Ancient Symbols And Their Meanings

In this section of our site, you will find our extensive list of ancient symbols along with their short descriptions as well as individual articles on all of them. Let us get right into it, here is our detailed article on ancient symbols, their meanings and origins.

Ouroboros, The Infinity Symbol Also Known As The Snake Eating Its Tail

Ouroboros, the serpent/the snake eating its tail is one of the most prominent ancient symbols that can be found in the history of several cultures across the world.

From the Aztecs of North America, to Greeks, ancient Egyptians, Mithraists in the Middle East and the Chinese in the Far East, ouroboros symbol has been used widely by many civilizations in the four corners of the world.

The earliest documented use of the ouroboros symbol dates back to the 13th century BC, Egypt. It is a symbol of rebirth, renewal of life through death and the interconnected nature of all things in the universe.

In the Chrysopoeia of Cleopatra, the work by the Greek alchemist Cleopatra, ouroboros symbol is drawn alongside the phrase ‘ἕν τὸ πᾶν’ (latinized as hen to pān) meaning “all is one”.

In that sense, the ouroboros represents how everything in the universe is connected to each other and how everything comes and goes back to nature and becomes one with it again through death.

The unbroken circle formed with the snake eating/biting its own tail surely adds to the symbolism of universal unity behind the ouroboros.

The snake eating its tail is also a symbol of rebirth and renewal through death. The serpent devours its tail to renew itself. Snakes shed their old skin to make place for the new ones they are growing, for their new life, in a sense.

This makes ouroboros a symbol of eternal life and infinity. Probably, that is how the mathematical symbol of infinity came to be inspired by the ouroboros symbol.

Jormungandr, the famous giant serpent in Norse mythology encircling Midgard (the earth) and biting its tail, is closely associated with ouroboros.

Mithra, an ancient deity in the Middle East who was reborn according to the belief, has been depicted with an ouroboros around his waist or his body in several artworks.

In Hindu artworks of the old times, the tortoise, which was believed to carry the world on top of it, was depicted with an ouroboros around it sometimes.

Aztecs sometimes depicted Quetzalcoatl, the god of wisdom, light, life and winds also known as “the precious serpent” and “the feathered serpent”, as a snake eating its tail.

Chinese people sometimes used it as a symbol of unity as unity, in general, and the union of two opposites are important concepts in ancient Chinese culture.

On a side note, in alchemy, ouroboros was mostly used as a purifying glyph.

Lotus Flower

Holding special importance for the old religions of the East like Buddhism and Hinduism, the lotus flower is another ancient symbol that made its way into the history of several cultures.

In Buddhism, lotus flowers, which are considered Buddha’s earthly symbols, are revered as they symbolize ‘the journey’ to reach the ultimate state of enlightenment called nirvana as well as the nirvana state itself.

A lotus flower with its petals closed or just starting to open up represents a person who is just about to start his journey to enlightenment while a lotus flower in full bloom symbolizes a person who has reached that state.

One of the core tenets of Buddhism suggests that one has to go through many cycles of death and rebirth (called samsara) while also overcoming many obstacles in life to reach nirvana.

Lotus flower rising out of dark and muddy waters to reach light every day before retracting back into water at night is the perfect symbol to represent a Buddhist person’s everyday struggles to become enlightened.

This natural process is also what made the lotus flowers one of the most prominent symbols of strength and perseverance in the world.

Similar to this belief in Buddhism, Hindus believe that a lotus flower opening up its petals represents a person reaching a deeper state of mind and expanding his soul.

Hindus also believe every person carries a piece of the Sacred Lotus Padme as a part of their souls.

That said, the Far East was not the only place where lotus flowers were considered important. Ancient Egyptians also revered the symbol as they believed it represented the sun and the Sun God, the highest power in the universe according to their faith.

In some of the hieroglyphics, the Sun God is depicted rising out of the primordial water, the endless ocean called Nun on a lotus flower.

It was also a symbol of rebirth and reincarnation for ancient Egyptians. The Egyptian book of the dead contains some spells that turn a person into a lotus flower to be resurrected.

The All-seeing Eye/The Eye of Providence

The next item on our list of ancient symbols is the all-seeing eye also known by several other names such as the eye of providence, the watchful eye, the eye of God and the eye of Lucifer/Satan.

