History of symbolism heraldry bay leaf what does it mean. Meaning of laurel wreath tattoo

The famous Ovid in his Metamorphoses tells that Apollo, who lived among people, fell in love with the nymph Daphne and constantly pursued her. One day, after defeating the serpent Python, Apollo met the young god of love Eros with a bow and arrows and joked with him: “Why do you need a bow and arrows, baby? Are you really thinking of surpassing me in the art of shooting?

This mockery offended Eros, and he sent two arrows in revenge. The first, the arrow of love, pierced Apollo, and the second, killing love, hit Daphne. Since then, Daphne has always run away from Apollo. No tricks helped him. Exhausted by suffering and eternal persecution, Daphne turned to Father Peneus and Earth so that they could take her image away from her. After these words, she turned into a laurel bush (a curious fact is that in Rus' until the 18th century, the bay leaf was called “daphnia” (“laurel” in Greek is “daphne”).

The saddened Apollo from then on began to wear a wreath of evergreen laurel on his head. In Greece, homes were decorated with laurel leaves to refresh the room. Laurel branches were placed in mattresses to encourage prophetic dreams. There was a belief that laurel saved from lightning strikes.

Thus, it is a known fact that the Roman Emperor Tiberius, during thunderclaps, put on a laurel wreath and crawled under the bed. Laurel was considered a sacred tree; the heads of victors were decorated with wreaths in Ancient Greece. For several thousand years this tradition has been preserved in other countries, for example in England. From the word “laurel” comes the word “laureate” - “crowned with laurels.”

The magical properties of bay leaf

There are a lot of secrets to using bay leaves as a magical remedy, and everyone believes that it can bring him many positive changes in life. Bay leaf is used for love rituals, in order to attract a “soul mate”, monetary rituals (it is believed that the plant is directly related to a person’s financial well-being and literally “attracts” money to itself), as well as in order to get rid of any damage and fulfill one’s cherished desires.

Bay leaf is often symbol of wealth and prosperity. That is why laurel branches are often hung around a home or workplace (office, store, workshop) to attract customers and cash flow to the business. It is not uncommon for a bay leaf to be present in a person’s personal belongings, for example, in a wallet. This way you can attract success to yourself, which will accompany you not only in business, but also in your work.

A good sign is to take take a bay leaf with you and put it in your pocket(as close to the body as possible) to succeed in an interview or meeting, to be noticed and recognized for your abilities, to be hired or promoted. To prevent the leaf from getting dirty and sometimes tormented by an overly stuffy aroma, you can wrap it not just in a handkerchief, but in a piece of red or green color (red attracts good luck, green attracts money).

Many athletes, even before the announcement of the results in competitions, carry a bay leaf with them, which, in their opinion, brings victory and well-being in competitions, as well as recognition and a self-sufficient life.

There is one ritual that allows you to achieve the desired wealth with the help of bay leaves. This ritual should be performed at home or in the workplace. Choose a large and whole bay leaf, without holes, cracks or damage. On the back side (not glossy), write your wish with a pen or pencil (“get rich”, “receive a bonus” or, for example, “repay a debt”). This sheet should be burned and its smoke spread throughout the room.

Another method invites you to write your wish related to well-being on a piece of white paper and roll it up into a tube, tying three beautiful and undamaged lava leaves to the “roll.” This amulet should be kept in a secluded place at your work or home. Only after the desire is fulfilled should the amulet be burned and its ashes scattered over fertile soil (garden, vegetable garden).

There is a conspiracy for money with bay leaves. With its help, you can count on good luck in the monetary sphere and the growth of accumulated funds. To perform it, you need to take a beautiful container and put a large denomination coin into it. Each coin lining must be accompanied by a laurel leaf lining. When placing a coin in a container, you must say where the money will come from. This could be a gift, an inheritance, good earnings or a sudden find. After the ritual, the container is closed and shaken. At the same time the conspiracy is said:

“Money for money, but poverty is beyond the threshold, profit is with me like a laurel on a bush.” Afterwards, the container with the spoken coins is placed in a secluded place, away from prying eyes. If money comes to you exactly as promised, then each time you receive money, do not forget to gratefully put a coin and a bay leaf into your piggy bank.

