A deer tattoo always bears kindness and positive emotions. For centuries, deer have been admired by people, personified beauty, grace and unsurpassed power.

A deer tattoo marks:

• masculinity and strength of the stronger sex;
• the nobility and selflessness that is inherent in wanderers;
• free life.

A bit of mysticism and religion

In the image of a deer, a mystical basis is also visible. An animal is very often compared to the Tree of Life.

There is also a tattoo option when a deer fights a snake. This picture shows a fair competition between opposing forces. If the snake is under the hooves of a deer, it is a symbol of the victory of kindness, the triumph of justice.

In legends different cultures   deer acts as a messenger of divine beings. Christianity also gives him part of its culture - this is an ancient legend about a deer with a cross between the horns.

  There are also legends in the Bible about deer who crave water. This is an analogy with the souls of people striving for truth and knowledge.

Deer are also relatively often depicted on baptismal font, which is a symbol of reverence for God.

A tattoo of the Indians of America depicts a ragged horn turning into a Tree of Life. The ancient people called such a figure a symbol of cyclicality and a solar sign.

Doubt does not exist, a deer is a good sign, which consists in a strong connection with pity for one's neighbor. He is capable of healing spiritual wounds, helping to meet unearthly love.

Ancient mythology

In the mythology of the Ancient Greeks, deer was a sign of the Goddess Diana. The Scandinavians used the beast's skin for rituals. The deer from the northern countries for this people was a sign of the Great Mother Isa.

The deer also occurs in the mysterious scriptures of the Mayan tribes. According to their stories, a deer is a prototype of the god Tahil, who patronizes hunting. Tahil was always offered abundant sacrifices. Sometimes these were very cruel, bloody processes.

The Ancient Celtic Tattoo defines a deer as an animal that was born the very first. That is why, according to the culture of the ancient Indians, he marked longevity, wisdom and understanding.

But in Europe during the Middle Ages, deer was a sign of justice.

In China, deer symbolizes wealth and abundance. That is why it is so popular in this culture. The Japanese consider him a sign of wisdom and strength.

But in any case, in any culture, a deer is a beautiful animal, filled with grace and flexibility. Thanks to this, he is very often sung in poetry and songs. Possessing keen hearing and attentiveness, the deer is always self-confident.

Tattoo in the form of a deer is a guide on a difficult life path. He personifies calmness and originality. That is why this sign is more suitable for the stronger sex. But women give preference to the female refined animal. They put images of a deer for the purpose of self-affirmation.

Material from Encyclopedia of Symbols and Heraldry

deer - lat. cervus - buckwheat. ---- very remarkable symbolic animal of the cultures of the ancient world. Often, together with the bull, he forms a kind of mythical-cosmic dualistic system, like a wild horse and a cow, represented on the rock paintings of the ice age, as the hypothesis of the French historians of primitive society claims. Due to its branched tree-like, periodically renewed horns, the deer symbolized the rejuvenation of life, newborn and the passage of time. The branching antlers of a deer can also symbolize the rays of the sun. Often associated with the Tree of Life. A male deer in a battle with a chthonic snake symbolizes, like an eagle fighting a snake, a conflict of opposites, positive and negative, light and darkness, etc. A male deer is often a messenger of gods or celestial forces. Universal auspicious symbol. The adult male deer is a solar emblem of plenty, its branching horns symbolize the Tree of Life, the sun's rays, longevity and rebirth among American Indians and some other peoples (horns change periodically). The most characteristic signs of a deer are swiftness, grace and beauty. For this reason, perhaps the deer is associated with poetry and music. Deer also appear as wonderful messengers and guides, showing the heroes the path to their goal. Deers were also credited with healing powers, especially the ability to track down medicinal herbs. The symbolic meaning of the deer is associated with the symbolism of the Tree of Life due to the similarity of deer horns with branches. As Henri-Charles Pue notes, he is also a symbol of the cycles of rebirth and development. In some cultures of Asia and pre-Columbian America, the deer came into view of people as a symbol of rebirth due to the fact that its horns are periodically updated. Like an eagle and a lion, he is the eternal enemy of the snake; this indicates that it was symbolically considered in a positive sense; it is closely connected with heaven and light, while the snake is associated with night and life underground (18). The ancient Greeks and Romans saw in the deer a certain “mystical” gift, perhaps due to some exaggeration of the psychological projection; some believed that such a gift was the ability to instinctively recognize medicinal plants, an ability that is mentioned in medieval bestiaries, claiming that "a deer can recognize a balsamic plant." Partly, the prestige of a deer is a consequence of its appearance: its beauty, grace, speed (46). Due to its role as a messenger of the gods, a deer can be considered the opposite of a goat. Key Values: [edit] the swagger of a long life the Sun, renewal, creation, fire, sunrise associated with the East, sunrise, light, purity, renewal, creation and spirituality associated with courage and passion in a fight with a chthonic snake symbolizes the conflict of opposites, positive and negative, light and darkness, and etc., trampling a snake underfoot, symbolizes the victory of the spirit over matter, good over evil. It was also regarded as a symbol of ennoblement (20).

