Encyclopedia of symbols. Symbolism of the animal kingdom

COW - among many peoples, this animal symbolizes fertility, prosperity, as well as patience and passive endurance. The cow is an ancient symbol of mother's milk and (like the bull) the cosmic forces that created the world. In many cults, from Ancient Egypt to China, the cow personifies Mother Earth. She also symbolizes the moon and the sky, because her horns resemble a crescent moon, her milk is associated with the Milky Way. The heads of the goddesses of the moon in various cultures are decorated with cow horns.

Nut, the Egyptian goddess of the sky, is sometimes depicted as a cow with a star in her belly, whose feet stand on four quarters of the earth's disk. The Great Mother Hathor, the goddess of heaven, joy and love, the nurse of all things on earth, is also often represented as a cow. As a protective emblem of power (earthly and celestial), the cow is often depicted with the disc of the Sun between its horns, reflecting the idea of ​​a celestial mother cow caring for the Sun during the night.

But the honor given to bulls and cows in Egypt pales in comparison to the exclusive honor accorded to the cow in India.

In the middle of the II millennium BC. e., when the Aryans invaded India with their huge herds, cattle firmly entered the economic life of the country. The leaders of the tribes were called "gopati", which meant "owner of cows", the word for "war" - "gavishti" - was translated as "the desire to acquire cows" (that is, wars were often declared mainly in order to capture more cattle). Even rain, the Hindus believed, is nothing more than the milk of heavenly cows, which are milked with thunder by the lord of heaven, the god Indra. And the rainbow that appeared in the sky after a thunderstorm was called “gopati tahona”, which means “husband of a cow” (although other tribes living in India considered the rainbow to be a huge snake). The deliberate killing of a cow was equated with the most serious crime - the murder of a Brahmin (Brahmin) and was punishable by death. If the murder of a cow was committed by accident, then the offender could atone for his guilt in the following way: having shaved his head, he had to live among the cows for a month, eat only barley grains and hide himself in the skin of the cow he killed. For the next two months, he could eat a small amount of other grains without salt every two days in the evening. He was obliged to follow the cows every day and breathe the dust from under their hooves. And at the end of repentance, he must present ten cows and one bull, or, if he does not have the means for this, give all his fortune to the brahmins.

The most indestructible oaths were considered those that were pronounced with a cow's tail in their hands. The pious Hindu considered it lucky to die with a cow's tail in his hand - because it meant that his soul would move into a cow and be surrounded by honors! And in our time in India, the cow is considered a sacred animal.

In Vedic literature, the cow is the personification of both heaven and earth. Her milk is shed in the form of fruitful rain. The black cow in India is involved in funeral rituals, and the white cow is a symbol of enlightenment. In both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the calm, balanced character of the cow is so completely consistent with ideas of pious life that it has become the most revered and sacred animal. Her behavior is an example of happiness and serenity: for example, in ancient Greek festive rites, a white heifer, decorated with garlands of flowers, opened the processions of dancing and singing people.

Similar in meaning, the symbolism of a cow as the first nurse of all life on earth is also widespread in the mythology of Northern Europe: Adumla, the nurse of primitive giants, licked the ice and freed the first person from it (in another version of this myth, the three gods, the creators of man).

In heraldry, a cow is depicted as walking. It is called crowned (couronnee) if she has a crown on her head; with bells (clarinne), if she has them around her neck; horned (accorne) and with hooves (onglee), if these parts of the body differ in color from the body.

The ancient symbol of the cosmic forces that created the world was the bull and the cow, the supreme divine couple. They represented the active and passive aspects of the creative forces of the universe. At the same time, the cow was the personification of Mother Earth and symbolized the huge cosmic bosom in which everything that existed was nurtured.

She also represented the moon and sky; her horns resembled a crescent moon, and her milk was associated with the Milky Way. The depictions of a cow with the disk of the Sun between its horns are a reflection of the idea of ​​a celestial cow-mother who takes care of the Sun during the night. The Great Mother and the moon goddesses were often depicted with cow horns.

In many traditions, the cow personified fertility, abundance, prosperity.

In Egypt, this symbol was associated with the idea of ​​vital warmth. The sky goddess and the Great Mother were revered as the divine cow that gave birth to the sun. Hathor, the goddess of heaven, joy and love, the nurse of all things on earth, in the most ancient period had the appearance of a cow, and later was depicted as a woman with cow horns. Isis as the goddess of the sky was depicted as a cow or with cow horns on her head. In the future, after the approval of the Heliopolis pantheon, the mother of Isis, the goddess Nut, is recognized as the mistress of the sky. The legs of the heavenly cow Nut are the four cardinal points, there are stars on her body. The solar god Ra rises from the ocean on a celestial cow, sometimes identified with Nut, who rose from the water and turned into the sky. The Pyramid Texts speak of Ra as the "golden calf" born of the cow-sky, and of the deceased pharaoh it is said that the great cow becomes pregnant with him, gives birth to him and supports him with her wings. The two-headed cow represents Upper and Lower Egypt.

One of the main gods of the Sumerian-Akkadian pantheon Enlil was revered as a divine bull, and his wife Ninlil was revered as a divine cow. It was believed that their union gave Mesopotamia fertile soil. Near Ur stood a temple built in honor of the divine cow; it was decorated with images of bulls and cows. In the hymn in honor of Nanna, the god of the Moon, where he is sung as the lord of Ur, the god, sailing through the sky in a boat, admires the herds of cows; here it is obviously the stars. Inanna (Ishtar) - "Queen of heaven", the goddess of thunder, strife and love, is also sometimes depicted in the form of a cow; she says of herself: "I am the beautiful wild buffalo of my father Enlil."

