Category: Symbols
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The Christograms and Symbols of the Early Christians
Christograms are among the oldest symbols in the Christian tradition. Their use dates back to the early centuries, when believers, during periods of persecution, were forbidden from professing their faith. Thus, in order to recognize one another and convey the evangelical message, it was often necessary to use a language composed of visual codes whose…
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The symbology of the knotted columns
Hearing about columns might seem like a bore. What could there be besides the structural function of this circular architectural element? Only its artistic uses come to mind, particularly the classical orders defined by Vitruvius. It is more difficult to imagine, however, the depth of symbolic meanings attached to the concept of columns. They acquired…
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The dragon in the Medieval symbology
The widespread image of the dragon as a monstrous reptile with powerful wings, sharp claws and the ability to breathe fire from its jaws owes its origins to medieval Western iconography. However, the animal appears in art and symbolism much earlier, reflecting multiple and deeply rooted popular beliefs. A clue to its mythical and distant…
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The Sator Square, an enigma that spans history
The Sator Square appears on stones worn by time, engraved among the ruins of ancient Roman cities as well as in the silent cloisters of medieval abbeys. Its five Latin words, arranged so that they can be read in any direction, reappear among the tiles of precious floor mosaics or along the margins of sacred…
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The symbolism of the Sacred Centre and the Omphalos
The concept of the Sacred Centre is as old as humanity. Since the earliest forms of symbolic knowledge, it has represented the place of divine encounter, the space where the transcendent manifests itself. Its geometry has a centre, which is the image of the principle from which all things were brought into being. Furthermore, it…
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Lucca Cathedral, an extraordinary labyrinth of mysteries
During the Middle Ages, Lucca was a city with a great tradition of worship, located in the heart of the Via Francigena. Pilgrims on their way to Rome stopped there to rest and pray before the Holy Face. According to tradition, this is a wooden crucifix that Nicodemus carved under divine inspiration. The holy relic…
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The Wheel of Fortune, Medieval symbology
Throughout human history, the wheel has symbolized the vital cycles of the cosmos and nature. It has had a constant and meaningful presence. The idea of a continuous return, of cyclical time that regenerates all things, seems rooted in beliefs about a metaphysical order from the earliest times. One may think, for example, of the…
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The game of chess and the symbolic dualism of the chessboard
In centuries past, man perceived himself as suspended between his own free will and destiny, the finite and the infinite, thought and action. As in a game of dice, everything appeared uncertain and at the mercy of fate, governed by dark and unknown forces. The unpredictability of events generated fear and, at the same time,…
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The siren in myth and art, a symbol of perdition
From its very origins in myth, the siren has been a fascinating yet dangerous creature, whose melodious song could enchant men and lead them to ruin. Whoever listened to her voice would lose both will and reason, surrendering to the ecstasy of the senses, with no possibility of return. This monstrous being embodied the image…
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The Solomon’s Knot: a symbol of eternal union
The Solomon’s Knot, which consists of two or more intertwined rings, symbolises the connection between heaven and earth, the divine and human spheres. This ancient symbol has been used as a decorative motif in various historical and cultural contexts for centuries, from Celtic and Roman times until it became a powerful Christian metaphor in the…