There is another conspiracy to use bay leaves for money. In order for you to always have money and increase your capital, you should choose a large and whole leaf of laurel. This leaf should be rubbed between the palms of both hands, asking the laurel tree to help you in any financial matters. Then you need to apply a little of any essential oil to the plant so that its smell merges with the smell of laurel. After this, the sheet must be placed in the place where the money is stored. At the same time the words are spoken:

“Money to money, wealth to wealth.”

A bay leaf will attract cash flows and protect you from unnecessary spending. The enchanted plant can be placed in a wallet so that money can be transferred and not transferred. Such rituals attract cash flows and stimulate a person to learn how to earn good money himself.

Bay leaf is used very often to attract money. In order for there to be money in the house, there is another ritual; for it you need to take seven large and undamaged leaves of the plant. The leaves should have long stems. These legs are tied with red woolen thread. Either a bill or a coin is tied to the thread, symbolizing monetary energy. This kind of amulet is hung above the front door with the words:

“Money goes into the house, but poverty is beyond the threshold.”

A bay leaf spell for money is best done and read on a waxing moon. It is believed that it is in this phase that flows open that help increase profits and material well-being.

Why do they put a bay leaf in a wallet, and with what words of conspiracy?

Putting a bay leaf in your wallet to attract money and prosperity should also be done “correctly”, so as not to incur any negative energy and not have the opposite effect. Of course, you can do without any rituals and simply mentally wish yourself success, but reading a conspiracy to attract wealth will be much more effective. Such conspiracies are best read during the waxing moon, sitting alone and in silence with a lit candle.

IMPORTANT: You must believe in the ritual itself and in every word spoken, so that your ritual is sure to be effective.

This turns out to be a magical and powerful ordinary bay leaf that everyone has at home.

One of which is laurel, people have always treated it in a special way. They were seen as the personification of eternity, constancy - in a word, everything that was traditionally opposed to the transience of human life. The glory of the winner should be eternal - in any case, people wanted to believe so.

Apollo tree

This connection had a real basis: these trees grew on Mount Parnassus, which the Greeks revered as the abode of the muses and Apollo Musagetes. But it would be strange if it did not give rise to legends explaining the connection between art.

Apollo, like many Greek gods, was distinguished by his love of love. One day, a nymph named Daphne became the object of his passion, but the beauty vowed to remain chaste and was not going to give in to his advances. The unfortunate woman begged the gods to protect her from Apollo’s persecution, and the gods heeded the plea: instead of the girl, a laurel tree appeared in Apollo’s arms. God placed a wreath of laurel on his head so as not to part with his beloved, who had been turned into a tree.

Further history of the symbol

Christians saw a new meaning in this symbol. For them, the lava wreath became the personification of the eternal glory of the martyrs who died for the faith.
The connection of the laurel wreath with poetic glory is resurrected in the era that succeeds antiquity. In 1341, one of the greatest poets of the Italian Renaissance, Francesco Petrarch, accepted a laurel wreath from the senator’s hands in recognition of his poetic achievements in the hall of the senatorial palace on the Capitol in Rome. This gave the poet a reason to play on the name of the woman he sang, whose name also comes from the word “laurel”: Laura gave him the laurel.

By the 17th century, the laurel wreath had already firmly established itself as an emblem of glory in general, not only poetic. He is depicted on orders and awards for winning competitions. It is in this form that modern civilization inherited this symbol. Not only the word “laureate” goes back to him, but also the name of the bachelor’s degree.

IN ancient Greek culture The laurel represented victory and peace and was dedicated to Apollo and Dionysus. According to myth, Apollo pursued the nymph Daphne, who had promised to remain chaste. Daphne begged for help, and the gods turned her into a laurel tree, which Apollo hugged in vain. From now on, the laurel became his sacred plant. That is why in Greece musicians, poets, dancers, whose patron was Apollo, were awarded laurel wreaths, while athletes were crowned with olive or celery wreaths. Laurel groves grew at the top of Parnassus, the abode of the muses, and surrounded the temples of Apollo. Festive garlands and wreaths were woven from laurel leaves; at festivals in honor of Apollo, spectators wore laurel wreaths. Laurus was credited with not only healing powers, but also the power of cleansing from spiritual defilement. Laurel leaves were ritually cleansed from spilled blood; Apollo cleansed himself with them after killing Python. The goddess of victory Nike was depicted with a laurel wreath in her hands, which she places on the heads of the victorious heroes.