In ancient India, a cow is a sacred animal, symbolizing fertility, abundance, earth, the personification of both heaven and earth. In the Hindu and Buddhist tradition, the calm, balanced character of the cow probably coincided so completely with ideas about the pious life that it became the most revered and sacred animal.

The “sacred cow” of India is the nurse who gives fertility and abundance (Prithivi, Aditi). Prithivi is the deified and personified earth, the mother of all beings. She is usually glorified together with Dyaus the sky. Prithivi is feminine, mother, and Dyaus is masculine, father. They are spouses who were originally merged together. Their separation, attributed primarily to Indra (or Varuna), is equated with the creation of the universe. Prithivi's milk is shed in the form of fruitful rain.

The cow Vak, or Vach (from Old Ind. "speech", "word"), the female aspect of Brahma, is known in Hinduism as the "Singing Cow" or "Cow of Plenty". The first definition - singing - originates from the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bcreating sound in the world, the second - from its function to nourish the world with its milk, the fine dust of the Milky Way. Vach is diverse, according to H. P. Blavatsky, it is “the most secret of all the Brahminical Goddesses; that which is called the "Sweet-sounding Cow that gives Food and Water" - the Earth with all its mystical powers. She is the mistress and collector of wealth; the one she loves becomes strong and wise. She feeds those who hear what she says. During the epic period, Vach becomes the goddess of wisdom and eloquence.

Surabhi (from other Indian “sweet-smelling”) or Kamadhenu (“cow of desires”) is a divine cow that appeared from the ocean when it was churned; she permanently resides in Indra's paradise.

The wonderful country of Goloka (cow world) is Krishna's paradise, located on the southern slopes of Mount Meru. The devotees of Krishna are transferred to paradise in the form of cows, animals and birds, and the most faithful are in the form of shepherds and shepherdesses who join the heavenly dance of Krishna and live free from worries in constant joy.

Among the Greeks, Hera and Io appear in the form of a cow. The supreme Olympian goddess, the wife of Zeus, Hera is revered in the form of a cow in Argos, in Homer she is mentioned with the epithet "hair-eyed". Fearing the wrath of a jealous Hera, Zeus turned his beloved Io into a snow-white heifer. After that, Io, tormented by a gadfly sent by Hera, wandered for a long time before she took on her former appearance.

In Scandinavian mythology, the magical cow Audumla arose from the melted frost that filled the abyss of the world. She fed the giant Ymir with her milk, from whose body the world was created. She herself ate by licking salty stones covered with hoarfrost. From these stones emerged the ancestor of the Storm gods.

Among the Slavs, the cow is the personification of the goddess of heaven, the nurse of the earth, who waters the fields with her milk; the milk of such a cow is a symbol of blessed rain.

Symbolism of the animal kingdom. A class of signs identical in shape to geometric elements, widely used in emblems and heraldry. Published on the web portal

Symbolism of the animal kingdom

In the human mind, animals (animals, birds, fish, insects, etc.) act as symbols, on the basis of which figurative pictures of certain aspects of being are compiled. The symbolism of animals also extends to the highest foundations of man himself (for example, ideas about the soul are expressed in the form of a bird).

The ancient Egyptians believed that certain animals could embody cosmic and divine energies. The twelve animals of the zodiac are archetypal symbols and represent a closed cycle of energies.

Stork

“He who has gained immortality flies on a stork into the sky” (stork and crane are symbols of immortality)

The stork symbolizes new life, the arrival of spring, good luck, daughter or son affection. In Christianity, the stork personifies purity, chastity, piety, vigilance. In the East, the stork is a symbol of immortality. Among the Slavs, the stork is an ancient totem bird, a symbol of the motherland, family well-being, home comfort, love for one's home. The punishment for destroying a nest or killing a stork is a fire that incinerates the killer's house or himself. There is a belief that a stork brings newborn babies. A stork carrying a baby is a symbol of christening.

Butterfly

Butterfly image

At present, the symbolism of the butterfly is dominated by the meaning of the anemone, a carefree creature, but also pure joy. In ancient times, it was presented as a symbol of transformation and immortality due to its life cycle: life (bright caterpillar) - death (dark chrysalis) - rebirth (free flight of the soul). The butterfly is a symbol of the soul in many regions of the world. In China, it is a symbol of light entertainment and a sign of lovers. In Japan, a butterfly is a symbol of a fickle and windy lover, as well as female fussiness and the craft of a geisha; two butterflies - marital happiness.

Ram (ram)

ram head

One of the most important symbols and one of the most widespread emblems in the world (variants: lamb, golden fleece, ram's head, ram's horns). The ram symbolizes fire, solar energy, passionate passion, courage, impulsiveness, stubbornness. In many cultures since ancient times it means male power and sexual potency. The symbol of the elements - both creative and destructive, requiring sacrifice.

In the modern everyday sense, the word "ram" is often synonymous with stupidity or stupid stubbornness.

