike, a cup instead of a red heart, and a club instead of a clover.

TO modern look suit signs came through gradual euphemization. Thus, tambourines designated money as metal rattles (tambourines used to be diamond-shaped), clover was previously an acorn, the shape of a spade resembled leaves, which was reflected in the German deck, and the cup underwent a complex evolution from the image of a rose to a heart. Each suit symbolized the feudal classes: merchants, peasants, knights and clergy, respectively.

16.Anchor

Appearance time: first centuries AD.

Where was it used?: Everyone knows the anchor symbol as a maritime emblem. However, in the first centuries new era the anchor was closely associated with Christianity. For early Christians, who saw in it the hidden form of a cross, the anchor personified the hope of salvation and caution, safety and strength.

In Christian iconography, the anchor, as an emblem of security, is the main attribute of St. Nicholas of Myra - patron saint of sailors. A different meaning should be attributed to the anchor of the semi-legendary Pope Clement (88?-97?). According to church tradition, during the period of persecution of Christians, the pagans hung an anchor around the pope's neck and drowned him in the sea. However, the sea waves soon parted, revealing the temple of God at the bottom. The body of the holy champion of the faith was allegedly discovered in this mythical underwater temple.
Values: There are several meanings for an anchor. The anchor is a sacred object to which sacrifices were made, because it was often the only salvation of sailors. On the coins of Greece, Syria, Carthage, Phenicia and Rome, the anchor was most often depicted as a symbol of hope.

In art Ancient Rome the anchor symbolized the joy of returning home after a long journey. On the graves of the 1st century, the image of an anchor was associated with the image of the church as a ship that carries souls across the stormy sea of ​​life.

The Apostle Paul, in his letter to the Hebrews, compared hope to a safe and strong anchor. The Greek word "ankura" (anchor) was associated with Latin expression“en kurio,” that is, “in the Lord.”
IN fine arts The Renaissance anchor also signifies the attribute of hope. Particularly popular in Renaissance painting was the allegorical emblem, which depicts a dolphin with an anchor. The dolphin symbolized speed, and the anchor symbolized restraint. At the bottom of the emblem there was an inscription: “hurry slowly”

Olympic rings

Appearance time: The Olympic emblem was first introduced in 1920 at the Eighth Summer Olympics in Antwerp.
Where is it used?: One of the most recognizable symbols in the whole world consists of five rings; the uniqueness of the emblem lies in the simplicity of its execution. The rings are arranged in a W-shape, the colors are arranged in in strict order: blue, black, red, yellow and green.
What were the meanings: There are several theories about the origin and interpretation of the Olympic Games emblem. The first and main version says that the Olympic rings symbolically depict the unity of the five continents, which was invented by Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1913.

Before 1951, it was believed that each color corresponded to a different continent. Europe was designated in blue, Africa in black, America in red, Asia in yellow, and Australia in green, but in 1951 they decided to move away from this distribution of colors in order to move away from racial discrimination.

Another version says that the idea of ​​five different colored rings was taken from Carl Jung. During his fascination with Chinese philosophy, he connected a circle (a symbol of greatness and vital energy) with five colors reflecting types of energies (water, wood, fire, earth and metal).

In 1912, a psychologist introduced new image Olympic competitions, because in his opinion every participant olympic games had to master each of the five sports - swimming (water - Blue colour), fencing (fire - red), cross-country running (earth - yellow), equestrianism (wood - green) and shooting (metal - black)
Five rings emblem hides deep meaning, which reveals the essence of sport. It contains the idea of ​​popularizing the Olympic movement, equality of rights for each participating country, fair treatment of athletes, and healthy competition.

Compass and Square

Appearance time: Henry Wilson Coyle in the Masonic Encyclopedia states that the Compass and Square in an interlaced form appeared on the seal of the Aberdeen Lodge in 1762.
Where is it used?: Using a compass and square, you can draw a circle inscribed in a square, and this is a reference to Euclid's seventh problem, squaring the circle. But you should not assume that the Compass and Square necessarily refer you to a mathematical problem; rather, they symbolize a person’s desire to achieve harmony between spiritual and physical nature.
Values: In this emblem, the Compass represents the firmament and the Square represents the Earth. The sky is symbolically associated with the place where the Great Builder of the Universe draws his plan, and the Earth is the place where man carries out his work. The Compass combined with the Square is one of the most common symbols of Freemasonry.