See also: [ ]    Deer, Slavic tradition Kozel lin Kozel iyyal Katoblep Muyuyuzdyu Ene

The Ancient East

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Many Hittite, Sumerian-Semitic and Shinto deities moved on deer. In the Hittites, a deity acts as a deer - a male guardian. The God of Animals stands on a male deer. In the Sumerian-Semitic tradition, the fertility god was sometimes dressed as a male deer for sacrifice. The head of the male deer is the emblem of Rashap.

Egypt

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The Egyptians considered him a prototype of a creature, avid for flattery, because the deer allows you to seduce yourself with the sounds of a flute.

Antiquity

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DEER is a one-year emblem of Bacchant and an adherent of Orphism, who wears a deer skin and buckskin sandals. Accompanying Diana In the Greco-Roman tradition, the male deer is an attribute of Artemis (Diana). In antiquity, it was believed that a deer is hostile to poisonous snakes, deer fur (deer skin) is a reliable tayaisman from snake bites, and deer antler powder is a reliable protection of crops from harmful witchcraft.

According to ancient tradition, deer kill and eat snakes, driving them out of their holes with the breath of their nostrils. Feofrast, Pliny, Elian, Oppian and other authors write about this. However, there was no shortage of critical opinions. So, for example, Lucretius did not fail to note the general error:

“Like a swift-footed deer, according to legend, with its nostrils, It can extract a creeping tribe of animals from a hole. There is no credibility in all these fables ”(Lucretius. On the nature of things. V. 765-767).

An unexpected turn of the topic is presented in the poem of Lucan. The Thessaly Witch is preparing a witchcraft mixture to temporarily revitalize a fresh corpse. Among other poisons, the brains of a deer that swallowed a snake are called. Eastern doctors, in contrast, believed that snake venom accumulates in the tail of a deer.

“Everything that nature around to death and evil gave birth to, Together it interferes. The dogs here are furious foam, Lynxes of the forest tripe, the spine of a fierce hyena, Here are the deer brains, the snake swallowed with food ”(Lucan. Farsalia. VI. 670-674).

Northern tradition

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The Celts believed that deer is the main animal in the magic herds of the gods (this may have led to the tradition that Santa Claus travels in a reindeer team); some Celtic gods themselves were with deer horns. In Celts, the male deer is the Sun, a therapeutic symbol, fertility, masculinity; attribute of the hunter-hunter Kocidius and Ossian; the face of the horned god Cernunnos. In Scandinavians, the skin of a male deer is often used in shamanistic rituals (see skin and doe). The Scandinavian reindeer is dedicated to the Great Mother Isa, or Disa. According to ancient Norse mythology, four deer graze in the crown of the world tree Yggdrasil, devouring buds (hours), flowers (days) and branches (seasons). In ancient Kelian mythology, deer were considered “fairies of cattle” and messengers between the world of gods and the world of people. The Celtic god Cernunnus was depicted with deer horns on his head, like a shaman of primitive tribes.

Europe

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As a result of observations of his habits, the symbolism of loneliness associated with a deer arose both in European and Japanese traditions.

China

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In China, deer (lu) symbolizes longevity and wealth. The Chinese mean happiness and monetary profit. The white male deer symbolizes Shaw-Sin, the god of immortality. The dragon is called the "celestial male deer." in China - with wealth and luck, the word "deer" there is a homonym of the word "abundance". In ancient China, due to the consonance of the word “deer” (lu) with the word “wealth,” the deer was considered a symbol of wealth, material well-being, and also the personification of filial reverence (according to one parable, a young man dressed in deer skin in order to get deer milk in as an ophthalmic medicine for their blind parents) and a guide to the god of longevity, Shou-sina.

Japan

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For the Japanese, the dragon is a "heavenly male deer." As a result of observations of his habits, the symbolism of loneliness associated with a deer arose both in European and Japanese traditions. In the Japanese religion, the Shinto deer is a racehorse of the gods and is often depicted on hanging mats in shrines.

Mesoamerica

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In pre-Columbian Central America, reindeer-like cuckolds symbolize the seventh day of the twenty-day calendar (the Aztecs have a matzatl, the Mayans have a manic). People born under the sign of these wild animals, randomly wander in the natural world, trying to get away and despising a strong residence (see. Doe).

Iran

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In Mithraists, a male deer and a bull symbolize the moment of death.

Among the various myths that convey Zoroastrian ideas about the world, Bundakhishn (The Creation of the Foundation) speaks of the enmity of animals and birds with harmful creatures: “Mountain bull, mountain goat, gazelle, onager and other animals eat snakes” (Bundakhishn, . 292). According to the Zoroastrian bestiary, there are fifteen types of bulls in nature: “white, gray, red, yellow, black, motley deer, buffalo, giraffe, bull fish, wild boar and other types of bulls” (Bundakhishn, p. 282). This list allows us to explain how the “deer” turned into a “bull” in Persian cosmography. The idea that the snake leaves the place where the deer horns are burned firmly entered the circle of ideas of oriental medicine, as evidenced by the recommendations of Ibn Sina on the use of smoking from the deer horn.