IN Ancient Rome the laurel wreath becomes the highest sign of military and imperial glory. It symbolized the peace that comes after defeating the enemy. Messages of victory and victorious weapons were wrapped around the laurel and folded in front of the image of Jupiter. Laurel wreaths and branches were depicted on coins and gems as attributes of Jupiter and Apollo. The first Roman emperors did not wear crowns, but decorated their heads with a laurel wreath. In ancient Rome, orators and poets also aspired to own a laurel wreath. In addition, the laurel was dedicated to the Vestal Virgins and personified purity.

IN early Christianity evergreen laurel leaves were considered a symbol of eternal life or new life that would come through the redemptive acts of Christ, and a laurel wreath symbolized martyrdom. St. Paul contrasts the incorruptible crown with which a Christian ascetic is crowned with the perishable crown that is received by the winner in the lists.

Already in Hellenistic era the laurel becomes a symbol of glory as such, and a laurel wreath or laurel branch becomes an emblem of glory. In the Middle Ages, laurel was not used in classical heraldry. But after the French Revolution of 1789, the laurel became the most popular emblem of France: laurel branches were included in the coat of arms of the French Republic, and in our time they are also included in the state emblems of Algeria, Brazil, Greece, Israel, Cuba, Mexico and other countries

IN the art of classicism The laurel became widespread as the main emblem of glory. It is found on awards received for successful participation in competitions by scientists, artists, musicians, poets, writers (who are therefore called laureates), as well as on most orders - signs of lifetime glory

Ovid "Metamorphoses"
Daphne

The bright, joyful god Apollo knows sadness, and grief befell him. He experienced grief shortly after defeating Python. When Apollo, proud of his victory, stood over the monster killed by his arrows, he saw near him the young god of love Eros, pulling his golden bow. Laughing, Apollo said to him:

- What do you need, child, such a formidable weapon? It’s better for me to send the smashing golden arrows with which I just killed Python. Can you be equal in glory to me, Arrowhead? Do you really want to achieve greater glory than me?

The offended Eros proudly answered Apollo:

- Your arrows, Phoebus-Apollo, do not miss, they strike everyone, but my arrow will strike you.

Eros flapped his golden wings and in the blink of an eye flew up to high Parnassus. There he took two arrows from the quiver: one - wounding the heart and evoking love, with which he pierced the heart of Apollo, the other - killing love, he shot it into the heart of the nymph Daphne, daughter of the river god Peneus.

Once he met the beautiful Daphne Apollo and fell in love with her. But as soon as Daphne saw the golden-haired Apollo, she began to run with the speed of the wind, because the arrow of Eros, killing love, pierced her heart. The silver-bowed god hurried after her.

“Stop, beautiful nymph,” cried Apollo, “why are you running from me, like a lamb pursued by a wolf, like a dove fleeing from an eagle, you rush!” After all, I’m not your enemy! Look, you hurt your feet on the sharp thorns of the thorns. Oh wait, stop! After all, I am Apollo, the son of the thunderer Zeus, and not a mere mortal shepherd.

But the beautiful Daphne ran faster and faster. As if on wings, Apollo rushes after her. He's getting closer. It's about to catch up! Daphne feels his breath. Her strength is leaving her. Daphne prayed to her father Peneus:

- Father Penei, help me! Open up quickly, earth, and swallow me up! Oh, take this image away from me, it causes me nothing but suffering!

As soon as she said this, her limbs immediately went numb. The bark covered her tender body, her hair turned into leaves, and her arms raised to the sky turned into branches. Apollo stood sadly in front of the laurel for a long time and finally said:

“Let a wreath of only your greenery adorn my head, and from now on let you decorate both my cithara and my quiver with your leaves.” May your greenery never wither, O laurel! Stay forever green!

