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 Middle Ages. The evocative and sacred name alludes to the mythical King Solomon, renowned for his wisdom and invoked to ward off evil. The Solomon’s Knot is a fascinating symbol that conveys the beliefs and thoughts of people who lived before us, but whose expressive power is still relevant today.
The Celtic origins of the Solomon’s Knot
The origins of the Solomon’s Knot are uncertain, but some findings in the Camonica Valley suggest that the Celts, a people who loved knot and braid decorations1, used it as early as the Iron Age. It is likely that the original meaning of this symbol referred to the cyclical nature of the universe and the natural world. By observing the alternation of day and night, the repetition of the seasons, and the movement of the constellations in the sky, the Celts imagined that life was also marked by cycles of death and rebirth.
The Solomon’s Knot in Roman period
Thanks to trade, which allowed cultural exchanges between peoples even far apart, the symbol spread throughout Europe from the Celts. Following the conquest of Gaul, the Romans began using Solomon’s Knot too. They incorporated it into mosaic floor designs from the Augustan age onwards. We have evidence of it, for example, in the Sanctuary of Minerva in Breno. Traces of Solomon’s Knot are also at the Domus dell’Ortaglia of Brescia, in Pompeii and in Ostia Antica. For the Romans, it was a solar symbol related to the regeneration of life, that possessed apotropaic and auspicious value. They believed that its presence would ensure their continued existence and ward off evil.
The meaning of the Solomon’s Knot in Christianity
It is no secret that early Christianity adopted many pagan symbols and reinterpreted them with new meanings. Solomon’s knot was no exception. We find it unchanged, for example, in the precious mosaics of the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna and the Patriarchal Basilica of Aquileia.
For the early Christians, the symbol represented the inseparable relationship between creator and creation. This union is fully realised in Christ, who possesses a divine and heavenly nature and is therefore the mediator between heaven and earth. Christ’s coming, including his death and resurrection, makes eternal life possible. The Solomon’s Knot, which has no beginning or end, often depicted in the form of a cross, powerfully symbolised this concept.
Solomon’s Knot in the Middle Ages
The greatest spread of Solomon’s Knot occurred in the Middle Ages. The symbol was used by a number of important religious orders that emerged in France from the end of the 11th century onwards. Thus, the Cistercian monks and the Knights Templar played a leading role in transmitting its Christian values. Therefore, the Solomon’s Knot began to be depicted on columns, friezes, capitals and illuminated manuscripts throughout Europe. Likewise, it made its appearance in the Middle East, spread by the crusaders arrived there to reconquer Jerusalem.
About the name of the Solomon’s Knot
Solomon was the third king of Israel. The Holy Scriptures2 tell of his great deeds, such as the construction of the Temple in Jerusalem3. Here, inside the Holy of Holies, was the Ark of the Covenant. The sacred container and extraordinary relic of Judaism was the ultimate symbol of the bond between Yahweh and his people. In fact, it kept the Tablets of the Law received by Moses on Mount Sinai.
Solomon’s wisdom
Scripture also tells us that Solomon was a very wise man. One of the most famous biblical stories is about two young women who both claimed to be the mother of the same infant. They had become parents at around the same time. But one of them had mistakenly smothered her own child and taken the other one by deception. Since no one could discern the truth anymore, they were brought before Solomon. After careful consideration, Solomon decreed that the infant should be divided in half and that each mother receive a share. At that moment, one of the women threw herself on the ground and begged the other to take the child. It was then clear to everyone who the true mother was: the one willing to give up her child to ensure he survived.
The myth of Solomon in the Middle Ages
In popular tradition, Solomon was therefore able to discern good from evil thanks to his wisdom. All this contributed to the mythicization of his figure. In the Middle Ages the Hebrew king was the protagonist of many folk tales that attributed unlimited magical powers to him4, among other things. So, the image of the ancient Hebrew king became an amulet with an apotropaic function. There was even a popular belief that simply proclaiming his name was enough to ward off evil and ensure justice. As Solomon’s Knot had been used since ancient times for apotropaic purposes, it was natural to associate it with the figure of the king. The symbol thus became a sigillum that guaranteed the continuation of life.
Samuele Corrente Naso
Notes
- U. Sansoni, Il nodo di Salomone: simbolo e archetipo d’alleanza, Mondadori Electa, 1998. ↩︎
- Many scholars doubt that a reign of Solomon ever really existed, which is placed around the 10th century B.C., having to consider the king’s affairs rather as the tale of a golden, ideal age. ↩︎
- 1, Book of Kings ↩︎
- Gregory of Tours, History of the Franks. ↩︎