Christianity

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Back to the question, why does a deer need a snake. In various works, independent of the Physiologist, eating a snake is reported, and only the Physiologist says that the purpose of a deer is to kill a snake. In such a situation, the evidence of early Christian writers, who broadcast the ancient myth without changing its motivation, is of particular interest. Against their background, the problem of manipulating the text of interest to us is more clearly delineated, and, finally, there are some reasons to indicate the intention of the author of the Physiologist.

Christian apologist Tatian mentions a deer who is treated by eating snakes. Condemning the art of Greek physicians, Tatian asks: “Why does he who believes in the dispensation of matter refuse to believe God? Why don’t you come to a more powerful Lord, are you being treated like a dog with the help of grass, a deer with the help of a viper, a pig with the help of crayfish, and a lion - monkeys? And why do you deify worldly things? ”(Tatian. Word to the Hellenes. 18). On the contrary, Vasily of Caesarea sees in such examples the greatness of the Creator: “It was not some kind of art to cut roots, not an experienced study of herbs that opened dumb knowledge of the useful; on the contrary, each animal naturally seeks out a saving for him, and has some incomprehensible affinity with that which is in accordance with nature ”(Vasily the Great. Six-day, p. 164).

In the teachings of the Coptic apa, Poimen speaks of deer eating snakes. As you can see, to create a teaching, it was not at all necessary to crush the serpent. This example clearly confirms the alteration of the plot by the author of "Physiologist". Snake venom burns the hearts of deer, and they find salvation only after drinking water. The mountain bull described by al-Biruni does likewise. These circumstances suggest that the teaching of the Coptic apa Poimen does not reflect the information of the “Physiologist”. The lecture also has a different interpretation of the plot: reindeer monks likened by venomous evil demons are likened to deer; Christ is a water source. Obviously, such comparisons do not contradict the original mythology, although they do not fully disclose it.

“Apa Pojmen said: It is written:“ As a deer dwells at the springs of water, in the same way my soul also resorts to You, God ”(Psalm 41: 2). Because the deer, who are in the desert, eat snakes and, when the poison burns their heart, rise to the waters, and, drunk, cool from the snake venom. In the same way, the monks who are in the wilderness, are burning with the poison of the evil demons, [but,] loving Saturday and Sunday, they seek to ascend to the spring of water, which is the flesh and blood of the Lord, to be cleansed of all the bitterness of the evil one.

Of particular interest for our study is the detailed commentary of Basil of Caesarea to Psalm 28. Vasily deliberately reflects on the topic of deer and snakes, which has little to do with the line from the psalm: “The voice of the Lord permits the burden of fallow deer”. In full accordance with the ancient tradition, Vasily writes that a deer eats a snake for medicinal purposes, having previously expelled it from the shelter with its breath.

“The deer has such a device that reptiles cannot harm it; but, as observers say, the echidna eaten by him serves as a cleansing for him. And all the poisonous animals are taken in the image of evil and nasty forces, as the Lord says: I give you the power to attack snakes and scorpions, and all the power of hostility (Luke 10:19), and as a psalm promises the Prophet: you will step on the apes and the basilisk (Psalm 90:13). Therefore, when you hear the name of a deer in Scripture, you need to look for something better in the word. For high mountains [refuge] to chamois (Psalm 103: 18), and: as a doe desires for streams of water (Psalm 41: 2). But even every righteous person has a sojourn in the highest, striving intentionally to honor the highest rank (Poel. To Philip 3:14), and resorts to convenient sources, looking for the first principles of theology. The deer, with his breath, removes the poisonous reptiles that lurk in the nests, and by the force of this breath forces them to leave their shelters. Therefore, a saint, as he is called an eagle for his superiority and, for the most part, separation from the earth, [...] and a deer for opposing evil. Therefore, Solomon also says: [console yourself with the wife of your youth], gracious bark and beautiful brimstone; let her breasts revel in you at all times (Proverbs. 5:19); and the sim gives us to understand that the deer now mentioned are capable of teaching theology. The voice of the Lord permits the burden of fallow deer. Therefore, when we see some kind of God’s man who is perfect and successful in everything, we will intensely look for benefits in conversations with him! Where there is a deer, all reptile malice is driven out; because the poisonous reptiles do not tolerate the smell of this animal, they even flee from a place where there is the smell of [burnt] deer horns. "

In the “Physiologist” (according to the Serbian manuscript of the 16th century), next to the already well-known article about the deer, there is another, traditional plot: the deer “look after you” and sjkrvena. poohani "know yu and abi" proclaim the three voices are great. and put your nose in reverse duplin. and keep your breath "inside. and where you like to lie serpent" and. go up to the gritana and eat it up and drink it up "and flow to the spring of water." An alternative option, which refers to eating a snake, finally confirms the following conclusions.

Three examples from the works of early Christian apologists and teachers are enough to make sure the author of the Physiologist alters the story and clarifies the motivation for the changes he made. A deer looking for youth has turned into a weapon of victory over the devil. This completely unthinkable construction has no support in world mythology. Invented by the author of the Physiologist, a deer killing snakes is a marginal figure even for Christian zoology. It can be assumed, based on the hypothesis expressed in the preface, that the narrative is a riddle addressed to the initiate. The riddle is in the nature of an imaginary paradox. And through interpretation, the initiate discovers the secret of the sacred history. But for us in this case, it is enough to understand that a deer is not an animal, but a sign, a certain derivative of interpretation.

