Laurel wreath. Bay leaf storage

A tattoo depicting a laurel wreath denotes victory, union, strength, great torment, confidence, aspiration, triumph.

The meaning of the laurel wreath tattoo

Nowadays, the tattoo "laurel wreath" is gradually gaining popularity. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the image itself is quite aesthetic and spectacular, simple in execution technique and at the same time very eloquent. The main meaning of the symbol has always been "victory", "knowledge", "reward", but let's talk about those meanings that could have passed us by.

The image of a laurel wreath is quite popular in the creative environment. Laurel leaves in the form of a wreath have always been an award for the best poets and musicians. This tattoo will probably play the role of a special symbol that attracts good luck in creative deeds for those who consider themselves a creative person.

A wreath at the same time denotes a symbol of the eternal and permanent, and at the same time, fidelity to goals and values.

It is curious that in ancient times the laurel wreath was taken as a symbol of torment. Therefore, he was depicted on people accused of the sins of others. Because of this, the meaning in places of detention of this symbol is usually chosen by people who are wrongly convicted and forced to serve their sentences for a real criminal.

Not so often, but sometimes a wreath of laurel leaves is associated with memory and eternal life. Laurel - its leaves are evergreen, so the connection with immortality is inevitable. This idea is connected with the fact that in ancient times the wreath was associated with a sign of union - between the living world and the other world, where people found peace, they also believed that with the help of it the connection between generations in the family was strengthened.

Also of interest is the fact that in different nations and cultures, the laurel wreath is a talisman. It is so believed that this image can save a person from dark forces, and among other things, protect against ailments, and the owner will become strong in spirit and body. At the same time, there is an opinion that a wreath will make you be confident and not be afraid of anything.

People who are owners of a tattoo, they gravitate towards the continuous study of their soul, where main goal is to identify the aspects that define them later life, and forced to conquer new heights. A stubborn desire for victorious triumph distinguishes tattoo wearers from the rest of the people. No wonder the emperors wore wreaths of these leaves. The one who has chosen this tattoo as his symbol does not want to live stereotypically, but to live as a realized person, whose dreams soar upwards.

Truly brave and self-confident people can choose this tattoo for themselves without hesitation, because its meaning is fully consistent with the disposition of the owner. This composition of the leaves of a noble plant will definitely inspire you to strive for the heights.

A tattoo in the form of a wreath will say that a person is giving his best to make his dreams come true. The owner will definitely have a serious incentive not to stop and achieve what he wants. The bearer of the tattoo strives with all his guts to triumph, and there is nothing more important than winning any fight. For this, he is ready to go to the most extreme measures.

If a person does not remember such courage, you should think more carefully about the tattoo. On the other hand, those who have overcome the fear of getting a tattoo have already taken a step towards their pedestal.

AT ancient Greek culture the laurel represented victory and peace and was dedicated to Apollo and Dionysus. According to the myth, Apollo pursued the nymph Daphne, who had given her word to remain chaste. Daphne prayed 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 with laurel wreaths, while athletes, athletes were crowned with olive or celery wreaths. Laurel groves grew on 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 the festivities in honor of Apollo, the audience wore laurel wreaths. Laurels were credited with not only healing power, but also the power of cleansing from spiritual defilement. Laurel leaves were ritually cleansed of spilled blood, Apollo cleansed himself with them after the killing of 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.

AT Ancient Rome laurel wreath becomes the highest sign military and imperial glory. It symbolized the peace coming after the victory over the enemy. Messages of victory and victorious weapons were wrapped around 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 adorned their heads with a laurel wreath. In ancient Rome, orators and poets also aspired to possess a laurel wreath. In addition, the laurel was dedicated to the vestal virgins and personified purity.

AT early Christianity evergreen laurel leaves were considered a symbol of eternal life or new life, which will come thanks to the redemptive deeds of Christ, and a wreath of laurel symbolized martyrdom. St. Paul contrasts the incorruptible crown, with which a Christian ascetic is crowned, with the perishable crown, which is received by the victorious on the lists.

