Symbolics of animals. What do the turtle, bear, lion symbolize? Which animals are sacred in which countries

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

Probably, it's not a secret for anyone that this has been the custom since ancient times - each animal has its own meaning, each animal means something. Not without reason, even in literary works (let us recall at least the fables of Ivan Andreevich Krylov), the fox is cunning, the crow is stupid, the wolf is cowardly, and so on. Why are they given these characteristics? And in general, what are the symbols of which animals?

Where the legs grow from

Why did animals suddenly mean something? Where did all these allegories come from? The thing is that from ancient times the life of man (including the primitive) in all its manifestations was closely connected with the animal world, one might even say - inextricably linked. So it was before, so it is now. It is no coincidence that we often call animals "our smaller brothers" - they are indeed ubiquitous in human life: in signs, legends, fairy tales, myths, religiousbeliefs and so on. Even in the sky - and then the animals! The word "zodiac", by the way, is translated from ancient Greek as "animal".

In certain nations, certain animals are considered sacred (more on this later). In general, it is clear that the lives of animals and people are as closely intertwined as one can imagine. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was the animals that began to personify for people those or other qualities that they wanted or did not want to be endowed with; began to personify moral and spiritual phenomena. It is no coincidence that in myths the gods necessarily had symbols of animals - this means that each god possessed or desired to possess specifically the quality that was inherent in the animal he had chosen. It is noteworthy that often one animal could have far more than one meaning: for example, everyone knows the fox as a savvy cunning, but in some places wisdom is also attributed to it (and, surprisingly, on the contrary, stupidity). Next, we will talk in more detail about the symbolism of animals.

Fox

Since she has already been mentioned twice, it's probably worth starting with her. So, the fox, as mentioned above, usually appears as a very dexterous, sly person, possessing a fair amount of cunning, often coupled with deceit, outstanding patience, incredible selfishness and terrible hypocrisy. With all this, she is also quite smart, and often she is also credited with such characteristics as vindictiveness and cowardice / caution. Surely everyone at least once in their life heard someone called a fox: "Well, you are a fox!" This iscan be said both in the meaning, for example, "well, you are a sly one", and "well, you are a sucker".

The concept of falsity is often associated with a fox, in addition, in some nations, a fox is a sorceress, a sorceress. So, for example, among the Chinese in fairy tales, a fox, having lived to be a hundred years old, turns into a sorcerer, and having crossed the thousand-year mark, generally goes to heaven and becomes a heavenly fox. In many legends of the same Chinese, Siberians, North Americans, a red-haired cheat becomes a woman on a full moon, which also indicates her magical abilities, but only of an evil, demonic nature (good sorcerers and wizards do not change their appearance, since they have no need to hide their true appearance). Related to this is the meaning of the fox as the embodiment of the soul of the deceased (developed in China). The Chinese, like the Japanese, generally endowed her with a huge variety of qualities - if the Europeans declared her only cunning and insidious, then for the above peoples she also became a symbol of eroticism and seduction. But in fairness, it is worth noting that there are exceptions to the usual perception of the fox as an evil and insidious cunning. So, among the Indians of California, the silver fox is a national hero, and among the Japanese, the white fox is generally a sacred animal of the rice god Inari.

Horse/horse

Fox sorted out, but what does the horse (or horse) symbolize? It has long been considered, along with the dog, one of the best and most faithful friends of man, his devoted assistant. It has infinitely many meanings: it is courage, and grace, and endurance, and intelligence, and wisdom,and strength, and fertility, and nobility. The horse is both a symbol of life and death. All the gods had horses harnessed to their chariots, symbolizing light, life, they are the messengers of the gods. But at the same time, in many traditions, horses are funeral animals, on which the souls of the dead go to the afterlife. For example, an interesting tradition existed among the Slavs: if a deceased person had a horse, he was killed and buried with the owner, so that the soul of the latter would fly on a horse to the kingdom of the dead. Equally important is the color of the horse - black means death, white - life. However, sometimes a white horse denotes otherworldly forces: for example, on Russian icons, a white horse is a symbol of incorporeal beings.

Another two interesting meanings of the horse are passion and the ability to predict. The latter was often played up in fairy tales and legends, for example, with the Brothers Grimm. And in Ancient Greece, the image of a horse was taken by Poseidon - the god of the sea, the ruler of earthquakes and springs.

The horse is worshiped by many Indian tribes. This has been going on since the time of the famous Spanish conqueror Cortes. He left his wounded horse to the Indians to go out; the Indians promised to take care of the animal, but they had never met horses before, and therefore did not know how to care for them, and fed Cortez's horse with meat. Of course, the horse died, and the frightened Indians made a stone copy of it, worshiping which they begged for forgiveness.

Here are a few more meanings of this animal: a busted horse symbolizes power, a winged horse -poetry, and loaded like a donkey - a human burden and the frailty of our being.