Since the theme of a deer and a snake attracted the attention of many Christian translators and writers, along with a distorted plot, an original antique plot continued to exist, which was most curiously reflected in later literary monuments. So, according to the “Dictionary of Names and Symbols” by O. V. Belova, a deer designated: 1) Christ, casting out the devil; 2) human renewal; 3) the sinner.

The symbolic interpretation of the deer dates back to Psalm 41: 1. "As a doe desires for streams of water, so my soul desires for You, God." Thus, the deer became a symbol of piety and religious aspiration. As a deer seeks freedom and refuge high in the mountains, it has become a symbol of solitude and a righteous life.

In Christian iconography, a deer stomping a snake is the emblem of the destruction of evil, and in the Bible there is an analogy between a deer, thirsty for water, and the human soul, thirsty for God - these comparisons have caused the male deer to often symbolize piety. It is with this meaning that the deer is depicted on baptismal fonts, as well as in religious painting - drinking at the foot of the cross.

iconography comes from the widely interpreted 41st psalm of David: “As a deer (in the German text, deer. - Ed.) desires water to flow, so my soul desires God,” (41: 2). The early Christian Physiologus tells that a deer spews water into any earth gap, where poisonous snakes can hide, causing them to emerge, and then trample it. “So our Lord also beats the serpent, the devil, with the water of heaven ... In other words, ascetics are also like deer. With tears of remorse they repay the fiery arrows of evil and plunge the great serpent, the devil, trample it and kill it. " All this is repeated in the text of the medieval book on animals (Bestiary), while it is added that the deer discovered the magical power of the ash tree (Dictamnus): when the hunting arrows get stuck in them. The use of ash helps to eradicate arrows from the body and heal wounds. Overcoming the currents of water, “they lay their heads on the backs of the sailing in front and so lighten their weight. If they fall into an unclean place, then they headlong jump away from it. So Christians ... should mutually support each other and help each other: avoid any place abundant for sin: and if they were exposed to the devil poison of the serpent, they must resort to Christ, the true source, in order to confess and rejuvenate ”(Wyterkircher).

In the symbolism of the Christian Middle Ages (in plastic) the deer is sometimes depicted as absorbing grapes; this means that a person already on earth may be honored to partake in the grace of heaven. The deer’s desire for a source of water (the key) is the personification of human purification by baptismal water: “See: how a snake eats snakes, So he drinks spring water, And again he is clean of poison. And a person sees the meaning here: He has been bathed in water of baptism; he is fit for a sinless life. ” From here it is clear why deer images are often found in reliefs on the cross stones.

In the West, during the Middle Ages, a deer often symbolized the path of solitude and purity, however, on some emblems it was even depicted with a crucifix between the horns (thus providing the last link in the chain of relationships: tree - cross - horns) (4).

In Christian symbolism, a male deer means religious enthusiasm and zeal, as converts longed for knowledge, "like a deer longs for a spring." A deer crumbling a snake is Christ, conquering the forces of evil. Emblem of saints Hadrian, Eustace, Eustachius, Ida, Felix, Julian Hospitaller. A male deer with a crucifix between the horns is the emblem of St. Hubert. attribute Julian HOSPITALITY; with a crucifix between his horns - Eustache and Hubert. A deer or doe (female without horns) pierced by an arrow is protected by HOUSING. In the lives of St. Eustachius and Hubert tells about the appearance of a radiant cross in the horns of a deer pursued by hunters. Some saints (Reinulf, Reingold, Oswald, Prokop Bohemian) are depicted with a deer as their attribute.

Islam

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Astronomy / Logic

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For this reason, on the Milky Way, on both sides of the Bridge of Death and Resurrection, eagles, deer and horses appear, acting as intermediaries between heaven and earth (50).

Alchemy

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Both the male and the female deer often act as a symbol of transformation - alchemists believed that this was due to the myth of Artemis, which turned the hunter Actaeon into a deer because he saw her while swimming. In alchemy, the male deer together with the unicorn mean the dual nature of Mercury, philosophical mercury, watered. Alchemists see in the ancient myth of the hunter Actaeon, turned by the goddess Artemis (Diana) into a deer, evidence of the possibility of turning metals in connection with the lunar (subordinate to the moon) feminine world of silver.

Magic

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In antiquity it was believed that the deer is hostile to poisonous snakes, deer fur (deer skin) is a reliable talisman from snake bites, and deer antler powder is a reliable protection of crops from harmful witchcraft. Deer horns, it is further said, are a reliable healing remedy, and the right ones act more strongly than the left ones, and the burnt dog expels any snakes. Deer meat heals for fever, and is also a reliable remedy for this deer bone marrow ointment.

The poem of the Roman poet Marc Anne Lucan depicts the tragic campaign of troops in the Libyan desert. Soldiers die from the bites of poisonous snakes. To the aid of the Romans comes a local tribe of psils - snake charmers; they surround the camp with fire: “Smoke comes from wormwood and from larch trees - smoke that is hateful to snakes; the horns of deer born far away are smoking ”(Lucan. Farsalia. IX. 920-921).