Bull

Sacred bull Apis (Egypt)

Symbol of the fertility of the earth. The most common symbol of sexual power, as well as violence and rage. This is the embodiment of power, power, male fertility. A symbol of divinity, royalty, the elemental forces of nature, which changed meanings in different eras and in different cultures. The bull's horns are a sign of the full moon, its huge body is the pillar of the world in the Islamic and Vedic traditions; its abundant seed is nourished by the Moon in Iranian mythology; his bellowing, hoof-stomping, and horn-shaking are universally associated with thunder and earthquakes.

Wolf

She-wolf feeding Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome (bronze figure, 6th–5th century BC)

The symbolism of the wolf is dual.

Negative symbolism: ferocity, deceit, greed, cruelty, evil, gluttony and sexuality. Stories of witches turned into wolves and men turned werewolves epitomize the fear of demonic possession and male violence.

Positive symbolism: courage, victory, concern for the food of the family. The wolf is a common symbol of knowledge through experience, the emblem of warriors.

AT heraldry the wolf is a symbol of anger, gluttony, greed.

Raven, crow

The raven on the shield is a symbol of purification

“Daughters of Jerusalem! I am black, but beautiful ”(alchemical symbol)

Raven and crow have similar symbolism. On the one hand, crows are associated with war, death, desolation, evil and misfortune. Because of their blackness, they are considered symbols of chaos and darkness that preceded the light of creation. On the other hand, the raven is a symbol of wisdom and justice. The raven has a connection with the world of the dead, he can get living and dead water. There is an opinion that the raven is a travel assistant and a fortune teller. There is a belief that when crows begin to leave their nests, this portends famine or other misfortunes.

Pigeon

Dove as a symbol of peace

Peace, purity, love, serenity, hope. Traditional Christian symbol of the Holy Spirit and baptism. There is a legend that the devil and witches can turn into any creature except a dove and a sheep. Pigeon cooing is associated with both sex and the birth of children. A pair of doves is a symbol of sexual harmony; so the dove became the personification of the tender wife. A dove with a laurel branch is a symbol of peace, a dove with a cornucopia is a happy accident. In the East, the dove is one of the many symbols of longevity.

Dolphin

"Boy with a Dolphin" (Andrea del Verrocchio, 1475. Sculpture for a fountain)

The dolphin symbolizes love, the power of the sea, speed, salvation, transformation. This is a friend of man in the sea element and its symbol. The dolphin is also a symbol of boundless joy, playfulness, unpredictability and even spiritual enlightenment. In ancient Greece, the lord of the waters, Poseidon, (the Roman counterpart is Neptune), was often depicted in a cart pulled by dolphins. As a symbol of the sacrifice of Christ, the dolphin is often depicted with a pierced trident or anchor (the secret symbol of the cross). Intertwined with an anchor, the dolphin is a symbol of caution, speed limits: "Hurry slowly."

Toad, frog

Stylized image of a frog

The toad is one of the attributes of witchcraft. According to European superstitions, this is a companion of witches, reminiscent of the death and torment of sinners. At the same time, the toad, which in the Middle Ages personified darkness and evil, greed and lust, is associated with birth and rebirth. A symbol of ugliness, behind which a beautiful soul can lurk. It also symbolizes longevity and wealth: it is believed that the toad, like a snake, carries a gem in its forehead that attracts good luck.

The frog is a widespread symbol of fertility, a harbinger of spring rains and the awakening of nature.

Crane

Dancing Cranes (bracelet from Kyiv)

In China and Japan, the crane symbolizes vigilance, longevity, wisdom, devotion, honor. The image of a crane flying towards the Sun is a symbol of social aspirations, its snow-white body is a symbol of purity, its red head is the fire of life. In India and in some Celtic regions, the crane is a symbol of betrayal, a harbinger of misfortune. In Russia, cranes, along with storks and nightingales, are considered "God's birds", their symbolism is associated with the Sun.

Throughout the world, the crane is a symbol of communication with the gods.

Snake: general symbolism

Python (Greece)

The snake is the most versatile and most complex of all animal symbols, as well as the most common and perhaps the most ancient of them. The snake signifies death and destruction, but also life and resurrection. This is both the solar and the lunar, light and darkness, good and evil, wisdom and blind passion, healing and poison, the keeper and the destroyer. Such a duality of symbolism forces one to balance between fear and worship, the snake appears either as a hero or as a monster.

Snake: positive symbolism

"Snake Power"

An example of the positive symbolism of a snake is the concept of kundalini: a symbol of inner strength, psychic energy, a snake-like ball of vital energy dormant at the base of the spine. The kundalini energy is called the "serpent power". Sometimes she is depicted as a coiled snake with heads at both ends. In India and other regions, snakes are often seen as guardians of shrines, water sources, and treasures. This tradition is associated with the symbolism of fertility inherent in the snake, and with the belief that precious stones are the frozen saliva of snakes.

Snake: negative symbolism

Illustration for the "Poem of Gilgamesh" (seal of the Sumero-Akkadian kingdom)

If we consider the frightening part of the symbolism of the snake, then it is a clear prototype of dragons and sea snakes or snake-like hybrids, symbolizing the many dangers that await a person in life. The snake is one of the worst omens, a symbol of darkness, evil, hatred, sin, temptation, deceit. The snake is blamed for the fact that because of it people lost God's gift of eternal life.

Snakes were an indispensable attribute of sorceresses, witches' potions included some parts of snakes.

