The symbol of the triquetra (sometimes called triquetra), whose meaning is deeply rooted in the northern European past, has an ambiguous history.
In fact, we don't even know exactly what we call the phrase "triquetra symbol" (or "triquetra symbol"), because the word "triquetrum" itself is of Latin origin (from "tri" - "three" and "quetrum"). – have corners). That is, we do not know the original name of the symbol used by the Celts, Scandinavians, British, Germans, or Slavs.
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Another conceptual point should be immediately noted: the symbol triquetra (also, along with the word triquetr, it is fair to use the word triquestr, a variation of the original Latin name) is relatively neutral, or we think it is neutral. Probably, for the peoples of the north and, perhaps, of central Europe, the triquetra was a universal sacred sign, but no reliable information about its purpose and functions has come down to us. That is, we do not know the meaning original of the triquetra, but there are many archaeological artifacts on the basis of which we can build various theories. Also, the meaning of the triquetra seems to have changed over time.
The first finds with the image of the triquetra symbol belong to the Bronze Age (33-11 centuries BC). In all likelihood, for the ancient peoples of Great Britain and Scandinavia, the triquetra personified the phases (not the movement!) Of the Sun, in particular: sunrise, zenith and sunset.
In this sense, the symbol of the triquetra is often personified by the norn Urd, Verdandi and Skuld or the aces of Odin, Vili and Vyo, but this is not even a hypothesis, because there are no direct or indirect indications of such a semantic connection. . But there are theories connecting the triquetra (a photo of the symbol in its variations below) to the phases of the moon and even cyclical life processes, which makes sense. But make no mistake, the Celts themselves could well have used the triquetra as an element of the lunar calendar, but there is not and cannot be any connection with the occult and Wiccans, The presence of the triquetra symbol on numerous runestones in the Isles British and the Scandinavian Peninsula suggests that the Celts, Frisians and Scandinavians really gave it a special meaning. For example, the Irish probably associated the triquetra with Manannana Mac Lear.
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In Scandinavian (later Germanic) tradition, the triquetra symbol is obviously associated with the god Thor. In Russia, the triquetra had an applied meaning, it was often carved into household items as a spectacular decoration (perhaps as an amulet). The Slavs are supposed to have borrowed the triquetra from Scandinavian mercenaries, who used it everywhere from painting on utensils to carving patterns on longships.
Triquetra is depicted on the coins of the early rulers of York, who, though Christian, came from the legendary Scandinavian Ynglings. In addition, the Scandinavian king Harald the Grim (killed in 1066 in the battle of Stamfordbridge) issued silver coins with traditional (as they say, Celtic) triquetry. In the Chernigov Spassky Cathedral in 1923, silver bracelets of the XII century were found, on which the triquetra is depicted, on both products it is located between a lion and a lioness. Some researchers believe that the lion and the lioness here are an allegory of the male and female principles, and the triquetra is a family hearth, or the passion (love?) That unites them.
Triquetra Symbol: Etymology and Misconceptions As already noted, """triquetr" is not a name original, it probably appeared at the end of the Middle Ages, when the symbol became widespread. In general, the Latin word "triquetrum" was originally called any triangular shape, but over time the name "became attached" to a specific symbol. In the Middle Ages, the Christian tradition tried to organically weave the symbol of the triquetra into the religious paradigm.bear canonical, merging it with the image of vesica piscis (“fish bubble” in Latin). In fact, the vesica piscis symbol, widely represented in iconography, which hides in itself curious mathematical principles, has nothing to do with the triquetra.
Christians inscribed the meaning of the triquetra on the Trinity principle, but this idea received no support. Separately, it should be said that the triquetra is often called “clover”, and nominally there is no contradiction here, because outwardly the symbol really resembles three folded wooden (oak?) leaves. However, we don't know if triquetra could really be called similarly. But to compare the triquetra with the triskelion (triskele) or any other version of the swastika is an obvious mistake, because here we are already talking about two fundamentally distinguishable principles. Trikvetr in its form does not correspond to the movement of the Sun (we have already talked about this), while the swastika (any, and the same triskel) simply embodies this movement (of course, only in one of its semantic aspects). We will also dwell on the misconception associated with the concept of “triquetra amulet”.
In fact, not a single pendant with this symbol has been found, that is, in fact, the triquetra amulet is a modern stylization, it is not known whether this symbol was used as an amulet or a talisman, and in general, whether it could have been used. in that way, based on the original meaning of this sacred sign. After all, the Hammer of Thor itself is a rather popular archaeological find, it was definitely used as a talisman (probably as a talisman), because in Denmark and Sweden, as well as in the North of Russia, many pendants (for the most part IX-XI centuries) were found, made in the form of Mjolnir… That is, the triquetra amulet is, at best, a spectacular decoration, a modern variation that does not carry an original esoteric connotation. On the other hand, it may not be in vain that pendants of this (popular!) Form were not used by the peoples of antiquity, who probably knew more about the symbolism of the triquetra than we do.
Summing up the above, we can summarize that the triquetra symbol is one of the oldest sacred signs on the European continent. He was revered by many peoples, personifying the image of a certain trinity, probably some cyclicity (perhaps universal). Probably, the triquetra could have a protective functionality, but everything we know about it today is only a hypothesis, although sometimes it seems very accurate.