Greek Symbols and their related meanings
 The Minotaur was the legendary monster of Cretan mythology,
a hybrid man-bull creature, the offspring of Pasiphae, the wife of the King of Minos, and
a bull. The minotaur lived at the center of a great labrynth. According to legend, Minos
demanded tribute from the Athenians in the form of seven pairs of male and female virgins,
who were sacrificed to the Minotaur. This practice was ended by the hero Theseus, who,
aided by the daughter of Minos, was able to slay the monster. |
 The Labrys is a double headed ritual axe. It is found in
ancient Minoan depictions of the Mother Goddess, where its symbolism is related to the
labrynth. The word "labrys" is Minoan in origin and is from the same root as the
Latin labus, or lips. |
 The Mano Fico (fig hand) is an ancient obscene gesture, and
is also one of the better known protective gestures against the eye. The thumb and fist
gesture is an ancient representation of sexual union. The name is from the Italian word
for the female vulva, fica, meaning fig (and also the origin of an english obscenity). The
fig was associated by the romans with female fertility and eroticism; the fruit was sacred
to Bacchus.
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 This asclepius wand, often confused with
the Caduceus wand of Hermes, is the true symbol of the medical profession. It dates to
antiquity, and was a symbol of the Greek God of healing, Asclepius. An explanation often
given on the origin of the emblem is that the serpent-twined staff originated with an
early form advertisement for parasite removal, but this is unlikely, as the snake was the
symbol of a number of deities associated with healing.
The symbol of a serpent entwined staff also appears in the biblical book of Exodus,
wherein Moses is instructed to erect a brass pole with a serpent; whoever looked upon it
was healed. |
 The solar cross is probably the most ancient spiritual symbol in the world,
appearing in Asian, American, European, and Indian religious art from the dawn of history.
The Lauburu (four heads), a traditional Basque emblem, is also a form of solar cross.
Composed of a equal armed cross within a circle, it represents the solar calendar- the
movements of the sun, marked by the solstices. Sometimes the equinoxes are marked as well,
giving an eight armed wheel. (The swastika is also a form of Solar cross, emphasizing
movement.) |
 The word Fasces comes from the the Roman word meaning
bundle. The fasces itself is an axe surrounded by bundled rods of elm wood. It's original
use and true meaning is lost, although it probably originated as a phallic emblem.
The fasces was a symbol of authority in ancient Rome. It was later adopted as an emblem by
Mussolini's fascist party during World War two, and is the origin of the word
"fascist." |
 To the ancient Greeks, the Omphalos was a stone carved in
the shape of a beehive, in this instance covered with a net-like pattern of chains,
marking the birthplace of the Cosmos.
Omphalos in Greek means "navel," and may represent the plugging of the
primordial waters of chaos. The most famous Omphalos was found at Delphi in Greece,
however, similar objects have been found in temples in Rome, Iraq, Egypt, and Jerusalem. |
 The Gorgon were legendary monsters of Greek myth, the three
fearsome sisters Medusa, Euryale, and Sthenno, the daughters of sea monsters with fearsome
teeth and hair of serpents.
The gorgon Medusa, whose gaze could turn the living to stone, was slain by the hero
Perseus, who beheaded her using her reflection in Athena's sheild to avoid looking at her
directly. Afterward, her head adorned the shield (Aegis) of the Goddess Athena. Some
scholars believe that the Gorgon was once a facet of the goddess Athena herself, in her
destructive solar aspect. |
 The labyrinth is a winding, maze-like path, often resembling
a spiral. Labrynths are found in many ancient cultures, and almost always have spiritual
significance. Nearly identical labrynth patterns are found in neolithic art, on native
American petroglyphs, and even in ancient Vedic sites. Ancient Minoan labrynths were
associated with the cult of the mother Goddess, and were possibly used in intiatory
rituals. |
 The bowl of Hygeia is a modern emblem for pharmacy.
The goddess Hygeia was the daughter of Asklepios, the god of healing and medicine. (see:
wand of Asclepius) Hygeia was often pictured holding a cup, (a kylix, or wine cup), with a
snake coiled about her body or arm. The serpent is a symbol of resurrection; the cup,
medicine. Hygeia's cup may have been an early inspiration for grail stories. |
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