The Caduceus is an ancient emblem of commerce and trade that is associated with eloquence and bargaining. It is linked to Hermes, a swift and crafty Greek god who serves as an emissary of the gods, a conductor of souls to the hereafter, and a defender of travelers, merchants, and herders. In the Hermetic tradition, … Read more
The Hercules Knot, also known as the Hercules Knot, Heracles Knot, Love Knot, and Marriage Knot, is a wedding symbol that represents unending love and dedication. This knot, which is made up of two interwoven ropes, is thought to symbolise Hercules’ fabled fecundity. The knot grew more popular among the ancient Greeks and Romans as … Read more
In Greek and Roman mythology, Apollo is one of the most significant and diversified Olympian gods. Apollo, the kouros’ ideal, has been worshipped as a deity of light and the sun, truth and prophecy, medicine, healing, and pestilence, music, poetry, and the arts, among other things. Apollo is the son of Zeus and Leto, and … Read more
Aphrodite is the goddess of love, beauty, and sexuality in Greek mythology. Venus, her Roman equivalent, is a goddess. Her cult in Greece was historically influenced by or imported from the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia. Cronus cut off Uranus’ genitals and flung them into the sea, and Aphrodite sprang from the sea foam (Aphros), … Read more
Zeus is the “Parent of Gods and Men” in Greek mythology, who controlled the Olympians of Mount Olympus like a father would rule his family. In Greek mythology, he was the deity of the sky and thunder. Jupiter was his Roman counterpart, and Tinia was his Etruscan counterpart. Zeus was the youngest of his siblings … Read more
The “Bowl of Hygeia” sign is the most well-known international pharmacy symbol. Hygeia was the daughter and assistant of Aesculapius (also written Asklepios), the God of Medicine and Healing, according to Greek mythology. A bowl containing a therapeutic potion with the serpent of Wisdom (or guardianship) participating in it was Hygeia’s classical symbol. This is … Read more
The Labyrinth (Greek labyrinthos) was an ornate building designed and erected by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos, according to Greek mythology. Its purpose was to house the Minotaur, a half-man, half-bull beast that was eventually killed by the Athenian hero Theseus. Daedalus had constructed the Labyrinth with such dexterity … Read more
Gorgon – A gorgon (transl. gorgo or gorgon, “awful” or, according to some, “loud-roaring”) was a violent female monster with sharp teeth who was a guardian deity from early religious notions in Greek mythology. Her power was so great that anyone who tried to look at her would be turned to stone; as a result, … Read more
The Cornucopia, also known as the Horn of Plenty, is a Greek emblem of abundance, prosperity, and nutrition. It’s shown as a spiraling horn-shaped basket full of grains and fruits generated by the abundant Earth. The Cornucopia emblem can be traced back to Greek mythology, when Zeus was fed milk as a newborn by a … Read more
An omphalos, also known as a Baetylus, is an ancient sacred stone artifact. The word omphalos means “navel” in Greek (compare the name of Queen Omphale). According to Greek mythology, Zeus dispatched two eagles to fly across the globe and meet at the “navel” of the globe. Omphalos stones were placed in numerous locations across … Read more