Snake: cosmogonic symbolism

Snake and egg (the image of a snake that supports the world)

The snake is primarily a magical symbol of the forces that gave birth to life. A snake biting its own tail is a symbol not only of eternity, but also of divine self-sufficiency. The image of a snake guarding the eggs it lays is associated with a huge snake that wraps around the whole world and supports it or helps the earth's disk to swim in the surrounding Ocean. The snake is in constant contact with the forces of the earth, waters, darkness and the underworld - lonely, cold-blooded, secretive, able to rejuvenate by shedding its skin.

The snake as a symbol of wisdom

A snake wrapped around a wand

Totem symbolism, combined with the belief that snakes know the secrets of the earth and are able to see in the dark, endows snakes with wisdom or the gift of divination. “Be wise as serpents and simple as doves,” Christ said to his disciples (Matthew 10:16). The Greek word for "dragon" (which not only refers to a monster, but also means "snake with a piercing gaze") is etymologically related to vision. In the art of the snake - an attribute of the goddess of wisdom Athena (Minerva) and the allegorical figure of Prudence, meaning the gift of foresight.

Snake: Alchemy and Healing

Rod of Mercury (caduceus)

Staff of Asclepius (Aesculapius)

The snake coiled around the wand is the alchemical symbol of the Philosophical Mercury in its primary state.

According to mythology, Hermes (Mercury), the messenger of the gods, received a caduceus - a winged staff with the power to reconcile opponents. When he placed it between two fighting snakes, they peacefully coiled around the staff and calmed down. The snakes wrapped around the caduceus symbolize the interaction of opposing forces. The snake wrapped around a knotty staff is the emblem of the Greek god of healing Asclepius (Aesculapius), who, it is believed, could even resurrect the dead.

Ibis

Ibis (Egyptian papyrus from the 19th Dynasty, 1295-1186 BC)

The ibis is the sacred bird of the Egyptians. Symbol of wisdom. In ancient Egypt, the ibis was considered the incarnation of the lunar deity Thoth, the greatest god of Egypt, the patron of occult knowledge, who gave mankind writing. He is depicted as a man with the head of an Ibis. This bird is also called the guardian of the harvest. Killing an ibis, even by accident, was considered a heinous crime.

It is believed that the ibis can only live in Egypt and, transported to other countries, dies of boredom there.

Goat

Goat

The goat is a symbol of potency, vitality, masculinity, but also cunning, lust and stupidity; he personifies destructive tendencies in a man. In Western tradition, a goat is often referred to as an old, lustful man. In China and India, the goat is a positive male symbol. In Christianity, the goat is the personification of impurity and base lust.

The goat is often used for sacrifice ("scapegoat"). The goat is closely related to Dionysus (Bacchus).

Cow

Holy cow

For many peoples, this animal symbolizes fertility, prosperity, as well as patience and passive endurance. The cow is an ancient symbol of mother's milk and (like the bull) the cosmic forces that created the world. In many cults, from Ancient Egypt to China, the cow personifies Mother Earth. She also symbolizes the moon and the sky, because her horns resemble a crescent moon, her milk is associated with the Milky Way. The heads of the goddesses of the moon in various cultures are decorated with cow horns. The cow enjoys exceptional honor in India.

a lion

The lion is the symbol of the sun

The lion, commonly referred to as the king of beasts, has been one of the most frequently seen symbols of power and majesty for thousands of years. General symbolism: divine, solar energy (symbol of fire and the Sun), royal power, strength, courage, wisdom, justice, patronage, protection, but also cruelty, all-devouring ferocity and death. The lion is the image of all the great and terrifying forces of nature. He is considered both a destroyer and a savior, he is able to represent both evil and the fight against evil. The lion is one of the hypostases of the Sphinx.

Lions heraldic

heraldic lions

In heraldry - the most common and favorite image of an animal. Attributes of a heraldic lion: a bow and arrows, a saber, a sword, an ax, an ax, halberds, etc. The main heraldic form is a lion on its hind legs and in profile. In this case, one eye and one ear are indicated on the head. The bloody tongue sticks out of the mouth. This lion is a symbol of strength, courage, generosity. There are other image options. In state emblems, a crowned lion is an emblem of power over subjects.

Bear

heraldic bear

The bear is a symbol of good nature and rage, heroic strength and clumsiness, laziness and tender maternal feelings, gluttony and asceticism (albeit involuntary: it sleeps all winter without any food, “sucks its paw”). The bear personifies unpredictability, bad temper, evil, rudeness, greed, sinfulness, the devil, as well as cruel primitive force. Badge of warriors in Northern Europe and Asia.

In addition, the bear is a symbol of the moon and resurrection. K. Jung believes that the bear symbolizes the dark side of the subconscious.

Mouse, rat

mouse wedding

In Russia, the mouse is often called the "grey thief". The mouse is also a symbol of timidity, invisibility. The mouse helps to find the loss in the house: "Mouse, mouse, play and give it back." The mouse gives an increase. In China, the mouse is one of the popular deities of wealth.

The general symbolism of the rat is destruction, aggressiveness, greed; the rat is associated with disasters (pestilence) and death, but it is also the embodiment of perseverance, dexterity, cunning and fertility, and also has the gift of foresight (the legendary ability to foresee the death of ships).

Monkey

Hanuman, Monkey God Playing with the Peaches of Immortality (from a Chinese dish)

The symbolism of the monkey is controversial. Most often, the monkey personifies sin, in particular physical. She is also a symbol of cunning, deceit, the pursuit of luxury, spitefulness, laziness (due to her angular movements), drunkenness, sometimes a symbol of learning. The monkey (along with the white elephant and the cow) is the third sacred animal in India. Even now, insulting a monkey by action causes great resentment among religious people. In Japan, the cry of a monkey is a symbol of deep longing. Carvings of three monkeys are considered in the East as a talisman protecting from slander.

