pentagram
Pentagram
Historical motif · modern Pagan use
Elements · geometry · ritual
Historically attested motif · meanings vary
A five-pointed star whose meanings changed across mathematical, religious, occult, and modern Pagan contexts.
/blogs/blog/pentagram
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61 symbols
pentacle
Pentacle
Modern Pagan
Protection · unity · elements
Modern Pagan usage · older term is broader
In much modern Pagan usage, a pentacle is a pentagram enclosed within a circle, often associated with unity and protection.
/blogs/blog/difference-between-pentacle-and-pentagram
triple-moon
Triple Moon
Modern Pagan
Moon · cycles · goddess
Modern Pagan symbol
A waxing crescent, full moon, and waning crescent used in modern Pagan and witchcraft traditions to express lunar cycles.
/blogs/blog/the-triple-moon-symbol-unveiling-the-mystery-and-power
wheel-of-the-year
Wheel of the Year
Modern Pagan
Seasons · festivals · renewal
Modern ritual calendar
A modern framework of eight seasonal festivals linking solstices, equinoxes, and cross-quarter celebrations.
/blogs/pagan-festivals/what-is-the-wheel-of-the-year
horned-god
Horned God
Modern Pagan
Nature · wilderness · vitality
Modern Pagan symbol with varied influences
A modern Pagan emblem associated with nature, animal life, seasonal vitality, and the Horned God in Wiccan traditions.
/blogs/deities/cernunnos-vs-horned-god-pan-differences
elements
Elemental Symbols
Western esoteric · modern Pagan
Earth · air · fire · water
Derived from alchemical and esoteric systems
Geometric signs used to distinguish earth, air, fire, and water in alchemical, occult, and modern Pagan practice.
/blogs/blog/embracing-the-elemental-forces-exploring-spirit-air-fire-water-and-earth
witchs-knot
Witch’s Knot
Folk magic · modern witchcraft
Binding · warding · protection
Multiple related forms and modern interpretations
An interlaced protective sign associated with binding, warding, and the continuity of magical intention.
/blogs/blog/witchs-knot-symbol-meaning-history
mjolnir
Mjölnir
Norse
Thor · protection · strength
Historically attested Viking Age amulet
Thor’s hammer appears on numerous Viking Age pendants and is associated with protection, divine power, and consecration.
/blogs/blog/mjolnir-symbol-meaning-history
valknut
Valknut
Norse
Death · warriors · Odin
Historically attested motif · original name and meaning uncertain
Three interlocked triangles appear in Scandinavian archaeological contexts, but their original name and precise meaning are unknown.
/blogs/blog/valknut-symbol-meaning-history
yggdrasil
Yggdrasil
Norse mythology
World tree · cosmos · connection
Textually attested mythic tree · modern emblematic designs vary
The immense ash at the center of the Norse cosmos connects worlds and expresses interdependence, fate, and sacred order.
/blogs/blog/yggdrasil-symbol-meaning-history
elder-futhark
Elder Futhark
Early Germanic
Writing · language · divination
Historically attested runic alphabet
The oldest widely recognized runic alphabet, used across early Germanic-speaking regions before later runic systems developed.
/blogs/blog/elder-futhark-symbol-meaning-history
vegvisir
Vegvísir
Icelandic magical tradition
Wayfinding · guidance · safe travel
Documented in a nineteenth-century Icelandic manuscript
A later Icelandic magical stave associated with finding one’s way; it is not a Viking Age compass.
/blogs/blog/vegvisir-symbol-meaning-history
aegishjalmur
Ægishjálmur
Icelandic magical tradition
Protection · courage · power
Later Icelandic magical sign
The Helm of Awe is known from Icelandic magical material and later practice rather than as a standardized Viking Age emblem.
/blogs/blog/aegishjalmur-symbol-meaning-history
triquetra
Triquetra
Insular art · modern Celtic spirituality
Threefold unity · continuity
Historically attested motif · fixed ancient Pagan meaning uncertain
A three-cornered interlaced form found in historic decorative art and reinterpreted in Christian, Celtic revival, and modern Pagan settings.
/blogs/blog/triquetra-symbol-meaning-history
triskelion
Triskelion
Ancient European · Celtic revival
Motion · threefold rhythm · cycles
Ancient motif used across several cultures
A three-armed spiral or legged motif whose long history spans several regions and later Celtic-inspired interpretations.
/blogs/blog/triskelion-symbol-meaning-history
star-of-ishtar
Star of Ishtar
Mesopotamian
Ishtar · Venus · divine power
Historically attested divine symbol
The eight-pointed star is a major emblem of Inanna-Ishtar and is closely connected with the planet Venus.
/blogs/blog/what-is-ishtar-holy-symbol
ankh
Ankh
Ancient Egyptian
Life · divine vitality
Historically attested hieroglyph and sacred emblem
The ankh is the Egyptian hieroglyph for life and appears in religious imagery as a sign of divine life-giving power.