The Byzantine Encyclopedia "Geoponics" says about these remedies: "There will be no serpent in this area if you plant wormwood, artemisia or God's tree around the estate. You will drive out the snakes living there by smoking a lily root, a deer horn, or a goat's hooves ”(Geoponics. XIII. 8. 1).

The theme of the mythical confrontation between a deer and a snake is reflected in medieval medical treatises. One of Men in the didactic poem "On the Properties of Herbs" (XI century) writes, in accordance with tradition, about deer horns: "Burnt, they expel creeping reptiles with their own smoke" (Odo from Men. 17. 439).

This is also reported in the "Canon" of Ibn Sina. In the section "General discussion about how to drive away reptiles" it is recommended to use smoking, where, along with plants, the horns and hooves of deer and goats are used. Another method of protection reveals a direct connection between the snake and the deer killing it, which it is advised to keep at home in this case. The latter remedy belongs to the mythical realm, which was fully recognized by Ibn Sina.

“As for smoking, it is, for example, smoke from pomegranate wood - it drives away reptiles - or the roots of killer whale. The branches of pomegranate are remarkable in this respect, like galban, horns, hooves of one-hoofed and artiodactyl animals, hair, bdelly, sagapen, asafoetida, leaves and drupes of laurel, mint, and boiled wormwood and bedding with chitran and Dubrovnik. [Useful] fumigating a rod and litter from it, as well as watercress and ash from a pine tree, especially with galban, if you smoke from opium, chernushka, galban, deer antler, sulfur and goat hooves, it drives away snakes and reptiles ”(Ibn Sina. Canon. IV. 6. 3. 5).

“Another way to drive away reptiles and insects is to keep, for example, a stork, a peacock, egg-bearing birds, deer, hedgehogs, weasels, and the like, reptiles are afraid of them, and if they appear, they kill them” (Ibn Sina. Canon. IV. 6. 3. 5).

In the treatise of the Persian author Hubais Tiflisi (XII century) there is a chapter entitled "On ways to protect against [harmful] animals and other [creatures]", which provides an exhaustive list of tips for fighting snakes. “What to do to protect against snakes. If you bury a horse's hoof in the house, then snakes will not start in this house. And if they were, then they will run away. If someone burns in the house the head of a mountain deer or the bones of a deer, turtle or hedgehog, then the snakes will run away. If someone boils cornflowers in the water, adds the resin there and [this liquid] anoints in the house, then the snakes will run away. And if they pour this liquid into snake holes, then the snakes will run away, and some will die. And if they put cornflowers in the hole of the hole, then the snakes will not come out. If the skin of a snake is boiled out in water, and then the body is smeared with this water, then such a person will not be bitten by snakes - even ephs. [...] ”(Hubais Tiflisi. XIII. 1a, b, c, d, e).

Bezoar “They say that mountain goats devour snakes, like fallow deer, and then graze among mountain herbs, and this [substance] thickens in their guts and, rolling there, takes a rounded shape. It is, therefore, the best antidote for venomous snake bites, natural, not artificial. Stung places are rubbed [with this substance] in a mixture with dill water (razyanaj), and the pain immediately ceases, and the previous skin color is restored ”(al-Biruni. Mineralogy, p. 190-191).

“Zufa - hyssop, lanolin.

Lanolin is a substance obtained as follows: the sheep’s wool is washed in hot water once, then it is squeezed out and the dirt released during this process is further processed - it is shaken together with water to form a foam, which is removed and collected separately: this is lanolin.

Ibn Masawayh [says that] a good [wet zufa] is recognized by its pungent odor in the same way as a beaver stream. [Further] he says that [wet zufa] is of two types: one of them [is formed] from the accumulation of sweat on the forehead of a mountain goat, therefore in its nature there is a force that eliminates the harm of the poison, since the mountain goat eats and when it devours them, in it comes in motion a natural force that eliminates the harm of the poison. Thus, sweat gathers on his forehead and thickens. This is a very good zufa, and it is a fat with a strong odor. The second type [wet zuf], the worst in quality. it is sweat accumulating in the fur of the tail of a little sheep and lambs ”(al-Biruni. Book on medicinal substances. 507).

Heraldry

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The winged deer was the emblem (impresa) of Charles VI (1368-1422), king of France. A deer with a crown on his neck became the emblem of the French royal house since the reign of Charles VII (1403-1461) thanks to the legend that this animal knelt before the king when he entered Rouen. Often, a deer appears in heraldic images, where “means grace and moderation (proportion): and since it is believed that there is no bile in it, this is the key to its longevity, which extends for hundreds of years” (Boeckler, 1688). Pog or a deer horn is also depicted independently in heraldry, which means, according to Böckler, strength, strength.

Emblem

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A deer wounded by an arrow to the side is a symbol of an insulted conscience "to leave in vain, and be that as it may, we always carry our pain with us. PSL-Unclean conscience haunts us.

... running away. “He cannot flee.” When misfortune befell us, “Where can we find salvation from him?”

Deer swimming in the water "I feel relieved, but I do not achieve safety." Symbol of temporary relief and reprieve. “Oh, being completely exhausted by the hunters, he resorts to swimming in the water, than he slightly refreshes his tired members, cools his flaming heart and builds up a little strength, but he cannot escape the hunting dogs, which finally can destroy him in the water. "

A deer feeling a snake with its hoof. Deception will not go unnoticed for the prudent. a symbol that betrayal, in spite of all its tricks, can easily be revealed by a person cautious and prudent.