If everything is clear with the name, then the origin of the $ icon still remains a mystery. The following version is considered to be the most similar to the truth: the Spanish abbreviation “P"s”, which once denoted the currency of Spain, the peso. The letter P supposedly retained a vertical line, this made it possible to increase the recording speed, and the letter S remained unchanged. There is also a conspiracy theory, according to which two features are the Pillars of Hercules.

Mars and Venus

Appearance time: Famous sign Mars ♂ and Venus ♀, borrowed from astrology, was introduced into use by the botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1751 to designate the sex of plants. From now on, these two symbols are called gender symbols.
Where is it used?: The Venus symbol ♀ denotes the feminine principle and is used to denote a woman, the female gender. Accordingly, the symbol of Mars ♂ represents the masculine principle.
What are the meanings: The first symbols of Mars and Venus appeared in antiquity. The female sign of Venus is depicted as a circle with a cross pointing downwards. Called the “Mirror of Venus,” this sign symbolizes femininity, beauty and love. Male sign Mars is depicted as a circle with an arrow pointing up and to the right. Mars means the power of the god of war, this symbol is also called the “shield and spear of Mars.” The combined symbols of Venus and Mars mean heterosexuality, love between representatives of different sexes.

National flag

On March 12, 1806, even before the start of the general struggle for independence from the Spanish crown, Francisco Miranda, one of the pioneers of the fight against the Spaniards, together with other like-minded people, for the first time adopted a flag with the colors shown as a banner. Although the banner under which the patriots opposed the colonialists changed several times - after independence, Simon Bolivar adopted a flag for the Republic of New Granada that was very similar to the one shown here. After the breakup of the country into Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador, the same colors on the national banners of the three countries remained.

In Colombia, this flag was finally approved as the official national flag by the adoption of the relevant law on May 17, 1924.

The meaning of each of the three colors of the flag is as follows: yellow symbolizes wheat and gold. Wheat for baking bread is the basis of national food, gold is the wealth of the country, giving it power, and the sun is a symbol of prosperous life; the blue color symbolizes the country's waters - seas, rivers and lakes, of which Colombia is rich, as well as clear skies; red is a reminder of how much blood of patriots was shed in the struggle for independence.

According to the law, the national flag must be displayed on every public or private house on national holidays— July 20 and August 7. The national flag, like other national symbols, should be treated with respect. Any insult to national symbols may be punishable by law.

National emblem

The National Coat of Arms of Colombia is probably the earliest adopted national symbol.

The coat of arms was approved as a national symbol on May 9, 1834, shortly after the country's liberation from Spanish colonialism.

At that time, the republic was called New Granada, as recalled by the open pomegranate at the top of the coat of arms. On its sides there are two golden horns, symbolizing the wealth of the country: gold pours from one, and all kinds of fruits of the earth from the other. The middle part is occupied by a red cap, worn on a spear, as a symbol of the patriots’ struggle for freedom. In the lower part, two ships are shown: in the Caribbean Sea and in the Pacific Ocean, symbolizing the benefit of the strategic position of the country, which has access to two oceans. Above the coat of arms is an Andean condor with open wings and a wreath of laurel, as a symbol of the freedom that should reign in the country. Below the condor flutters a gold ribbon on which are written the words “Liberty and Order.” The coat of arms is surrounded by four national flags, symbolizing the natural regions into which the country is conventionally divided.

National flower

Colombia is home to the largest number of orchid species in the world; More than 3,500 species have been recognized by botanists, but Cattleya Trianae is one of the most common species and grows exclusively in this country. This orchid bears its name in honor of the Colombian botanist José Jerónimo Triana, who dedicated most my life studying these amazing plants.

In 1936, the Columbia Academy of History nominated Cattleya Trianae as the country's national plant symbol.

National animal symbol

Although it has not yet been officially adopted as a national symbol, the Andean condor has been present in most versions of the national emblem of Colombia since the last century, incl. and in the present. The Andean Condor is the largest and most majestic bird that crosses the skies of the Andes. Its wingspan can reach three meters, its weight reaches 12 kilograms. Its power and strength are enormous; it can fly up to 200 leagues in a day. The condor rises into the sky only on sunny days, and its smooth, soaring flight delights everyone who gets to witness this unique spectacle. The plumage of its body has a shiny black color, and when light is reflected it gives a bluish tint; white feathers are visible on the neck. For all this he was given the nickname - the eternal bird. Inhabits the highest and most inaccessible altitudes of the Andean Cordillera.