More and more people flaunt cross jewelry without giving it any religious significance. In today’s world, the cross is as spiritual as it is worldly. Many religious persons frown upon such as frivolous utilization of sacred images but they overlook the fact that the cross does not belong exclusively to Christians. It turns out that even cave people worshipped crosses let alone more progressive ancient civilizations.
In this post, we are going to reveal some of the most interesting meanings our ancestors gave to a couple of crossed bars. Hopefully, if you know more about the versatility of this symbol, the idea of rocking it with a fashion purpose won’t scare you anymore. Here you can find some interesting ideas for your next cross pendant https://www.bikerringshop.com/collections/cross-pendants.
Cross as a Symbol of Fire and the Sun
Ancient civilizations of Paleolithic and early Neolithic considered the sun and the light it sheds their main deities. It’s easy to understand why – the sun drove away darkness and cold; it gave light and warmth. When cave people discovered fire, their first associations connected it with the sun since both provided warmth, illumination, and protection. However, for a long time, they did not know how to light the sacred and vital fire.
The very first method they used involved rubbing two pieces of dry wood against each other. People took sticks of soft and hard wood and placed them crosswise. Drawings of these makeshift crosses can be seen on ancient megaliths and tombs. Over time, creative minds came up with a more convenient flint: a dry stick was inserted into two intersecting bars featuring a hole at the top.
This cross-shaped tool became the very first graphic symbol of fire and its progenitor, the sun. Shortly after that, our ancestors introduced modifications to this tool by bending the ends of the crossbars. As a result, we received swastika, the Indo-European solar symbol representing cosmic powers and life itself.
Sacred Significance
Even after people discovered easier methods to kindle, they still used swastika-shaped crosses to ignite the sacrificial fire in temples. Peoples of Persia, India, Ancient Greece, as well as Germanic tribes, Scottish Celts, and the Eastern Slavs worshiped the gods of fire and the symbols associated with them.
To emphasize that fire and the sun are the element, the cross was put inside a circle or a circle was drawn around the intersection of bars. The most prominent example of this image is a Celtic cross, although similar symbols are found across Europe, Asia, Caucasus, and Africa.
Along with that, crosses developed a few additional sacred meanings. They signified fertility and life-giving forces of nature that provides warmth and light. Over time, the cross became an attribute of priests and kings as the governors of heavenly powers on earth.
Harmonious Universe
Apart from spiritual meaning, the cross acquired spatial significance. Along with a circle and a square it personified the structure of the world. However, while the geometric shapes divide the space into the external and internal segments, the cross represents a harmonious universe. Its center is the cardinal points that cut the world into equal sectors.
This imagery became an inspiration for town-planning patterns in many ancient civilizations. For example, ancient Rome had a forum in the center and a grid of streets surrounding it. Medieval world maps draw Jerusalem in the center and the rest of the world fanned out from it just like a cross.
World Tree
The idea of the World Tree (otherwise known as the Cosmic Tree) can be found in ancient civilizations all around the world. The cross underlies its image.
According to our ancestors, the Cosmic Tree constituted the core of the world and organized the space. The crown of the tree is the upper kingdom of gods and spirits. The trunk is the abode of people. The roots are the underworld, a lair of evil demonic spirits. The shadow of the World Tree is the flow of time.
The World Tree itself is a source of cosmic vital energy that gives fertility and nourishes life. Its fruits give true knowledge and immortality, and the leaves accommodate prophecies for everyone who ever came or will come to this world.
The World Tree is a prominent motif in religions that have the idea of a dying god who resurrects stronger than he was before. These ideas pervade the legends of the Hittites (about the god Telepin), the Scandinavians (about Odin), and the Germans (about Wotan). In agricultural cult festivals, pagans hanged the figures of fertility gods on a cross that was supposed to imitate a tree.
The Cross is More Than a Religious Symbol
As you can see, the cross is a noticeable symbol in both spiritual and mundane matters. It doesn’t belong exclusively to Christians. Therefore, you can freely flaunt cross jewelry without any feeling of shame or embarrassment. The cross has many interesting meanings and you can easily pick one that aligns with your personality and worldviews.