The deer pursued by the dog, who sees his deer killed by the sword. I do not know what evil is the worst. a symbol of a merciful person who, even in the most difficult moments of his life, is able to show friendly feelings for his neighbor and compassion for his misfortunes, especially in those cases when they are bound by bonds of love.

Wounded deer eating healing grass. He will find the cure. “This instinctive ability to heal one’s wounds and even pull arrows from one’s own body is attributed to a deer, which supposedly does this with the help of special grass. The moral meaning of the symbol is that neither the healing balm, nor the wonderful plant, which should be applied to the wounds, will bring out the bristly arrows of sin, deeply seated inside us, as the love of our blessed Savior does. ”

A deer wounded by an arrow to the side. a symbolic conscience "to leave in vain, and be that as it may, we always carry our pain with us. PSL-Unclean conscience does not give rest. [Emblem-2; Table 6-4, p.129] ..., running away." He cannot escape. "When misfortune has already befallen us," Where can we find salvation from him? [Emblem-2; tab. 8-7, p.138]

A deer swimming in water.// I feel relief, but I do not achieve safety. symbol of temporary relief and reprieve of evil. “Oh, being completely exhausted by the hunters, he resorts to swimming in the water, which slightly refreshes his tired members, cools his flaming heart and builds up a little strength, but he cannot escape from the hunting dogs, which can finally destroy him in the water. "[Emblem-2; Table 8-11, p.138]

A deer feeling a snake with its hoof. // Deception will not go unnoticed for the prudent. a symbol that betrayal, 1 ^ looking at all its tricks, can easily be revealed by a man cautious and prudent. [SE-II, tab. 36-4, p. 257]

The deer pursued by the dog, who sees his deer killed by the sword. // I don't know what evil is the worst. a symbol of a merciful person who, even in the most difficult moments of his life, is able to show friendly feelings for his neighbor and compassion for his misfortunes, especially in those cases when they are bound by bonds of love. [SE-II, tab. 60-8, p. 357]

Art

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In secular art, he is an attribute of the hunter DIANA, who turned the hunter Actaeon into a deer. HERCULES (3) caught the Arcadian Kerinoe doe. Known for his agility and keen senses, which makes it difficult to capture him, the deer is an attribute of Hearing (one of FIVE SENSES) and COMMUNITY. Deer carry the chariot of the FATHER-TIME and DIANA. In art, a deer wounded by an arrow and holding a bunch of healing herbs in its mouth is a symbol of love languor. The deer also symbolizes caution and keen hearing. Deer harnessed to the carts of Time and Christmas.

Ad vocem

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Here (with Böckler?) The symbolism of the “horned” spouse is explained: “The Greek (Byzantine) emperor Andronic installed on the houses of those women with whom he slept, poig as a fair part of hunting trophies ... During the time of the Milan Duke Galeazzi Sforza for women is also not it was considered shameful to sleep with the princes, because their husbands were awarded golden horns for this and quickly moved to great honors. "

Draft materials

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Horrible spruce, the destroyer of a reptile. "From the Sixth it is chosen about the bellies."

The Alexandrian Physiologist speaks of the deadly feud of a deer with a snake. The snake hides from the enemy in the crevices of the earth, but the deer with the help of water removes the snake and defeats him. The picture painted by the Physiologist looks strange in every way. In the cosmogonic myths of Eurasia, the snake is usually associated with the water element, is the owner of the rain drinking heavenly water, so the way the deer and the snake fight is contrary to the logic of myth. However, everything will fall into place if we take into account the logic of the Christian interpreter, which implies “water of baptism” under water. We are talking about the secret of Revelation, inaccessible to the "philosophical" mind. The Physiologist states: "Just as a serpent cannot carry water, so the devil is a heavenly word." This circumstance alone is enough to suspect the destructive editing of the source text. At best, a snake is afraid of fire, but not water. From the position of the ancient myth, the deer clearly uses the wrong weapon. As it turns out below, the deer doesn’t extract poisonous reptiles from their nests, but not at all, in order to destroy them. The persistent reference of the Physiologist and other Christian writings close to him in spirit to the enmity of a deer and a snake indicates a crowded-out scenario depicting relations of exactly the opposite property. To the question why this scenario turned out to be taboo, we will answer a little later. In the meantime, let's deal with a private question: for what purpose does a deer drink water.

The answer can be found in the French bestiary of the XIII century, which sets out a similar story of the feud of a deer and a snake (Dicta Chrisostomi, l. 50). The inscription to the miniature explains: the deer (cervus) is the enemy of the snake and symbolizes Christ destroying the dragon - the devil. If the deer knows that the snake is hiding in a hole, it draws water into the mouth and fills the hole, while stretching the snake with its breath. What the last action means is still unclear. A deer drinks a lot of water to destroy snake venom. The question immediately arises, why is a deer poisoned by poison? A later Greek edition of Physiologist reports that the deer lives for fifty years. At the end of this period, he runs through the forest valleys and mountain gorges, guessing the snake burrows with a flair: when he finds a snake, he emits a three-fold wild cry. Putting his nose to the hole of the hole, with his breath he removes the snake and devours it. After that, the deer rushes to water sources to get drunk and neutralize the poison.

