Tag: lion-man
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The complex and fascinating Pavia symbology
Until 774 Pavia was the capital of the Lombard Kingdom of Italy, established after the invasion of 568 against the Byzantine emperor Justinian. On that date Charlemagne, commander of the Franks, definitively conquered the city. The patron saint of the Lombards was St. Michael the Archangel. The christian tradition affirms he was sent by God […]
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The ancient symbology of the Spiral
The spiral is a decorative and frequent symbolism with ancient origins. Probably it was used in its origins by Celts as a symbol of the expanding universe and life dinamicity. Like other symbols spread in the Middle Age, overtime it has assumed a Christian connotation. In fact, it was frequently used as a decorative and […]
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The Labyrinth between history and mythology
The etymon of the word ‘labyrinth’ has that particular expressive force that derives from the mixture of myth and reality, legend and history. From the Greek labýrinthos (λαβύρινθος), it is possible to trace the term back to Labrys, a characteristic double-bladed axe of antiquity. This was a weapon of mythical and symbolic power, which identified […]
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The Romanesque in Emilia and its protagonists
During the 11th and 12th century Europe faced a process of political, social and artistic renovation. In this period the feudalism and the communes originated, particularly in Italy. The Romanesque was an architectural and artistic style that mostly reflected the social renovation. It was an ornamental manifestation and had a fundamental role for the Medieval […]
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The Christograms and the Monogram of Christ
The arrival of Christ defines a clear dividing line in history. It originated an uninterrupted succession of events that have influenced the cultural contest of Europe until now. Some examples are the birth of the Church; early Christian, Lombard and Byzantine periods; the Catholic civilization during the Middle Age; the discovering of America… Nevertheless, the […]
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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 [1]. It is more difficult to imagine, however, the depth of symbolic meanings attached to the concept of columns. They […]
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Templar symbolisms: the Cathedral of St. Lawrence in Genoa
Genoa Cathedral of St. Lawrence was consecrated in 1118 by Pope Gelasius II. Located in the center of the city, the building is similar to the religious edifices constructed between the 10th and 12th century. Nonetheless, Genoa Cathedral seems to be cloaked by an aura of supreme spirituality, like a chest full of treasures and […]
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The Sator Square, an enigma that crosses history
If we found a palindromic Latin epigraph with an uncertain meaning, it would already be an enigma. Moreover, if this signifier were to be rediscovered repeatedly and in different places, it could also be an archaeological riddle. But if it were found on artifacts belonging to different epochs, peoples and cultures, it would be a […]
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The symbolism of the Sacred Center and the Omphalos
The figure of the Sacred Center is as old as human beings and, since the earliest forms of symbolic knowledge, it has expressed the place of divine encounter, the space where the transcendent manifests itself. It has a centre because it represents the principle from which all things were generated, and is sacred because it […]