Deer

Stag (badge of Richard II, late 14th century)

A universal symbol associated with the East, sunrise, light, purity, renewal, creation and spirituality, but also with loneliness. Characteristic qualities of a deer: swiftness, grace and beauty. Deer are wonderful messengers and guides. They are credited with healing powers, especially the ability to search for medicinal herbs. The deer, in addition, is a symbol of caution and keen hearing. In China, the deer is associated with wealth (abundance) and good luck. The deer is a strong magical intercessor, one of the patron spirits of the Siberian peoples.

Eagle

The eagle as a symbol of the supreme power and solar nature of the lord of heaven and the head of all the gods Zeus (painting on a Greek bowl, 6th century BC)

The eagle is the lord of the air, the embodiment of power, speed. Solar symbol of the sun gods, rulers, warriors. Associated with greatness, power, dominance, courage, inspiration. It personifies the midday Sun, liberation from bonds, victory, pride, contemplation, royal origin, height. It is believed that the eagle is able to fly to the Sun, so it is called the messenger of heaven. Double-headed eagles can mean omniscience and dual power. An eagle with a snake in its claws symbolizes the victory of the spirit. In this fight, the eagle is the personification of the power of good, and the snake is the power of evil.

Eagles heraldic

Double-headed eagle (Russian embroidery)

Eagle - the emblem of the United States

In heraldry, the eagle is a symbol of power, dominance, generosity and insight. On coats of arms, the eagle is most often depicted flying chest forward, with wings raised up or soaring. It happens one- or two-headed. Since the time of the founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus, it has been depicted on the standards as the “bird of Jupiter”. After the Christians conquered Palestine, the double-headed eagle became the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, and later of the Austrian (Austro-Hungarian) and Russian empires. The American bald eagle with outstretched wings has become the emblem of the United States.

Peacock

Peacock (medieval Persian drawing)

This is shining glory, immortality, greatness, incorruptibility. The magnificent tail of a peacock is a symbol of the all-seeing Sun and eternal cosmic cycles, as well as the starry firmament and, as a result, unity and interconnectedness. In ancient Rome, the peacock was considered the emblem of the empress and her daughters, while the eagle was the bird of the emperor. In Islamic decorative art, the unity of opposites (the Sun at its zenith next to the full Moon) is depicted as two peacocks under the World Tree. In Christianity, the peacock, on the one hand, is a symbol of eternal life, and on the other, a symbol of pride, luxury and vanity.

Spider

Spider depicted on an American Indian amulet

feminine beginning. The Great Mother, in her terrible form as weaver of fate, is sometimes depicted as a spider. All moon goddesses are spinners and weavers of fate. The web that the spider weaves is woven from the center in a spiral - a symbol of the creative forces of the Universe, a symbol of the universe. The spider in the center of the web symbolizes the center of the world; Sun surrounded by rays; The moon, personifying the cycles of life and death, spinning the web of time. The spider is often associated with good luck, wealth or rain. Killing a spider is bad luck.

Pelican

Plate of red stone mass depicting a pelican feeding its chicks with its blood (Staffordshire, circa 1660)

Pelican symbolizes self-sacrifice and parental love, as well as mercy. In heraldry, this bird, as a rule, is depicted as looking like an eagle or a crane, standing in a nest and trying to feed the chicks with its blood. Early Christian writers compared the pelican, feeding offspring with its flesh, with Jesus Christ, who donated his blood in the name of the salvation of mankind. The pelican is also a symbol of European occultism (primarily alchemists and Rosicrucians), expressing the feat of self-sacrifice and the eternal rebirth of life.

Rooster

Rooster - a solar bird (image-amulet, China, XX century)

The rooster is vigilance, courage, courage, foresight, reliability. Herald of the dawn, symbol of the Sun and spiritual rebirth. These qualities of his prevail over pride, arrogance, lust, also inherent in him. The Romans mean "the third watch of time": between midnight and dawn. The rooster is a protector from all kinds of evil. It is believed that night ghosts and evil spirits disappear with the first cock crow. The red rooster takes away the fire from the house, and the white one - ghosts. The Eastern Slavs, before moving into a new house, launched a rooster there. If he spent the night safely, then it was possible to move in.

Bee

Young woman collecting bee honey (15th century herbalist)

The bee personifies hard work, diligence, organizational and creative abilities, cleanliness, sociability, modesty, spirituality, courage, wisdom, selflessness, eloquence (“honey speeches”). In the Greek, Middle Eastern, Islamic traditions, the bee is an allegory of the soul. The Chinese associate the bee with the fickleness of "choosy brides." Among the ancient Slavs, the bee was a symbol of love, as it combined "the sweetness of honey and the bitterness of the sting." Queen bee, mother goddess, symbol of supreme power, fertility.

Scorpion

Scorpio (gnostic gem)

Scorpio is a symbol of evil, self-destruction, death, punishment, retribution, revenge, betrayal, but also a deep understanding of the world. Sometimes the scorpion serves as a talisman and an amulet - Paracelsus advised people suffering from diseases of the reproductive system to wear it. In Africa, it was believed that the scorpion itself allocates funds against its poison, so it was a symbol of not only murder, but also healing. The red star Antares on the "back" of the celestial constellation Scorpio was considered in Europe the worst fire in the sky.