The symbol mainly represents God’s ability to be everywhere (omnipresence) and to see and know everything (omniscience). It is sometimes depicted inside a pyramid and this pyramid represents the Holy Trinity according to some Christians.

The reason it is called the eye of providence is because it was the symbol of God’s divine protection and guidance.

From dollar bills of the United States to the documents of French Revolution and Freemasonry, the symbol has been used by many societies for different purposes over the course of history.

Today, with conspiracy theories involving organizations like Illuminati, the all-seeing eye is one of the most famous occult symbols in popular culture.

Sun Cross/Solar Cross

With its first document use dating back to 7000 BC, the sun cross is another symbol that was used by people of various civilizations in ancient times.

While it represented the sun for pagans, it was also revered by Egyptians, Indians, Native Americans and Persians. Today, in Wicca, it is the symbol representing the sun and four seasons of the year.

Swastika

You might be surprised to see swastika in this list, but we assure you it is here for a reason.

Although it is mostly associated with the Nazis and the unfortunate deeds done by them, swastika is, in fact, an ancient symbol of good luck and well being that has been commonly used in the traditions of old Asian religions.

It is featured heavily in Jainist, Hindu and Buddhist symbolism and the earliest uses of the symbol is estimated to be at least 5000 years before the time of the Nazis who adopted it for their own purposes.

The ancient Sanskrit language used the symbol to denote ‘well-being’ while in Thailand it was used as a symbol for salutation.

It was a part of both Chinese and Japanese writing systems and was also used to mark the locations of Buddhist temples on maps.

Swastikas were used in both singular form and as patterns on ancient Greek artworks, architecture, clothing and currency.

In the early 20th century, it was adopted by the Nazi party and used on its official flag, thus unfortunately associating the symbol with negative and evil connotations in a way that is not going to be forgotten for a long time.

Ankh, The Ancient Egyptian Symbol of Life

Ankh, also known as the crux ansata, the cross with a handle and the Key of the Nile, is the Egyptian symbol of eternal life and fertility.

The earliest documented use of the ankh dates back to the 30th century BC, to the time of the First Dynasty of Egypt.

Later, during the Christianization of Egypt in the 4th and 5th centuries, the symbol was adopted by Christians and they started to use it as a variation of the Christian cross.

Ankhs were placed in the tombs of dead people with the belief that it would ensure their souls to be carried to the afterlife, that is to say, to where they will have eternal life.

Some hieroglyphics feature ankhs being fed to kings which is interpreted as a ritual of giving life to them.

On the other hand, some hieroglyphics feature kings being washed with ankhs. Some experts suggest that this was meant to rejuvenate the king’s body/renew his life force.

Ankh is also known as a symbol of fertility because it is thought to be the combination of the Egyptian symbols for male and female. At the same time, it also represents the unity of the gods Osiris and Isis.

According to the belief, the river Nile flooded when Osiris and Isis got together and this brought fertility to Egypt. This is also the reason why the ankh is called the Key of the Nile.

Scarab Beetles

Associated with the sun god, Khepri, the scarab beetle is another symbol that hails from ancient Egypt.

Egyptians believed that Khepri was reborn every morning as a scarab beetle with wings and brought life to their lands.

Scarab beetles rolled balls of dung from which the young ones hatched out. Egyptians believed this was an act of the beetle recreating itself, that is why scarabs were also considered symbols of rebirth.

They were worn as amulets to provide protection both in this life and the afterlife.

According to the belief, Maat decided whether or not a person was innocent and should move on to the afterlife after judging his soul. Scarabs were placed over the hearts of mummies in order to help convince Maat to let that person carry on living in the afterlife.

Phoenix, The Fire Bird

Phoenix is the mythical bird of fire that is believed to be reborn from its ashes following its death.

There is no solid proof as to the exact origins of the legend, but it is mostly associated with the Greek mythology.

According to the legend, Phoenix is a bird of feathers in fiery colors which lives between 500 to 1000 years. It bursts into flames when it finally dies and from the ashes of that fire, it is reborn into this world. Some variations of the myth suggest that the bird that is reborn from the ashes is not the one that dies but another Phoenix.

It is associated with the mythical bird god in ancient Egypt, Bennu who was actually the god of rebirth (life and the sun). Whether or not the legend of Phoenix was inspired by Bennu or vice versa is a matter of dispute among experts.

