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Historical Symbols
Symbols form the most ancient use of communication in a manner of speaking. Some people believe humanity's use of symbols dates back as far as 1.2 million years ago. Of course it started out with relatively simple markings and then as time passed, and various cultures developed - the use of symbols grew more complex. Naturally, different symbols came to mean many different things.
Quite often certain symbols would have different associations depending upon the culture they were found in. Quite interestingly the opposite has often proven true, even though many of these cultures were separated by both time and great distances, they often came to use similar symbols to represent the same subjects.
 Inverted Cross - Many people today associate the inverted cross with satan, or satanic rituals. The inverted cross is in reality the personal trademark of Saint Peter, who was the first Pope, and one of the most revered public figures in Catholic history. When Peter was martyred by crucifixion he was said to have requested to be crucified upside down because he didn't feel worthy of dying the same way that Jesus did. As a result of this, many astute Catholics consider the inverted cross to be a more acceptable thing to attach to your clothes or jewelry then a regular right side up cross. |
 Peace sign - A number of peace symbols have been used in various cultures and contexts. One of the most ancient is the olive branch. The dove and olive branch was used by early Christians and became current in the 18th century. It was popularised by the artist Pablo Picasso in 1949 and became widely used in the post-war peace movement. In the 20th century, the peace sign, developed by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the V hand signal and the peace flag became international peace symbols.
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 Dragon`s Eye - The Dragon's Eye is an ancient Germanic symbol as discovered by Rudolf Koch. The Dragon's Eye is an equilateral triangle pointing downward with a "Y" in the middle connecting the three points of the triangle together. According to Carl G. Liungman's Dictionary of Symbols, it combines the triangle meaning threat and the "Y" meaning a choice between good and evil.
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 Nazi Symbol - The swastika rotated a bit to the right was the main symbol of Nazism and remains strongly associated with it in the Western world. |
 Eye of Horus - The Eye of Horus is an ancient Egyptian symbol of protection, royal power and good health. The eye is personified in the goddess Wadjet (also written as Wedjat, Uadjet, Wedjoyet, Edjo or Uto and as The Eye of Ra or "Udjat").
Horus was the ancient Egyptian sky god who was usually depicted as a falcon. His right eye was associated with the sun Ra. The eye symbol represents the marking around a Peregrine Falcon's eye that includes the "teardrop" marking sometimes found below the eye. The mirror image, or left eye, sometimes represented the moon and the god Djehuti (Thoth). |
 The Asclepius Wand, often confused with the Caduceus wand of Hermes, is the true symbol of the medical profession. The rod of Asclepius, also known as the asklepian, is an ancient symbol associated with astrology, the Greek god Asclepius, and with medicine and healing. It consists of a serpent entwined around a staff. The name of the symbol derives from its early and widespread association with Asclepius, the son of Apollo, who was a practitioner of medicine in ancient Greek mythology. His attributes, the snake and the staff, sometimes depicted separately in antiquity, are combined in this symbol. Hippocrates himself was a worshipper of Asclepius |
 A Green Man is a sculpture, drawing, or other representation of a face surrounded by or made from leaves. Branches or vines may sprout from the nose, mouth, nostrils or other parts of the face and these shoots may bear flowers or fruit. Commonly used as a decorative architectural ornament, Green Men are frequently found on carvings in churches and other buildings (both secular and ecclesiastical). "The Green Man" is also a popular name for English public houses and various interpretations of the name appear on inn signs, which sometimes show a full figure rather than just the head.
The Green Man motif has many variations. Found in many cultures around the world, the Green Man is often related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different cultures throughout the ages. Primarily it is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, or "renaissance," representing the cycle of growth each spring. Some speculate that the mythology of the Green Man developed independently in the traditions of separate ancient cultures and evolved into the wide variety of examples found throughout history. |
 The Tursaansydan or mursunsydan ("heart of the walrus") is an ancient symbol used in Northern Europe. It was especially popular in Lapland. Some say it was used on Lappish shaman drums. The symbol originates from prehistoric times and incorporates a swastika.
The tursaansydän was believed to bring good luck and protect from curses, and was used as a decorative motif on wooden furniture and buildings in Finland. During the 18th century the simple swastika became more popular in Finnish wood decoration than the more complex tursaansydan.
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 Om or Aum is of paramount importance in Hinduism. This symbol (as seen in the image on the right) is a sacred syllable representing Brahman, the impersonal Absolute of Hinduism - omnipotent, omnipresent, and the source of all manifest existence. Brahman, in itself, is incomprehensible; so a symbol becomes mandatory to help us realize the Unknowable. Om, therefore, represents both the unmanifest (nirguna) and manifest (saguna) aspects of God. That is why it is called pranava, to mean that it pervades life and runs through our prana or breath. |
 Christian Cross -
The Christian cross, seen as a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity. It is related to the crucifix (a cross that includes a usually three-dimensional representation of Jesus' body) and to the more general family of cross symbols.
The cross-shaped sign, represented in its simplest form by a crossing of two lines at right angles, greatly antedates, in both East and West, the introduction of Christianity. It goes back to a very remote period of human civilization. It is supposed to have been used not just for its ornamental value, but also with religious significance.
The Christian Cross comes in many different forms. Here are a few of the different forms of the Christian Cross. |
 Ying Yang Symbol - Another very important historical chinese symbol is the ying yang symbol.
In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin yang, normally referred to in the West as (yin and yang) is used to describe how polar or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only exist in relation to each other. The concept lies at the origins of many branches of classical Chinese science and philosophy, as well as being a primary guideline of traditional Chinese medicine, and a central principle of different forms of Chinese martial arts and exercise, such as baguazhang, taijiquan (tai chi), and qigong (Chi Kung) and of I Ching divination. Many natural dualities - e.g. dark and light, female and male, low and high, cold and hot - are thought of as manifestations of yin and yang (respectively). |
Resources:
Symbols Influence on History - Ancient Symbols Website
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