Elephant

White elephant

At present, the huge mass and slowness of the elephant have become metaphorical. However, the elephant, first of all, is a symbol of strength: both gentle, loving, and furious, destructive. Elephants are considered vindictive, as they never forget the wrongs and abuse done to them. The thick skin of an elephant symbolizes spiritual invulnerability. The elephant is also a symbol of power, insight, prosperity, happiness, personifies the element of the Earth, memory, wisdom, longevity, fidelity, patience, compassion. The elephant is often depicted on good luck charms.

Dog

Neter Anubis (dog god)

In some countries, a dog is a sacred animal, in others it is considered an unclean, greedy, even vile creature and personifies evil. According to Islamic beliefs, angels will never visit a house where a dog lives. But most often the dog is a symbol of protection and self-sacrifice. As well as hunting (sometimes this symbol carries a negative connotation - persecution).

In ancient Egyptian mythology, dogs, as good guides and guards in the afterlife, were considered companions of Anubis, depicted with the head of a jackal or a dog.

Owl

Wise owl - attribute of Athena (Greece)

The owl is a traditional symbol of wisdom, an allegorical figure of Night and Sleep. In some ancient cultures, especially in China, the owl has an ominous symbolism, signifying darkness, personifying the yang principle with a negative, destructive connotation. Due to the noiselessness of night flight, glowing eyes and eerie screams, the owl is associated with death and occult forces. She is also credited with the gift of prophecy. At present, the owl is mainly a symbol of insight and book erudition. "Scientific owls" are called people of mental labor.

Falcon

Falcon - the image of the rising sun

The falcon, like the eagle, is a solar symbol of victory. The personification of superiority, strong spirit, light, freedom. In ancient Egypt, the falcon was a sacred symbol of the Sun, temples were dedicated to it, killing a falcon was considered a grave sin. In Western tradition, the falcon is a symbol of hunting. A falcon with a cap on its head is a symbol of hope for light and freedom. The falcon as a symbol of aggression is rare. Among the Slavs, this bird is a symbol of strength, courage, a good fellow. The falcon is opposed to the crow (as the embodiment of evil forces): "Where the falcons fly, they don't let the crow in."

Ostrich

Australian coat of arms

In ancient Egypt, the ostrich feather is an attribute of the goddess of truth and justice, Maat. This feather, according to legend, was placed on the scales when weighing the souls of the dead to determine the severity of their sins. Since ostrich feathers are the same length, they were used as a symbol of justice. The belief that an ostrich hides its head in the sand when danger appears (a symbol of avoiding problems) probably came from the threatening posture of the ostrich, when it bends its head to the ground itself.

In the Australian coat of arms, the emu is the shield-holder along with the kangaroo.

Tigers

“The tiger spring contains the tiger. Having mastered the contents of the tiger cave, the perfect man who subjugated yin and yang "

The tiger is a symbol of energy, strength, speed and talent. This image is both lunar and solar at the same time. He is both the creator and the destroyer. A tiger fighting a snake is a symbol of solar power. In a battle with a lion or dragon, he becomes a symbol of the moon, cruel and ferocious. In Europe, the tiger is a symbol of power and bloodlust. In the Far East, it is a symbol of nobility and happiness. In the cultures of Asia and India, it can be a symbol of aggression and protection, life and death, evil and good.

Turtle

Turtle wrapped in a snake

The turtle symbolizes strength, patience, endurance, constancy, slowness, fertility, longevity, senile strength, wisdom. In many cultures, the turtle is the most ancient symbol of cosmic order surrounded by special reverence. According to ancient beliefs, a turtle entwined with a snake is a symbol of the creation of the world. In India, the symbolism of stability is expressed in the idea that the Earth rests on four elephants, which stand on a huge turtle, slowly making its way through chaos. The turtle is also a symbol of protection from fire and water.

Lizard

Pumpkin with a lizard

This brisk, fast animal is a symbol of agility, elusiveness, and also rebirth (the latter) is associated with the ability of a lizard to leave its tail to the one who caught it, which then grows back. Lizards, because they hide in the shade during the heat of the day, are considered the guardians of the shadows, as well as the guardians of sleep and dreams. The lizard, in addition, can symbolize the subconscious and the shadows of our inner world.

The lizard was considered a good sign in Egypt and in the ancient world, where it was sometimes associated with wisdom. It has become an attribute of allegorical images of Logic. The symbol of Mercury, the messenger of the gods.

The ancient symbol of the cosmic forces that created the world was the bull and the cow, the supreme divine couple. They represented the active and passive aspects of the creative forces of the universe. At the same time, the cow was the personification of Mother Earth and symbolized the huge cosmic bosom in which everything that existed was nurtured.

She also represented the moon and sky; her horns resembled a crescent moon, and her milk was associated with the Milky Way. The depictions of a cow with the disk of the Sun between its horns are a reflection of the idea of ​​a celestial cow-mother who takes care of the Sun during the night. The Great Mother and the moon goddesses were often depicted with cow horns.

In many traditions, the cow personified fertility, abundance, prosperity.