If after three hours he does not find water, then he will die; finding water, he will live another fifty years. In the English bestiary of the XII century. and in the work of Hugo of Saint-Victor, it is said that by eating a snake, a deer regains its youth; thus he lives up to eight hundred years, and is treated with oregano (English Bestiary, L. 30; De Bestiis et aliis rebus. II. 14). This information is borrowed from the "Etymologies" of Isidore of Seville (Isidore of Seville. XII. 1. 18-19). Hesiod already wrote about the long life of the deer: "The crow survives nine generations of people, the deer four generations of the raven, and the raven lives three generations of the deer." Aristotle was familiar with the myth of the longevity of deer and remarks about this: “Fables tell about their life as if they were durable, but there is nothing definite in the fables themselves, and besides, pregnancy and calf growth do not occur like in animals durable "(Aristotle. History of animals. VI. 29. 172). After 700 years, Solin will repeat the dubious tales of deer: “To determine their vitality, Alexander the Great put on his collars on many deer, which, having been caught a hundred years later, still did not show signs of old age” (Solin. 19. 18). Pliny, considering the fable the message of the Boeotian poet that the deer survives 36 generations of people, nevertheless believes in the longevity of this animal and gives a legend about deer released by Alexander the Great with a golden chain and caught a hundred years later (Pliny. 7. 153; 8. 119).

According to the general opinion about deer, “they eat snakes and breathe their nostrils out of deep holes” (Solin. 19. \\ b). The secret of the youth of a deer lies in a snake. The serpent - a chthonic creature - has a distinct connection with the other world, the underworld, with the lower cosmic zone, that is, with the deep telluric forces. In this capacity, he grants fertility, wisdom, and even immortality. In archaic myths, the serpent acts as a guardian of the sacred source or the source of youth. Throwing off the skin, the snake visibly embodies immortality achieved through metamorphoses. At the same time, it remains unclear why, by eating a snake, a deer gains youth. There is no answer to the question and, apparently, cannot be. The true situation, in my opinion, is as follows. The snake, being an “eternal” creature, introduces the deer to the cycles of renewal implemented in the script of a sacred marriage. The deer does not eat the snake, but copulates with it. It is a question of combining male and female entities within the framework of lunar mythologies (and not at all about real animals, overwhelmed by passion). Only the connection of two principles gives rise to new lifedenoted in myths as " eternal youth". At the very least, we have at our disposal texts demonstrating the “vicious” relationship of a deer with a snake, and I am inclined to consider these texts as primary. The very idea of \u200b\u200bthe secret connection of these animals is older than any written fixation. For example, what does the following image mean? In the figured seal from Dashly-3 (Northern Afghanistan), a humpbacked bull stands on a two-headed snake, with the head of one of the snakes in contact with the head of a bull.

Recall a fragment of Phoenician mythology in the presentation of Philo Biblsky: “The nature of the dragon and serpents was enriched by Taaut [Thoth] himself, and after him the Phoenicians and Egyptians. According to his teachings, this animal more than all other reptiles has a spirit. [...] It is very durable and, by its nature, having discarded old age, not only grows younger, but also receives an increment in size, and, having reached a certain size, it is finally destroyed in itself. " According to Gorapollon (On hieroglyphs. 1. 2), the Egyptians depicted the universe as a snake; “Every year, postponing old age, she removes the skin just as the annual time in the world is updated, having made a change.” According to Artemidor, “a dragon means a king because of his strength, time - because of his length and because he sheds old skin and becomes young again - after all, the same thing happens with time when changing seasons "(Artemidor. Dream Interpretation. II. 13).

In one of the Orphic hymns, the goddess of the underworld Hekate is called "rejoicing deer" (////////); in Lucian Hekate is called "serpent-foot." In the Orphic view, based on the ancient fusion of theriomorphic cults, a mystical connection is established between the snake and the bull: the bull is the sun, the serpent is the chthonic hypostasis of Dionysus. Dionysus appears as a bull in the world of the living and as a serpent in the underworld. More ancient is the idea of \u200b\u200ba snake-spouse. Cretan images of the orgiastic goddess or priestess with snakes in their hands are known.

In the Byzantine collection of extracts by Cassian Bass (VI c.), There is a quote from Xenophon, which modern publishers, due to, as they write, its obscene meaning (in the spirit of the church “terror of purity”), found it expedient to omit: “A deer female raised from its place and attracted by the smell of a snake, it pours fog into his eyes and draws him to him. [...] ”(Geoponics. XIX. 5. 3). We will restore the quotation from the German from the Danish book by H. Bech: 3. ///// "3. The deer, lifted and attracted by the dark spirit of the snake, pulls to itself. 4. If someone heats the tail of the deer, it smoothes [his fault], wine will spread the genitals of the copulating animal, straining it [member] to intercourse, makes him free from the seed and spreads the semen around, and does the same for people. " We are talking about magic tricks designed to affect the potency of animals and people. Do not forget that "Geoponics" is a Byzantine guide to breeding animals and plants.