/blogs/blog/ankh-symbol-meaning-history
eye-of-horus
Eye of Horus
Ancient Egyptian
Healing · restoration · protection
Historically attested Egyptian symbol
The wedjat eye is associated with Horus, restoration, wholeness, healing, and protective power in ancient Egyptian religion.
/blogs/blog/eye-of-horus-symbol-meaning-history
scarab
Scarab
Ancient Egyptian
Solar cycle · becoming · rebirth
Archaeologically attested Egyptian amulet and image
Scarabs evoke the dung beetle and the solar god Khepri, linking daily solar renewal with becoming, regeneration, and protective transformation.
/blogs/blog/scarab-symbol-meaning-history
djed-pillar
Djed Pillar
Ancient Egyptian
Stability · endurance · Osiris
Historically attested hieroglyph and sacred emblem
The djed is a sign of stability and enduring order that became closely associated with Osiris and rites of restoration.
/blogs/blog/djed-pillar-symbol-meaning-history
tyet-knot
Tyet Knot
Ancient Egyptian
Isis · protection · life
Historically attested Egyptian amulet
Often called the Knot of Isis, the tyet appears in funerary and protective contexts; interpretations should distinguish evidence from later speculation.
/blogs/blog/tyet-knot-symbol-meaning-history
was-scepter
Was Scepter
Ancient Egyptian
Power · dominion · divine authority
Historically attested divine and royal attribute
The was sceptre is carried by gods and rulers as an emblem of power, authority, and control over ordered space.
/blogs/blog/was-scepter-symbol-meaning-history
uraeus
Uraeus
Ancient Egyptian
Kingship · protection · sacred fire
Historically attested royal and divine emblem
The rearing cobra placed on crowns embodies protective divine force and royal legitimacy, often connected with Wadjet.
/blogs/blog/uraeus-symbol-meaning-history
winged-sun-disk
Winged Sun Disk
Egyptian · ancient Near Eastern
Solar power · kingship · protection
Historically attested motif with regional variants
The winged solar disk appears in Egypt and across the ancient Near East, but its local meanings and associated deities vary by period and region.
/blogs/blog/winged-sun-disk-symbol-meaning-history
labrys
Labrys
Minoan · Greek reception
Double axe · ritual authority
Archaeologically attested Aegean motif
The double axe is prominent in Minoan material culture; later religious and modern uses should not be projected unchanged into Bronze Age Crete.
/blogs/blog/labrys-symbol-meaning-history
gorgoneion
Gorgoneion
Ancient Greek
Apotropaic power · Gorgon · protection
Historically attested apotropaic image
The frontal Gorgon head was used on temples, shields, coins, and objects to confront danger with a terrifying protective gaze.
/blogs/blog/gorgoneion-symbol-meaning-history
zeus-thunderbolt
Thunderbolt of Zeus
Ancient Greek
Zeus · sky · sovereign power
Historically attested divine attribute
The thunderbolt is Zeus’s principal weapon and one of the clearest attributes used to identify him in Greek art.
/blogs/blog/zeus-thunderbolt-symbol-meaning-history
poseidon-trident
Trident of Poseidon
Ancient Greek
Poseidon · sea · earthquakes
Historically attested divine attribute
The trident identifies Poseidon and expresses his command of the sea as well as the earth-shaking force attributed to him.
/blogs/blog/poseidon-trident-symbol-meaning-history
athena-owl
Owl of Athena
Ancient Greek
Athena · wisdom · civic identity
Historically attested divine attribute and civic emblem
The little owl accompanies Athena and became especially recognizable through Athenian coinage and civic imagery.
/blogs/blog/athena-owl-symbol-meaning-history
hermes-caduceus
Caduceus of Hermes
Greek · Roman
Hermes · messengers · exchange
Historically attested divine attribute
The winged staff entwined by two snakes belongs to Hermes-Mercury and should not be confused with the single-serpent medical rod of Asclepius.
/blogs/blog/hermes-caduceus-symbol-meaning-history
rod-of-asclepius
Rod of Asclepius
Ancient Greek
Healing · medicine · Asclepius
Historically attested divine attribute
A single snake coils around the staff of Asclepius, the Greek god of healing; this is the historically appropriate medical emblem.
/blogs/blog/rod-of-asclepius-symbol-meaning-history
persephone-pomegranate
Pomegranate of Persephone
Ancient Greek mythology
Persephone · return · underworld
Textually and artistically associated mythic attribute
The pomegranate recalls Persephone’s underworld story and later symbolism of seasonal return, fertility, and the boundary between worlds.
