SYMBOLS OF THE GODS
What were the symbols of the gods?
The Sacred Symbols of the Olympians.Zeus- god of the sky
Zeus was the god of the sky and
the weather, especially storms. When he and his brothers freed the Cyclops they
created weapons for him and his brothers. Zeus was given a huge metal lightning
bolt that could shoot lightning, hence it became one of his major symbols.
The Eagle represents his majesty and how he sits on the throne.
Poseidon- God of the seaPoseidon was the god of the sea, and when he assisted Zeus in freeing
the Cyclops they created a trident for him that became his main
weapon and so it became his symbol also.
It was said that Poseidon created horses from sea foam and so they also became one of his symbols. Hades- God of the dead
Hades symbol was the helm of
darkness. It was a helm (a helmet) that could turn the wearer invisible and
cause any person the wearer wished to feel immense terror. It was created
for Hades by the Cyclops when he assisted Zeus in freeing them and he often
wore it into battle. Jewels were also a symbol of Hades, he was the god of wealth
and riches.
Hera- Goddess of family
Hera’s most important symbol is said to be the peacock. It
is a symbol of her pride, immortality and beauty. There is also a myth that
states she created a man with one hundred eyes to watch over Zeus to try to
stop him from being unfaithful. When Zeus found out he had the man killed. It
was said that Hera then made the peacock using the eyes from the man for the
circles on the end of the peacock’s feathers. The cuckoo is the sacred symbol of
Hera because Hera confessed her love for him when he was in the form of a
cuckoo. The pomegranate is also sacred. It is a symbol of fertility and she is
the goddess of motherhood.
Hermes- God of TRAVELLERS and messengers
Hermes was the messenger of the
gods and in order to fly around the country he wore winged sandals. He was also
known to lend the sandals to heroes such as Perseus to assist them in their
quests. Winged sandals soon became one of his symbols. The caduceus, his staff
entwined with snakes, was another of his symbols. Originally the staff was
depicted with white ribbons. They were changed by artists into snakes, and in
turn a story was created in which he used his staff to part two snakes that
were fighting. The result being the snakes entwining themselves around his
staff in peace.
Aphrodite- Goddess of love
Aphrodite was the goddess of
love. One of her main symbols was the girdle which she used her to compel
others to fall in love with her. The girdle is featured in almost all of the
Myths involving her. The sea shell was a symbol associated with Aphrodite
representing her emergence from the waters of Paphos after her birth. The dove
was her sacred animal so it soon became a symbol that was synonymous with love
and Aphrodite.
Apollo- god of archery and the son
Apollo was the god of music. When
Hermes created the lyre to appease Apollo after he stole some of his sheep, it
became Apollo’s instrument and his major symbol. The laurel tree became
one of Apollo’s symbols after he pursued a naiad nymph named Daphne who he loved
relentlessly, until she became so exhausted, she begged Gaia for help. Gaia
then turned her into a laurel tree, because of his love of Daphne, the laurel
tree became one of his important symbols. Apollo was also the god of Archery,
so one of his symbols was also a bow and arrow.
Artemis- goddess of hunting and the moon
Artemis was also the goddess of
archery and hunting. Before taking a shot men were known to pray to her for
help. The silver bow became her major symbol and it was to be silver as she was
also the goddess of the moon. Being the goddess of the moon the half crescent
moon was often depicted with Artemis.
Artemis was also the goddess of hunting but some animals were considered sacred to her and to harm one of these animals was to directly disrespect Artemis. Some of these animals were the deer, the bear, the boar and fresh water fish. ares- god of warAres was the god of war and so it make sense that his symbols reflected warfare. A vital piece of armour for any warrior the helmet represented his identity as a soldier and the bloody spear represents his ability in battle.
Athena-goddess of wisdom
Athena was the goddess of wisdom, warfare and the arts. Owls were seen
to be wise creatures, just like Athena, so inevitably it became her symbol. The
olive tree is also her symbol as it was her gift to the people of Athens when
trying to convince them to let her be the patron of their city. Athena is often
depicted with a spear and helmet symbolising strategy and wisdom, her key to
winning in wars and battles. The Aegis is Athena’s shield that she lent the hero Perseus when he went to slay Medusa. Perseus beheaded her and
Athena requested the head be tied onto the shield, using it whenever she went
into battle. It was said that if you looked into Medusa’s eyes you would be
turned to stone.
Hephaestus-god of the forge
Hephaestus was the god of the
forge and often made weapons and other supplies for his godly family. As the
god of blacksmiths he was symbolised by the tools of the trade which were fire,
used when tempering metals, an axe, pincers and a hammer.
Hestia- goddess of the hearth
Hestia was the god of the hearth
or the centre of the home. It was where Greek families would cook or
prepare a meal over a small fire place and where they would spend time as
a family. Hestia was then recognised by the symbol of the hearth.
demeter- goddess of Agriculture
Demeter was the goddess of grain and crops, especially
wheat, as it is one of the most useful ingredients in Ancient Greek times.
Poppies often grew in the wheat fields meaning both plants became her symbols.
Dionysus- god of wine
The main symbol of Dionysus is
the thyrsus a sceptre, made from a straight branch tipped with a pine cone,
surrounded by leafage, a vine or white/red ribbon. The grape vine is also a
symbol of Dionysus, as it is an essential part of the wine making process. The
sacred animals of Dionysus were the panther and the tiger.
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