Already in Hellenistic era laurel becomes a symbol of glory as such, and a laurel wreath or laurel branch - an emblem of glory. In the Middle Ages, laurel was not used in classical heraldry. But after french revolution In 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 state emblems Algeria, Brazil, Greece, Israel, Cuba, Mexico and other countries

AT the art of classicism laurel has become 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's "Metamorphoses"
Daphne

The bright, joyful god Apollo knows sadness, and grief befell him. He knew grief shortly after defeating Python. When Apollo, proud of his victory, stood over the monster slain 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?” Leave it to me to send out the smashing golden arrows with which I just killed Python. Are you equal in glory with me, the archer? Do you want to achieve more fame than me?

Offended, Eros proudly answered Apollo:

“Your arrows, Phoebus-Apollo, do not know a miss, they smash everyone, but my arrow will hit you.

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

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

- Stop, beautiful nymph, - Apollo called out, - 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 legs on the sharp thorns of the blackthorn. Oh wait, stop! After all, I am Apollo, the son of the Thunderer Zeus, and not a simple mortal shepherd.

But the beautiful Daphne ran faster and faster. As if on wings, Apollo rushes after her. He is getting closer. Now it's coming! Daphne feels his breath. The strength leaves her. Daphne prayed to her father Peneus:

"Father Penei, help me!" Part quickly, earth, and devour me! Oh, take away this image from me, it causes me only suffering!

As soon as she said this, her limbs immediately became numb. The bark covered her delicate body, her hair turned into foliage, and her hands raised to the sky turned into branches. For a long time, sad Apollo stood before the laurel and, finally, said:

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

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

Delphi

Hulks hampered the path of the ridges.
In the valleys there is shadow and mist.
The Phaedrias burn in the sun
And Zeus's eagles call.
The greatness of secrets and ancient power
In the soul will give birth to holy fear.
Mute laurel groves,
And the echo multiplies every sound.
Along the channels of the ditches, at the bottom of the gorges
The silence of gray streams is not silent.
From the ulcers of the earth, from the mountain cracks,
Like steam, a misty breath rises.
Here, crowned with a vine, -
To the valley of Delphi, to the mouth of the earth
pious path
Prayers brought me.
I sailed the sea for a dolphin,
And at noon a white star
Me across the scorched plains
Led to the serpent's nest.
But the foremother of Gaia is not free
Give birth to sons. Python is silent
And guard the serpent's cave
Sacred laurel, Delphic wolf.
And where Gad crawls gloomy
Darkened the half-day ghost of the day,
A stream of cold and transparent
Oozing to dig a horse.
And where the quiver tinkled with a threat
And the god pierced the snake with an arrow,
The righteous oracle speaks
And bitter laurel in the mouth of the sibyls.
And a wild olive branch
Keeps under the gracious shadow,
Where is the god of the persecuted Orestes
Eumenides hid from anger.
In elemental chaos - the order of the law.
On the abyss of the spirit - the splendor of robes.
And the slain Dionysus -
In the coffin in front of the temple of Apollo!

In the tradition of many European nations a symbol of triumph, victory is a laurel branch. To understand why this happened, we need to turn to history. ancient world and trace the path that an ordinary tree has taken - from a simple plant to a symbol of victory.

Greek legends

myths Ancient Greece connect this triumphal symbol with Apollo - the god, the patron of arts and competitions. According to legend, once Apollo fell in love with the nymph Daphne and began to persistently pursue her. Beauty tried to escape. When Apollo almost caught her, Daphne, raising her hands, turned to her father, the god of the 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 A the tree was named after the unfortunate nymph. In translation, Daphne means laurel. Until now, on the island of Delos, where, according to legend, the god of beauty was born, laurel gardens and groves grow. Well, the decoration from became an indispensable attribute of the image of Apollo.