/blogs/blog/persephone-pomegranate-symbol-meaning-history
hecate-keys
Keys of Hecate
Greek · Roman · modern Hecate devotion
Thresholds · access · guardianship
Historically attested epithet and attribute · modern meanings vary
Keys connect Hecate with doors, thresholds, guardianship, and access; modern devotional interpretations should be distinguished from ancient evidence.
/blogs/blog/what-do-the-keys-symbolize-in-hecate
hecate-torches
Torches of Hecate
Ancient Greek · modern Hecate devotion
Guidance · night · thresholds
Historically attested divine attribute
Hecate is frequently represented carrying torches, which illuminate night journeys, ritual processions, and transitions between spaces.
/blogs/blog/hecate-torches-symbol-meaning-history
brigids-cross
Brigid’s Cross
Irish Christian folk tradition
Brigid · hearth · protection
Historically documented Irish folk object with varied forms
Woven Brigid’s crosses are associated with St Brigid’s Day and household protection; modern Pagan Imbolc use belongs to a later interpretive setting.
/blogs/pagan-festivals/brigids-cross-a-symbol-of-protection-and-renewal
awen
Awen
Welsh revival · modern Druidry
Inspiration · poetry · flowing spirit
Modern emblem rooted in Welsh revival traditions
The three rays of Awen are a modern Druidic emblem of inspiration and poetic illumination rather than a surviving ancient Celtic sign.
/blogs/blog/awen-symbol-meaning-history
green-man
Green Man
Medieval art · folklore · modern Paganism
Vegetation · renewal · wild nature
Historic foliate-head motif · modern Pagan readings are later
Foliate faces are widespread in medieval architecture; the name Green Man and many nature-spirit interpretations are modern developments.
/blogs/blog/green-man-symbol-meaning-history
solar-disk-shamash
Solar Disk of Shamash
Mesopotamian
Sun · justice · Shamash
Historically attested divine emblem
The radiate solar disk represents Shamash, the sun god associated with illumination, judgement, and justice.
/blogs/blog/solar-disk-shamash-symbol-meaning-history
crescent-sin-nanna
Crescent of Sin/Nanna
Mesopotamian
Moon · time · Nanna-Sin
Historically attested divine emblem
The lunar crescent marks Nanna-Sin, the Mesopotamian moon god, and appears among divine emblems on seals and boundary stones.
/blogs/blog/crescent-sin-nanna-symbol-meaning-history
rod-and-ring
Rod and Ring
Mesopotamian
Authority · measurement · kingship
Historically attested divine attribute · interpretation debated
The rod-and-ring is held by Mesopotamian deities in scenes of investiture; scholarship debates its exact material and meaning.
/blogs/blog/rod-and-ring-symbol-meaning-history
horned-crown-divinity
Horned Crown of Divinity
Mesopotamian
Divinity · rank · sacred authority
Historically attested marker of divinity
Tiered horned crowns identify gods in Mesopotamian art, with the number and arrangement of horns often communicating divine status.
/blogs/blog/horned-crown-divinity-symbol-meaning-history
lightning-fork-adad
Lightning Fork of Adad
Mesopotamian
Storm · rain · Adad
Historically attested divine emblem
The forked lightning emblem belongs to Adad/Ishkur and expresses the storm’s destructive power and life-giving rain.
/blogs/blog/lightning-fork-adad-symbol-meaning-history
winged-disk-ashur
Winged Disk of Ashur
Assyrian
Ashur · kingship · imperial protection
Historically attested Assyrian royal-religious motif
The winged disk in Assyrian art is closely tied to Ashur and royal ideology, though individual forms and interpretations vary.
/blogs/blog/winged-disk-ashur-symbol-meaning-history
gungnir
Gungnir
Norse mythology
Odin · spear · oath and battle
Textually attested mythic weapon
Gungnir is Odin’s spear in Old Norse literature; modern emblematic designs are interpretations rather than a single fixed ancient sign.
/blogs/blog/gungnir-symbol-meaning-history
huginn-muninn
Huginn and Muninn
Norse mythology
Thought · memory · Odin
Textually attested mythic ravens
Odin’s ravens Huginn and Muninn fly through the world and report what they learn, embodying thought, memory, and far-seeing knowledge.
/blogs/blog/huginn-muninn-symbol-meaning-history
raven-banner
Raven Banner
Viking Age and medieval Scandinavian contexts
Raven · war · dynastic identity
Historically described banner motif · surviving forms uncertain
Medieval sources describe raven banners linked with Scandinavian leaders; modern reconstructions should be presented as interpretive.
/blogs/blog/raven-banner-symbol-meaning-history
peruns-axe
Perun’s Axe
Slavic archaeology · modern reconstruction
Thunder · protection · Perun
Axe amulets are attested · attribution and meanings require care
Miniature axe pendants are archaeologically known in Eastern Europe; linking every example directly to Perun can exceed the evidence.