And the laurel quietly rustled in response to Apollo with its thick branches and, as if in agreement, bowed its green top.

Delphi

The path of the ridges was blocked by the masses.
There is shadow and haze in the valleys.
Fedriadas burn in the sun
And Zeus's eagles scream.
The greatness of secrets and ancient power
A holy fear will be born in the soul.
The laurel groves are silent,
And the echo multiplies every sound.
Along the beds of ditches, at the bottom of gorges
The rumor of gray streams does not remain silent.
From the ulcers of the earth, from the mountain crevices,
Foggy breath rises like steam.
Here, crowned with vines, -
To the Valley of Delphi, to the mouth of the earth
pious path
Prayers brought me.
I swam across the sea after a dolphin
And at noon a white star
Me across the scorched plains
Led to the serpent's nest.
But the foremother Gaia is not free
Give birth to sons. Python fell silent
And they guard the serpent's cave
Sacred laurel, Delphic wolf.
And where Gad crawls gloomily
The midday ghost of the day darkened,
A stream of cold and transparent
It's oozing to kill the horse.
And where the quiver clinked with threat
And God struck the snake with an arrow,
The righteous oracle speaks,
And the laurel is bitter in the mouth of the Sibyls.
And the olive branch is a wild place
Keeps it under the merciful canopy,
Where is the god of the persecuted Orestes
He sheltered the Eumenides from the wrath.
In spontaneous chaos - the order of law.
On the abyss of the spirit - the splendor of vestments.
And the murdered Dionysus -
In a coffin in front of the temple of Apollo!

In the traditions of many European peoples, a laurel branch is a symbol of triumph and victory. To understand why this happened, you need to turn to the history of the Ancient world and trace the path that an ordinary tree made - from a simple plant to a symbol of victory.

Greek legends

The myths of Ancient Greece associate this triumphal symbol with Apollo, the god who was the patron of the arts and competitions. According to legend, one day Apollo fell in love with the nymph Daphne and began to persistently pursue her. The beauty tried to escape. When Apollo had almost caught her, Daphne, raising her hands, turned to her father, the god of rivers Peneus. He turned her into a slender tree. The saddened Apollo wove a wreath for himself from the leaves of this tree, in memory of And the tree was named after the unfortunate nymph. Translated, Daphne means laurel. To this day, laurel gardens and groves grow on the island of Delos, where, according to legend, the god of beauty was born. Well, the decoration from it became an indispensable attribute of the image of Apollo.

Winners symbol

Since then, the laurel tree has been inextricably linked with the name of Apollo. Since, in addition to the arts, Apollo patronized sports competitions, the laurel wreath began to be awarded not only to skilled composers, singers and artists, but also to the winners of the Pythian games, the venue of which was the Cryssaean plain. From Greece it was inherited by the Romans. The triumphal symbol of the laurel began to be intended not only for winners in sports competitions, but also for heroes who distinguished themselves in military campaigns. The Romans used the laurel to follow a military victory. This award was given to a warrior for special merits - for example, for saving a comrade in battle, being the first to enter an enemy fortress, for a successful assault on an enemy city. The goddess of victory Nike always held in her hands a triumphal symbol - a laurel wreath, which was placed on the head of the winner.

Legend had it that the laurel was Jupiter's favorite tree and was never struck by lightning. In peacetime, it served as an indispensable attribute of holidays and sacrifices glorifying the supreme god of the Romans. The symbol of triumph was minted on coins depicting Apollo and Jupiter. Yuri Caesar wore a wreath to all ceremonial events. True, evil tongues claimed that the laurel wreath helped hide the balding crown of the emperor.

Laurel among early Christians

The early Christians borrowed many symbols from the symbol of triumph - the laurel branch, which was also not forgotten. In the aesthetics of early Christianity, laurel symbolizes chastity, purity, health and longevity. Evergreen leaves perfectly symbolized the eternal life that will come after the atoning sacrifice of the Son of God. Christ was also often depicted with a laurel wreath, as the One who conquered death. Some early Christian martyrs were depicted with laurel wreaths. Laurel was also revered as a plant widely used in medicine and cooking. In an era when spices were worth their weight in gold, bay leaves were indeed a precious gift that could be presented even to a king.