Owl

What does the owl symbolize? The first thing that comes to mind is wisdom. It is with this epithet that she is most often mentioned - a wise owl. It is no coincidence that various intellectual clubs and circles often choose the image of this bird - omniscient and erudite - as an emblem, logo. The owl is a symbol of wisdom and knowledge, as it has been considered from time immemorial. In mythology, she was a symbol of the goddess Athena - a wise warrior. In addition to wisdom, a prophetic gift is also attributed to the bird - often it becomes a harbinger of certain events. This is a very sensitive and understanding bird, prone to the same bouts of melancholy. And the appearance of an owl, the habit of looking without blinking, piercing yellow eyes, no less piercing guttural cry and complete noiselessness led to the fact that the owl began to be associated with death. So, answering the question of what the owl symbolizes, you can, in addition to the above, add: darkness, darkness, death. A similar meaning, as well as the meaning of loneliness, despondency, despair, is typical for countries such as Japan, China, India, North America, Ancient Egypt.

In many nationalities, an owl is not just a prophet, but a harbinger of misfortune, misfortune, perhaps even death, a devilish bird that is tamed by witches and sorcerers (by the way, they themselves are able to take on an owl's appearance). It is interesting in connection with this meaning to recall a series of books about "Harry Potter" by the British writer JK Rowling, which in many waysrelied precisely on various beliefs and rituals: it is the owls in the magical world of Harry Potter that are a kind of postmen, bringing letters to the magicians both with good content (for example, about enrolling in Hogwarts school) and not very good (for example, about withdrawal from it). It is this representative of the fauna that is a favorite pet and helper for magicians, but it cannot be said that only evil sorcerers and sorceresses own it: for example, the owl of the main character - a positive character - is herself very positive.

Returning to the symbolism of animals, we must also add that in Christianity, an owl, in addition to all of the above, also meant solitude, loneliness. Often she was mentioned in the same row with the hermits, and with the praying hermits. And the meanings of a widow, an old maid and a keeper of underground treasures were also attributed to the owl. Thus, it cannot be categorically said that the owl is a symbol of wisdom and knowledge. This image has a lot of other interesting meanings.

Turtle

Now let's talk about what the turtle symbolizes. Like the owl, it is a symbol of wisdom. And also - strength, eternity and inviolability (it's time to remember the ancient belief in a flat earth, which is held on its back by a turtle). This animal is associated in many nations with immortality and the very creation of the world. What the turtle also symbolizes is fertility and procreation. In China, for example, she is a soothsayer, a spiritually gifted being (there are four of them - another dragon, qilin and phoenix), a long-liver (the latter meaning is also characteristic ofJapan). Turtle is a symbol of strength, endurance, patience, hard work and perseverance. No wonder it was chosen as an emblem by many warriors and rulers of different nations - it symbolized their slowness, but self-confidence.

Christians endowed the turtle with the meaning of decency and fidelity: it denoted a woman living in marriage, like a turtle in its shell. And among the African peoples, the animal, on the contrary, was a male symbol - it denoted male fertility (the Africans identified this representative of the reptile order with the male genital organ). And the turtle symbolizes invulnerability and security - the one in the shell is not so easy to reach!

Cow

Many wonder why the cow is a sacred animal in India. This question will certainly be answered a little later, but for now we’ll just talk about the meaning of this animal. In all countries of the world, among all peoples, the cow is primarily a symbol of motherhood (because it gives milk), as well as fertility and prosperity.

In mythology, the cow symbolizes the bosom of Mother Earth, where everything that exists on it is nurtured. The symbolism of the animal among the Egyptians is vital warmth, among the Slavs - the heavenly mother, giving milk to the earth with her milk. The cow also stands for patience and endurance.

Eagle

It is not difficult to guess what the eagle - one of the most ancient symbols - symbolizes. Victory, strength and height of spirit, courage and power, freedom and power - these are far from all that this person has.animal values. By the way, the meaning of the double-headed eagle is also connected with power - it is a symbol of strengthening power. In addition, the eagle is considered a royal bird, symbolizing a noble origin.

The ancient Greeks identified it with the Sun, because it soars in the sky as high and free as this luminary. It was believed, in addition, that only an eagle was able to fly to the sun, that only he was able to look at the sun without blinking. And it is this bird that flies among thunder and lightning, which marks true courage and fearlessness. Among Christians, in addition to all of the above, the eagle is compared with Christ - its flight is a symbol of Christ's Resurrection, the bird is considered the messenger of heaven.

Bear

It has long been customary that clumsy people are called by the name of a clubfoot inhabitant of the forest. "What a bear!" - we say, if someone stomped loudly, broke a cup or did not fit into the turn. The meaning of clumsiness is the first thing that comes to mind when mentioning this animal. However, what the bear symbolizes, besides this, is good nature. In many fairy tales, legends, beliefs of different peoples, he appears as a good-natured bumpkin, a lover of sleeping, eating raspberries and sucking his paw. However, there are enough contradictions in the image of a bear - it is often associated with anger, rage, and mortal danger.

