Sword Symbolism in a Nutshell

MAYARI jewelry

Symbolic meaning

The sword is one of the most complex and most common symbols. Its concept is ambivalent: on the one hand, the sword is a terrifying weapon, on the other, a powerful ancient force.

The making of a sword incorporates all the elements: Earth, Fire, Air, Water. It also requires secret skills and knowledge, thanks to which swords were endowed with magical properties. The symbol of the sword as a weapon represents the dual concept of life and death.

The sword is also a powerful magical symbol, the emblem of witchcraft. Also the cult of the sword in many cultural traditions contributed to the fact that it acquired a ceremonial and ritual significance.

Wavy, flames-like double-edged swords were associated with purification. For example, in alchemy, such a sword is the emblem of fire. In addition, it is also a symbol of power, justice, light, honor or authority.

Many swords have magical properties and are given to heroes for the advancement of justice.

Excalibur – the legendary sword of King Arthur, that was given to him by the Lady of the Lake (it was not the same sword that he drew from a stone).

Gram – the sword of the hero of Germanic-Scandinavian mythology Siegfried (Sigurd), that he used to kill the dragon Fafnir. This weapon was described as being ¨all decked with gold and gleaming bright¨

Durendal (Durandal) – the sword of Furious Roland, the hero of the Old French epic. According to the legend, this weapon was capable of cutting through giant boulders of stone with a single strike, and was indestructible.

Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (“Grass Cutting Sword”) – a famous Japanese sword, one of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan. It was found within one of the tails of the eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi defeated by the legendary warrior Susanoo.

Shamshir-e-Zomorrodnegar – the legendary Persian sword from the epic of Amir Arsalan. The emerald-studded magic shamshir had originally belonged to King Solomon. Legend claims that it was carefully guarded by a demon called Fulad-zereh, because he was invulnerable to all weapons and only this sword could harm him.