Symbol of the winners

Since then, the laurel tree has been inextricably linked with the name of Apollo. Since, in addition to the arts, Apollo patronized sports, the laurel wreath began to be awarded not only to skilled composers, singers and artists, but also to the winners of the Pythian games, which served as the venue for the Crissian 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, but also for heroes who distinguished themselves in military campaigns. The laurel among the Romans became which follows a military victory. Such an award was given to a warrior for special merits - for example, for rescuing 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 has it that laurel is Jupiter's favorite tree and has never been struck by lightning. AT Peaceful time 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 at all solemn events. Truth, gossips it was claimed that the laurel wreath helped hide the balding crown of the emperor.

Laurel among the 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 in cooking. In an era when spices were worth their weight in gold, bay leaves were indeed a precious gift that could even be presented to a king.

Laurel in heraldry and faleristics

The symbol of immortality from theosophy migrated to the coats of arms and insignia of noble 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 has become especially popular in France, decorated with a coat of arms French Republic. After that, the laurel took place of honor on the coats of arms of many states. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, laurel wreaths adorned the state signs of such states as Brazil, Guatemala, Algeria, Greece, Israel, Cuba, and Mexico.

Medals, orders and insignia of many countries of the world adorn the leaves of the evergreen laurel. Indeed, all over the world this plant is a symbol of glory, victory and military prowess, which means that awards should contain this triumphal symbol in their image. The most honorary decorations of European states contain images of bay leaves.

The meaning of the laurel wreath today

Until now, the laurel wreath adorns the winners of various artistic 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 contain images of bay leaves. According to some sources, the scientific title "bachelor" also came 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 Greeks considered laurel the tree of Apollo. There is a myth that a beautiful nymph named Daphne took a vow of chastity, but the god Apollo was so fascinated by her that he could not control himself and began to pursue her. Daphne began to pray to the gods for help, and they turned her into a laurel tree. The patron of the arts hugged him, but it was all in vain, the beautiful nymph could not be returned. Since then, the laurel has become the sacred tree of Apollo. Therefore, in Greece, all outstanding artists began to be awarded wreaths of laurel.

In the Roman Empire, the best warriors received a laurel wreath, it symbolized the peace that was to come along with the overthrow of enemies. Emperors also wore wreaths of laurel branches. The laurel was associated with the immaculate vestals, so it became a symbol of chastity and piety.

Early Christians saw the laurel wreath as a symbol of martyrdom and eternal life. During the Hellenistic period, it became associated with fame. It is noteworthy that in the Middle Ages, the laurel wreath disappears from the list of traditional heraldic symbols, its revival occurred only in late XVIII century after the French Revolution.
By the way, the word “laureate” is directly related to this plant and means “crowned with laurel”.

Symbolism

The roots of the symbolism of the laurel, as already mentioned, are in ancient times. So, what does a laurel wreath tattoo mean?

• Faith in victory. A person wholeheartedly strives for victory, for him there is nothing more important in life than to emerge victorious from any situation. For the sake of victory, he is ready for absolutely anything.
• purposefulness. A laurel wreath tattoo indicates that a person spares no effort to achieve his goals. He has a strong enough incentive to keep moving forward and achieve what he wants.
• Courage. Since wreaths of laurel branches were awarded to warriors who distinguished themselves more than others on the battlefield, it is also considered a symbol of courage, military honor and valor.
• Wisdom. Laurel wreaths were also worn by emperors, and only a wise emperor is able to rule long and fairly.
• Greatness. A person who has chosen such a tattoo dreams of not only living life with dignity, realizing himself as a person or creating happy family, his dreams are much more global. He wants to reach the highest position in society.
• Creation. The laurel wreath served as an award for the best poets, musicians, and dancers. Such a tattoo can become a kind of amulet that attracts good luck in creative endeavors for young artists.
• Soul Immortality. Laurel is an evergreen tree, so association with eternal life is inevitable.