AT Egypt this symbol was associated with the idea of ​​vital warmth. The sky goddess and the Great Mother were revered as the divine cow that gave birth to the sun. Hathor, the goddess of heaven, joy and love, the nurse of all things on earth, in the most ancient period had the appearance of a cow, and later was depicted as a woman with cow horns. Isis as the goddess of the sky was depicted as a cow or with cow horns on her head. In the future, after the approval of the Heliopolis pantheon, the mother of Isis, the goddess Nut, is recognized as the mistress of the sky. The legs of the heavenly cow Nut are the four cardinal points, stars are located on her body. The solar god Ra rises from the ocean on a celestial cow, sometimes identified with Nut, who rose from the water and turned into the sky. The Pyramid Texts speak of Ra as the "golden calf" born of the cow-sky, and of the deceased pharaoh it is said that the great cow becomes pregnant with him, gives birth to him and supports him with her wings. The two-headed cow represents Upper and Lower Egypt.

One of the main gods Sumero-Akkadian In the pantheon, Enlil was revered as a divine bull, and his wife Ninlil was revered as a divine cow. It was believed that their union gave Mesopotamia fertile soil. Near Ur stood a temple built in honor of the divine cow; it was decorated with images of bulls and cows. In the hymn in honor of Nanna, the god of the Moon, where he is sung as the lord of Ur, the god, sailing through the sky in a boat, admires the herds of cows; here it is obviously the stars. Inanna (Ishtar) - "Queen of heaven", the goddess of thunder, strife and love, is also sometimes depicted in the form of a cow; she says of herself: "I am the beautiful wild buffalo of my father Enlil."

AT ancient india a cow is a sacred animal, symbolizing fertility, abundance, earth, the personification of both heaven and earth. In the Hindu and Buddhist tradition, the calm, balanced character of the cow probably coincided so completely with ideas about the pious life that it became the most revered and sacred animal.

The “sacred cow” of India is the nurse who gives fertility and abundance (Prithivi, Aditi). Prithivi is the deified and personified earth, the mother of all beings. She is usually glorified together with Dyaus the sky. Prithivi is feminine, mother, and Dyaus is masculine, father. They are spouses who were originally merged together. Their separation, attributed primarily to Indra (or Varuna), is equated with the creation of the universe. Prithivi's milk is shed in the form of fruitful rain.

The cow Vak, or Vach (from Old Ind. "speech", "word"), the female aspect of Brahma, is known in Hinduism as the "Singing Cow" or "Cow of Plenty". The first definition - singing - originates from the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bcreating sound in the world, the second - from its function to nourish the world with its milk, the fine dust of the Milky Way. Vach is diverse, according to H. P. Blavatsky, it is “the most secret of all the Brahminical Goddesses; that which is called the "Sweet-sounding Cow that gives Food and Water" - the Earth with all its mystical powers. She is the mistress and collector of wealth; the one she loves becomes strong and wise. She feeds those who hear what she says. During the epic period, Vach becomes the goddess of wisdom and eloquence.

Surabhi (from Old Indian “sweet-smelling”) or Kamadhenu (“cow of desires”) is a divine cow that appeared from the ocean when it was churned; she permanently resides in Indra's paradise.

The wonderful country of Goloka (cow world) is Krishna's paradise, located on the southern slopes of Mount Meru. The devotees of Krishna are transported to paradise in the form of cows, animals and birds, and the most faithful are in the form of shepherds and shepherdesses who join the heavenly dance of Krishna and live, free from cares, in constant joy.

At Greeks Hera and Io appear in the form of a cow. The supreme Olympian goddess, the wife of Zeus, Hera is revered in the form of a cow in Argos, in Homer she is mentioned with the epithet "hair-eyed". Fearing the wrath of a jealous Hera, Zeus turned his beloved Io into a snow-white heifer. After that, Io, tormented by a gadfly sent by Hera, wandered for a long time before she took on her former appearance.

AT Scandinavian In mythology, the magical cow Audumla arose from the melted frost that filled the abyss of the world. She fed the giant Ymir with her milk, from whose body the world was created. She herself ate by licking salty stones covered with hoarfrost. From these stones emerged the ancestor of the Storm gods.

At Slavs a cow is the personification of the goddess of heaven, the nurse of the earth, who waters the fields with her milk; the milk of such a cow is a symbol of blessed rain.

Another embodiment of the idea of ​​fertility, reproduction, prosperity among the Slavs was cattle. For many peoples of the earth, cattle was a symbol of wealth. As for the Slavs, the "cattle god" Volos (Veles) was by no means just a god of cattle: he was in charge of wealth in general.

A place where a young cow will calmly settle down, chewing the cud, was considered happy and safe. From a serenely chewing cow, one breathes peace, unshakable peasant comfort, warm bread and fresh milk. Apparently, it is no coincidence that modern psychic researchers unanimously assert that a cow, unlike, for example, a cat, will never lie down in a place that is unfavorable for a person in terms of its energy properties!

The cow is the most revered of domestic animals, requiring special protection from evil spirits that can take away milk.

In ancient times, the Slavs apparently did not slaughter cows for meat. Cows are not slaughtered, but sold even in case of illness or old age. Both the actual and conditional sale of a diseased cow was perceived as a magical means to promote its recovery. Among the Western and Southern Slavs, in the event of an urgent (due to illness) slaughter of a cow, the owners did not consume its meat, but sold it to their neighbors or all the inhabitants of the village. It was allowed to slaughter heifer cows (yalovok) at weddings, commemorations and, in rare cases, on public holidays.