/blogs/blog/peruns-axe-symbol-meaning-history
lunula
Lunula
European · Slavic and Baltic jewellery contexts
Moon · adornment · protection
Historically attested crescent-shaped ornament
Lunula pendants appear across Roman and medieval Europe, including Slavic and Baltic contexts; meanings varied across time and place.
/blogs/blog/lunula-symbol-meaning-history
sun-wheel
Sun Wheel / Solar Cross
Cross-cultural celestial motif
Sun · cycle · radiance
Ancient geometric motif with culture-specific meanings
A cross within a circle occurs in many periods and regions; it should not be assigned one universal Pagan meaning without context.
/blogs/blog/sun-wheel-symbol-meaning-history
crescent-moon
Crescent Moon
Cross-cultural celestial motif
Moon · time · becoming
Widely attested celestial form · meanings vary
The crescent is a direct lunar form used across many cultures to mark deities, calendars, renewal, and celestial identity.
/blogs/blog/crescent-moon-symbol-meaning-history
spiral
Spiral
Cross-cultural geometric motif
Motion · growth · transformation
Ancient motif with no single universal meaning
Spirals appear in prehistoric and historic art worldwide; modern readings of growth or spiritual journey should be labelled as interpretations.
/blogs/blog/spiral-symbol-meaning-history
double-spiral
Double Spiral
Cross-cultural geometric motif
Reciprocity · cycles · transition
Historically attested motif · meanings are context-dependent
Paired spirals can suggest balanced motion or transition in modern use, while archaeological examples require culture-specific interpretation.
/blogs/blog/double-spiral-symbol-meaning-history
ouroboros
Ouroboros
Egyptian · Greek · alchemical traditions
Cycle · wholeness · renewal
Historically attested image with changing interpretations
The serpent consuming its tail moved through Egyptian, Greek, Gnostic, and alchemical contexts as an image of cyclical totality and renewal.
/blogs/blog/ouroboros-symbol-meaning-history
cernunnos-antlers-torc
Antlers and Torc of Cernunnos
Gallo-Roman iconography · modern Pagan reception
Cernunnos · animals · abundance
Attributes appear in ancient imagery · modern composite emblem
Antlers and a torc are associated with Cernunnos in ancient images, while the combined standalone emblem is a modern visual synthesis.
/blogs/deities/cernunnos-symbols-antlers-torc-serpent-animals
celtic-interlace
Celtic Interlace
Insular art · modern Celtic design
Continuity · connection · sacred pattern
Historically attested decorative method · meanings vary
Interlace is central to Insular art but individual knots rarely carry one fixed ancient meaning; modern symbolic readings should remain explicit.
/blogs/blog/celtic-interlace-symbol-meaning-history
hecate-strophalos
Hecate’s Strophalos
Late antique textual term · modern Hecate symbol
Hecate · ritual motion · modern wheel
Ancient strophalos is textual; familiar graphic “Hecate’s Wheel” is modern
Ancient sources mention a strophalos in ritual contexts, but the familiar modern labyrinth-like Hecate’s Wheel cannot be presented as a securely reproduced ancient design.
/blogs/blog/hecate-strophalos-symbol-meaning-history
spiral-goddess
Spiral Goddess
Modern Pagan
Body · spiral · generative power
Modern Pagan emblem
The stylized female form with a spiral is a modern spiritual emblem rather than a standardized surviving sign from antiquity.
/blogs/blog/spiral-goddess-symbol-meaning-history
athame
Athame
Modern witchcraft ritual tool
Direction · will · ritual boundary
Documented modern ritual tool
The athame is a ritual blade used symbolically in several modern witchcraft traditions; it is not normally used for cutting.
/blogs/blog/athame-symbol-meaning-history
chalice
Chalice
Ritual symbol and tool
Offering · water · receptivity
Cross-traditional vessel with modern Pagan uses
The chalice is a ritual vessel whose meaning depends on tradition; modern practice often associates it with water, offering, and receptivity.
/blogs/blog/chalice-symbol-meaning-history
cauldron
Cauldron
Mythic image · modern ritual tool
Transformation · abundance · rebirth
Historic vessel and mythic motif · modern ritual meanings vary
Cauldrons are practical historic vessels and powerful objects in Celtic and other mythic narratives; modern witchcraft adds further ritual meanings.
/blogs/blog/cauldron-symbol-meaning-history
besom
Besom
Folk practice · modern witchcraft tool
Cleansing · threshold · preparation
Household object with layered folklore and modern ritual use
The broom became entangled with witch folklore and is used in modern ritual practice for symbolic cleansing and preparation of space.
/blogs/blog/besom-symbol-meaning-history
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Pagan Knowledge Hub
Raven Banner Meaning: History, Evidence, and Modern Use
Medieval sources describe raven banners linked with Scandinavian leaders; modern reconstructions should be presented as interpretive. Explore its history, evidence, meaning, modern use, and common ...