In general, the Phoenix is a very popular symbol of rebirth and reincarnation across the cultures around the world.

The Eye of Horus

Being one of the most prominent symbols of the culture, the eye of Horus is the ancient Egyptian symbol for protection and sacrifice.

Although there are several legends regarding the origin of the eye of Horus symbol (and also different variations of those myths), according to one of the most common myths, Set killed his brother Osiris who was the father of Horus. Wanting to resurrect his father and protect his family, Horus sacrificed his left eye and ripped it out.

That is the reason why it is known as the symbol of sacrifice and protection. Sometimes also referred to as “the watchful eye”, the symbol is also used to ward off evil spirits.

It is also known as a pagan symbol as they adopted the eye of Horus and used it for the same purposes.

Pentagram, The Five-pointed Star

Derived from the Greek word πεντάγραμμον (latinized as pentagrammon), the word pentagram means ‘the one with five lines’ and today defines the symbol also known as the five-pointed star.

Although the symbol might be older than this, the earliest documented use of the pentagram symbol dates back to 4500 BC, Sumerians of Mesopotamia while ancient Greeks, Hindus, Buddhists, Jewish people and Europeans also used it from time to time.

Sumerians used the symbol to denote words like ‘room’, ‘angle’ and ‘nook’.

Pythagoras of Samos, the Ionian Greek philosopher of the ancient times believed the pentagram to be the symbol of perfection.

He called it pentalpha as he determined that the symbol was made of five letters of A combined in a perfectly geometrical manner. It is thought that Pythagoras and the symbolism attributed to the symbol was the reason why the pentagram shows up in Buddhist and Hindu texts.

For Jewish people, pentagram represented the five books of Pentateuch, the first of the Hebrew Scriptures. According to Jews, these scriptures are the representation of truth and that is why the pentagram was a symbol of truth for them.

The pentagram made its way into Christian faith, too. According to ancient Christians, it represented the Five Holy Wounds of Jesus Christ.

Pagan people used it as a protection symbol and while casting spells involving the elements as it represents the four elements of nature and the spirit. It is still used for the same purpose by neo-pagans and Wiccans today.

Yin And Yang

The next item in our list of ancient symbols is the yin and yang which has its roots in the Far East, to be exact, ancient China.

The symbol representing the idea that the two opposites are inseparable and complementary forces for each other became popular with the school of Yinyang in the 3rd century BC where Chinese philosophers studied cosmology and philosophy.

The theory of Yin and Yang suggests that the two opposites like male and female and dark and light complement and attract each other. Both have a part of the other within their core as the small dots in the symbol shows.

According to the Chinese myth, the Yin and Yang were born from the chaos that emerged during the creation of the universe.

The first human called Pangu was created thanks to these two forces achieving balance during the creation of the universe. It is believed that Nuwa, Shennong and Fuxi, the first gods in Chinese mythology were also born from Yin and Yang.

The Star of David/Magen David

Also known as Magen David (meaning ‘the shield of David’ in Hebrew language), the Star of David is an ancient symbol which was commonly used across many cultures before it became the main symbol of Judaism and Jewish people.

At this point, it is important to note that some synagogues from the 3rd and 4th centuries did feature the Star of David symbol on their stones but it is believed that this has been done merely for decorative purposes and before the symbol came to be known as the Star/Shield of David.

The Star of David is a hexagram, a six-pointed star comprising two interlocking equilateral triangles.

The symbol has been used by both Christians and Muslims before it was adapted by Jewish people. Many churches had it on their walls for decorative purposes.

Muslims called the symbol ‘the Seal of Solomon’ and made use of it in artworks, architecture and gravestones. Ottoman sultans even wore charmed shirts carrying the Seal of Solomon while going to war as it was considered a protection symbol.

It is thought that the Seal of Solomon became a Jewish symbol after Kabbalists adopted it and started using it as segulot, protective charms/talismans against evil spirits.

The first official use of the Star of David by Jewish people dates back to the 14th century. In 1354, the Jewish community of Prague was authorized by the King of Bohemia and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV to carry a red flag with the Star of David symbol on it.

Over time, the use of the symbol among Jewish people slowly spread and it became a universal symbol for Judaism by the 19th century. Today, it can be seen on the national flag of Israel.

This wraps up our piece on ancient symbols, their origins and meanings. If you enjoyed reading it, please check out our individual articles below.