Another meaning of the bear is courage, strength. In addition, Potapych symbolizes the beginning of a new life - after all, in the spring they come out of hibernation and seem to begin to live in a new way. It's a symbolchange for the good, but also endurance and patience. For the Indians of America, the bear is a symbol of supernatural strength, for the Chinese - courage, for the Japanese - goodwill. In Russia, the brown bear is a national symbol, and for many of our Slavic ancestors, it was a totem animal.

Lion

Everyone knows: the lion is the king of beasts. It is the royal (and in general the highest) power, nobility, aristocracy that this animal marks. The lion is a symbol of courage, fearlessness, courage. It signifies honor, power, greatness. But the lioness symbolizes motherhood and endless love. In many cultures, she is revered as a mother goddess. And Buddhists believe that the Buddha used a lion as one of the guises. The features of this animal were often used in the image of other, mythical characters to endow them with the qualities inherent in a lion (for example, sphinxes or chimeras).

In the Middle Ages, people endowed the king of beasts with the ability to sleep with their eyes open, which is why the lion is a symbol of the watchful eye, the vigilant eternal guardian. Like the bear, this is a controversial figure - on the one hand, Christians saw him as the personification of God's Son, on the other hand, devilish forces, because the devil wants to absorb human virtue with the same force that a lion seeks to catch prey.

Dove

Everyone probably knows what the dove symbolizes. A symbol of peace and kindness, love, friendship, sincerity - this is what this seemingly simple bird carries in itself. The common expression "pigeon fidelity" also appeared for a reason- a pair of doves denotes marital fidelity and eternal love. There are many stories, legends, stories and even songs about the dove as a symbol of peace (let us recall at least the Scorpions and their White Dove - "White Dove").

Among Christians, among other things, the dove also denotes the Holy Spirit. This bird, in principle, symbolizes an unbreakable connection with the soul, as well as the transition from one state to another. The dove is the mediator between the earth and the sky, it is he who is the messenger of the gods. In the countries of the East, for a long time, killing pigeons was considered the highest sin.

Wolf

Cowardly and narrow-minded - these are the first epithets that pop up in the head when necessary to reveal the meaning of the wolf. In almost all fairy tales, the wolf appears just like that, and also a loser and a fool, with whom something always happens (you don’t need to look far for an example - the wonderful Soviet cartoon "Well, wait a minute!" is its model).

However, there are other animal symbols. For example, caution, vigilance - this is exactly the meaning that is put into the image of a wolf when it is used on coats of arms. Another wolf is a symbol of protection and reliability ("Mowgli"), but also deceit, malice and rage. For many peoples, the wolf is the progenitor, and in some myths it is he who accompanies souls to another world. The Romans revered the wolf as a sacred animal to Mars; for them, as for the ancient Greeks, it signified victory and valor. But Christians perceived this animal as a devil encroaching on soulsbelievers. They attributed to it the meanings of cruelty and evil.

Hare

If we are already talking about the wolf, how not to say a few words about the hare and what it symbolizes? If an eagle, for example, is compared with the sun, then a hare, on the contrary, is identified with the moon: ancient people distinguished jumping hares in spots on the moon. Or rabbits, which, in general, does not matter. The symbol of the hare is fertility, dexterity, magical power, as well as excessive self-confidence and bragging.

Among the ancient Romans and Greeks, the scythe was considered the animal of Aphrodite/Venus, Eros/Cupid and Hermes/Mercury, who used it as a messenger. And among many peoples of the world, hares, known for their frequent reproduction, denote the female process of reproduction (for example, among the Chinese, Egyptians, Greeks, Celts, Indians, and so on). But among the Jews, the hare / rabbit symbolizes impiety and lust, perhaps this is partly why in Christianity the meaning of the hare is lust. However, thanks to the animal's ability to jump quickly, straying and covering its tracks, Christians also identify it with a believer, restless and seeking salvation in God.

Which animals are sacred in which countries

It's no secret that some nations especially revere some specific animals. But which ones and why?

Egyptians, for example, especially revere cats - since ancient times. In ancient times, it was possible to lose one's life by accidentally or intentionally killing a cat, and inflicting damage on it, one could easily suffer oneself. All sorts of honors were given to cats, since they, firstly,exterminated rodents, and secondly, they were a symbol of the goddess Bast - a woman with a cat's head.

Let's return to the question of why the cow is a sacred animal in India. The fact is that the Hindus consider it a symbol of the planet, giving food and life in general. That is why this animal can neither be eaten nor killed, and it should be honored no less than its own mother. And among the Japanese, in Nara Prefecture, deer are revered more than other animals - according to an old legend, it was on the back of this noble animal that Buddha arrived at his temple located here. What other animals are sacred in which countries? Sheep are in Madagascar. Locals believe that the souls of dead ancestors settle in these cute bleating artiodactyls. Therefore, it is impossible to eat a sheep on this island. But the Thais worship elephants. These animals have a special symbolism in this country - Thais believe that elephants are endowed with a magical gift. In addition, it is a symbol of peace and great power.

Of course, these are just a few of the animals and their meanings. However, you can learn a lot of new and interesting things about these representatives of the fauna.