The laurel wreath is also found among prison tattoos. In this context, this symbol indicates that the prisoner was unfairly convicted, that he is serving a sentence for a crime that he did not commit. This meaning comes precisely from the Christian interpretation of the symbol.

Stylistic decisions

Both women and men love to reap laurels equally. The laurel wreath is most often depicted in black, without any decorative elements. But there are also more original ideas, for example, a laurel wreath with flowers and ribbons, inscriptions topped with laurel.

Such tattoos rarely have very big size so they look great just about anywhere. Most suitable places- shoulder, forearm, lower leg, thigh, neck, between the shoulder blades.

For monochrome work, graphics are quite suitable. Many mistakenly attribute all black and white works to this style, but this is fundamentally wrong. The graphics are different in that there are no halftones in the image, only black. All shadows are done with hatching. Looks quite original.

If you still prefer colored tattoos, check out the new school work. The style arose not so long ago, about 30 years ago, and adopted a lot from the old school. Such tattoos look spectacular due to the use of bright colors, clear and wide contours.

In any case, to begin with, discuss the future tattoo with the masters. Perhaps he will give you a really unique idea.

Or a laurel branch - since Greco-Roman antiquity - a symbol of glory, victory or peace. The victors put on a laurel wreath; the ships of the victors were decorated with laurels. On solemn occasions, all the people were married to L.; the priests wore laurel wreaths during the sacrifices. L. was dedicated to Apollo, in explanation of which the myth of Daphne was created (see); in the Pythian games, L. was an award to the winner, and they were also awarded to "Apollo's favorites" - poets. This relationship between Apollo and L. explains the attribution to L, a prophetic gift: the priests ate it to find out the future (laurel eaters). There was also a belief that L. saves from lightning. See Laureate.

• - among the ancient Greeks and Romans - a symbol of victory, triumph, glory. Laurel wreaths were adorned with faces that won in various contests and competitions. The tradition has survived to this day...

  Architectural Dictionary

• - or a branch of L., since Greco-Roman antiquity - a symbol of glory, victory or peace. The victors put on a laurel wreath; the ships of the victors were decorated with laurels. On solemn occasions, all the people got married L ....
• - or a branch of laurel - since Greco-Roman antiquity - a symbol of glory, victory or peace. The victors put on a laurel wreath; the ships of the victors were decorated with laurels. On solemn occasions, all the people got married L ....

  encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Euphron

• - Book. The same as the Laurel crown. The poem "Extreme Bliss" did not do much strong impression in public. already intertwined for the author, but still invisibly. We also talked about art...

  Phrasebook Russian literary language

• - LAUREL, th, m. . Georgian, Caucasian...

  Dictionary of Russian Argo

• - l`avrovy and laurel`ovy A / pr; 114 claim see _Appendix II bay leaf; Laurel wreath; laurel crown...

  Dictionary of Russian accents

• - ...

  Spelling Dictionary of the Russian Language

• - LAVR, -a, ...

  Dictionary Ozhegov

• - LAVR, -a, ...

  Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov

• - LAUREL and, laurel, laurel. 1. adj. to laurel in 1 sign. Laurel grove. Bay leaf. 2. in value noun laurel, laurel, units. laurel, laurel, cf. The name of a plant family...

  Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

• - laurel l`avrovy, laurel adj. 1. ratio with noun. laurel associated with it 2. Peculiar to the laurel, characteristic of it. 3. Belonging to the Lavra. 4. Consisting of laurels. 5. Made from laurel, from branches or leaves of laurel ...

  Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova

• - l "avr" ...

  Russian orthographic dictionary

• - Book. Symbol of glory, victory, award. F 1, 53...

  Big Dictionary Russian sayings

• - 1. bay; laurel grove; family laurel 2. laurel; Bay leaf...

  Russian word stress

• - 1...

  Word forms

• - noun, number of synonyms: 6 laurel crown laurels laurels of the winner palm first place victory ...

  Synonym dictionary

"Laurel wreath" in books

LAUREL WREATH