Laurel in heraldry and faleristics

The symbol of immortality from theosophy migrated to the coats of arms and insignia of high-born aristocrats. In heraldry, laurel, like oak, is a symbol of fearlessness and valor. Golden leaves on a red background symbolized the fearless heart of a brave warrior. The triumphal symbol became especially popular in France, and was decorated with the coat of arms of the French Republic. After this, the laurel took pride of place on the coats of arms of many states. At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, laurel wreaths adorned the state signs of such countries as Brazil, Guatemala, Algeria, Greece, Israel, Cuba, and Mexico.

And the insignia of many countries around the world is decorated with evergreen laurel leaves. After all, throughout the world this plant is a symbol of glory, victory and military valor, which means that awards should contain this triumphal symbol in their image. The most honorary awards of European states contain images of laurel leaves.

The meaning of the laurel wreath today

To this day, the laurel wreath adorns the winners of various art and music competitions. The title “laureate” literally means “decorated with laurel,” which means a winner worthy of wearing this symbol of triumph. Photos of modern laureates show that today they are not decorated with wreaths like the ancient winners. It’s just that the insignia of scientists and musicians certainly contains images of laurel leaves. According to some sources, the scientific title “bachelor” also comes from the name of the laurel branch.

Thus, from the ancient past, the laurel has safely come to our time, almost without losing its symbolic meaning.

The desire for triumph, glory and global achievements - all this is a symbolic image of the laurel wreath tattoo. Despite such a positive interpretation, the tattoo has a contradictory meaning. What meaning does it carry in itself, what sketch to choose to attract fortune to life?

Laurel in history and myths

The laurel is traditionally considered a symbol of victory, and even the word “laureate” is literally translated from Latin as “crowned with laurel.” The plant was respected and revered in ancient times. In Rome, it represented peace after victory over enemies. That is why laurel wreaths were awarded to the best warriors for their services in battles and battles. Emperors also decorated their heads with sprigs of the plant as a sign of power, glory and honor. Another meaning of laurel is piety and chastity. By the way, in the Christian religion it symbolized martyrdom and immortality.

The ancient Greeks had a myth about the patron of the arts, the god Apollo, and the nymph Daphne. Apollo fell in love with the girl and began to woo her, not suspecting that she had taken a vow of chastity. Daphne had to turn to higher powers for help, and the gods turned the nymph into a laurel tree. Since then, the plant has become a sacred symbol of Apollo and the highest reward for outstanding artists.

Who is the tattoo suitable for?

A laurel wreath tattoo in modern body art means determination, vanity, wisdom, glory, and courage. A person with a similar body pattern is a maximalist by nature and sets high goals for himself. He achieves what he wants by any means, strives for universal recognition, respect and glory. Belief in victory, an extraordinary mind, and self-confidence help such a person on the path to his dream. His goal is not just to live the life of an average person, but to reach unprecedented heights and climb to the top of some Olympus.

Musicians, writers, poets, dancers, actors and other people in creative professions often wear a laurel wreath tattoo as an amulet. The image gives them inspiration, hope for the fulfillment of their desires, and helps in their career. For a tattoo to have magical properties, it should be applied to closed areas of the body. This type of tattoo is equally relevant for men and women.

The meaning of a laurel wreath tattoo in prison is somewhat different. Such a tattoo indicates that the person is serving a sentence for a crime he did not commit. This interpretation of laurel is taken from Christianity, where the plant is a symbol of martyrdom.

Application technique

The laurel wreath is considered more of a masculine symbol, so it is advisable to choose a sketch in black and white. You can choose the graphic style. It is quite simple and concise, but at the same time modern. The image is done using black ink and shading only. For a small pattern, the inside of the arm, wrist, chest, neck, ankle are suitable.

Those who love original ideas will love the old-school technique. Despite the rich colors, wide contours and clear lines, the tattoo does not look provocative. Tattoos can be supplemented with ribbons or inscriptions to add meaning. The best places to apply large-scale compositions are the back, shoulder, leg, thigh or lower leg.

A selection of photos of tattoos with a wreath