The cow plays an important role in the funeral rites of the Eastern and Western Slavs. The Eastern Slavs had a custom to give a cow to a priest or the poor immediately after the funeral. In Ukraine and among Western Slavs, it is believed that cattle mourn the death of their owner. In some places, pets accompany the owner's coffin to the church. It was believed that the behavior of the cow could predict death in the house. A red or black cow dreams of death. Cows and calves, which are given to the poor, end up in the "other world", where there are special pens for them.

In the wedding ritual complex and accompanying folklore, a cow is associated with a woman, a bride.

A cow is an obligatory part of the bride's dowry among the Eastern and Western Slavs. Among the southern Slavs, the guys who came to carol at Christmas in the houses of their beloved girls went to clean the barn. At the Cossacks on the Terek, on holy nights, the guys tore the gates from the houses of girls of easy virtue, made a “fence” out of them on the square, where they drove the cows of these girls.

According to the beliefs of the Slavs, the horns had great protective power. Mainly bull, turya horns. The bull tour, dedicated to the god of warriors - Perun, was, first of all, a male symbol and denoted the masculine principle - the ability to protect, protect from dangers, both real and magical. For a woman, especially a young mother, this was vital. The cloth horns of her kiki (the headdress of a married woman) on a birch bark or quilted canvas basis also served this purpose. Another meaning of wearing such "horns" was the idea of ​​fertility, procreation. In Christian times, priests did not allow women in horned kicks to take communion and, in general, to church, quite rightly seeing in this echoes of pagan faith.

Legends about mythical cows living in lakes are known in the Russian North and among the southern Slavs. Sometimes they go out to coastal meadows, and then a person can beat one cow from the herd by running around it. Such a cow gives a lot of milk and is always strong and healthy.

Cow and bull are also associated in folk culture with heavenly water, clouds, precipitation. By their behavior (when they raise their heads to the sky, beat their horns, jump up) it was possible to predict rainy weather. Black and dark-colored cows, leading the herd when returning from pasture, also foreshadowed rain. In Serbia, they believed that there was a bull or a cow inside the rain cloud, and you could hear the lowing coming from there. The same ideas are reflected in the Belarusian riddle: “The white cow broke the reed” (snow). Therefore, during a drought, rain is caused by burning cow dung.

The relationship between cloudiness, precipitation, water and milk is more clearly expressed in Slavic folk culture. The Russians believed that if milk foams strongly during milking, then this is due to inclement weather, and “dark Christmas time”, cloudiness on the night of Christmas promise large milk yields in the coming year. Among the southern Slavs in the morning on St. George's Day, the hostess churned butter from milk, and her daughter climbed onto the roof of the house. "What's the weather like?" the mother asked. “All over the earth - the sun, above our house - a cloud,” the girl answered. This rite was supposed to increase the cow's milk. For the same purpose, the cow was driven out to graze on St. George's Day, as well as on Trinity, on the day of Ivan Kupala and other holidays very early, "on the dew." Ukrainians say about milk “God dew”. Witches, collecting dew from meadows these days, thus take milk from cows.

Slavic meteorological terminology, denoting cloudy, rainy weather, clouds, is in contact with the sphere of concepts related to milk and products from it: Rus. - "young (cloudy) weather", Polish. - “sour milk” (clouds), etc. In Ukraine and Bulgaria, there is a widespread belief that witches can remove the moon from the sky and milk milk from it. When the month is “chipped” (milked), it will not rain.

Water is the main magical remedy used to increase the milk production of cows.

When a cow was first driven into the herd on St. George's Day, at Christmas and on other holidays, they poured water over it, sprinkled it with holy water, and drove it between full buckets. Shepherds were also poured for the same purpose. The Ukrainian hostess, every time, taking water from the well, turned to the water with a conspiracy in which she asked to add milk to the cow.

In the Russian North, the shepherd had to bury the “vacation” (the written text of the conspiracy) in a damp place near the water for the entire summer grazing period, otherwise the cow would have little milk. In the Carpathians, there was a custom to pour the first milk after calving into a fast river. All Slavs boiled colostrum for children. After they had eaten it, the hostess poured water over them or washed them. In some places, the one who drinks milk from a cow for the first time is poured water over the collar. Water was widely used in magic to return the milk selected by the witch.

Cow's milk was opposed to heavenly fire, that is, the elements of fire. It was believed among all the Slavs that a fire lit by lightning could only be extinguished with the milk of a black cow, in extreme cases, simply with unleavened milk. If the first spring thunder rumbles when the cows are not yet in the barn, then they will not give much milk. In some places in Bulgaria, it is believed that lightning and thunder “drink” milk from cows. In the livestock practice of all Slavs, there is a ban on approaching the fire, the hearth immediately after milking a cow, before you need to wash your hands. During the boiling of milk, they strictly monitor that the milk does not run away, since the cow's udder will swell in this case.

All Slavs know the custom of treating a snake bite with milk.

A cow is an object of constant care or, conversely, persecution by a house elf (or other guardians of the household: weasel, snake, rooster). Weasel and snake cannot be killed, as a cow will immediately fall with them. There are beliefs that it sucks milk from a cow. It is impossible to kill such a snake: the cow will yearn for him and die. You can’t beat a cow with a stick that was used to kill a snake, the cow will “dry”.

The cow may be a demonic being. Ukrainians and Belarusians imagined cholera in images of a woman with cow legs, a black cow, a woman sitting on a black cow. A witch can turn into a cow. A treasure can appear in the form of a cow. The Hutsuls believe that there can be a demonic cow in the household - a “half-bark” with a short rib. If she dies, then nine more cows will die in a row on this farm.