Vasiliy Kesariysky knew that “a deer breathes poisonous reptiles hidden in its nests with its breath and makes them leave their shelters by the power of this breath”. In the original version of the myth, there was no talk of a confrontation between these creatures. It can be assumed that the taboo imposed on information about the deer’s relationship with the snake changed the history of their relationship to the exact opposite. In fact, it looked like this. The “vicious” bond was replaced by an implacable war and the eating of a snake. However, swallowing a snake is a euphemism for intercourse with him. A complete distortion of the myth, expressed in the sterilization of the plot, followed in the Physiologist. The motive of eating the snake was censored, and the motive of avoiding and destroying the snake took its place. It should be noted that the serpent was originally an obsession for the Christian worldview, and this is primarily due to the phallic and erotic role of the serpent in myths. One way or another, the secret union of a deer and a snake was replaced by a war of these animals and gained impressive development in sacred healing practice.

In Persian cosmography, a plot about the enmity of a deer with a snake is mentioned as an entertaining story. The snake, in which a human face lives in wells and underground channels, that is, is a water creature. When a deer finds it, it eats it. In cosmography, they combine in a single piece of news about the legendary snakes and a fragment of the myth of the enmity of a deer with a snake. The plot of interest to us is presented in the last stage of destruction. We have already partially examined materials that show that the deer did not just defeat the snake, but ate it. However, the meaning of this action for the author of the cosmography is completely lost. It turns out some strange picture: a deer does not seek to prolong youth, but simply eats snakes, as if they were ordinary food for him.

In addition to water, the deer is protected by a sage plant, called "deer food," as protection from snake venom. In nature, some carnivores eat grass for therapeutic purposes, and deer even eat some medicinal plants. Many examples of this can be found at Aristotle and Theophrastus. Solin writes about Scythian deer, who “eat grass called cinaris against harmful plants” (Solin. 19. 15). According to Elian, “the phalanx is just as dangerous to deer as it is to people: deer from its poison face immediate death. But if they eat ivy, the bite of the phalanx is no longer dangerous, only ivy must be wild ”(Elian. Colorful stories. 1. 8). It was believed that, in addition to deer, snakes are eaten by turtles. In a book about animals of Timothy (fifth century), it is reported: “When she devours a snake, she eats an ash plant afterwards, and nothing bad happens to her” (Timothy from Gaza, 19. 2). This is a traditional story in the literature about the wonders of the world: “They say that turtles, having eaten a snake, immediately graze it with origan grass, and if they do not immediately find it, they will soon die. Some shepherds, wanting to check whether this is really so, seeing that the tortoise ate a snake, cut off this grass: after a while, each time they found the tortoise dead ”(Pseudo-Aristotle. II). The same information is repeated by Vasily of Caesarea, not alien to ancient wisdom; “The tortoise, after eating the echidnin flesh, avoids harm from poison by using oregano instead of an antidote” (Vasily the Great. Six-day, p. 162).

The early Christian view of animal antidotes is presented in an interesting polemic by Origen with the Epicurean Celsus. Celsus claims that snakes and eagles know many remedies against poisons and diseases, and even know the healing properties of some stones, which they use to heal their cubs. Origen replies: “Suppose that other medical means are known to animals, but does it follow that it is not nature, but reason, which indicated these means to them? If the mind invented the means from them, then he would have invented not only this particular tool from snakes, but maybe also the second and the third, and then also the other in the eagle, and so on in other animals, in a word, he would have invented them just as much as humans do. But since now every animal, depending on the properties of its nature, has only a certain medical remedy, it is clear from this that animals have neither wisdom nor reason, but only a natural disposition granted by the [Divine] Word to such things that are intended to serve as a means to their well-being ”(Origen. Against Celsus. IV. LXXXVII). And further: “The distinction that exists between Celsus’s gaze that exists between phenomena that depend in their origin on rational strength and mental abilities, and phenomena that are not at all dependent on the mind and are determined solely by the needs of only one external instinct. In any case, the basis of these latter phenomena is not the mind that would control the actions of [unreasonable animals], they do not have such a mind ”(Origen. Against Celsus. IV. LXXXI). If we follow the logic of Origen, the deer in search of a long life is not driven by reason, but by natural necessity, that is, instinct. Such a view of things, if he had received recognition from Christian writers, would have precluded the creation of literary constructions such as the Physiologist.

A deer eating a snake, as reported by al-Biruni, drinks a lot of water to protect itself from the poison accumulating in the body. Al-Biruni rationalizes the myth (we remember why the deer fills her mouth with water). Authors like al-Biruni could well contribute to the process of the transition of myth to the plane of the zoological plot. In this embodiment, not snakes are defeated by water, but snake venom. The mythical deer, sometimes appearing as a mountain goat or a bull, has in its nature a force that eliminates the harm of poison. In the innards of mountain goats, ancient doctors found a bezoar stone, which they used to neutralize snake bites and poisonous insects. The theme of the deer-snake duel gets a new sound in connection with the search for antidotes from snake venom by ancient and medieval pharmacists. In particular, Solin reports: “Against poisons, the curdled substance of the fetus killed in the womb is surprisingly useful. It was discovered that they never suffer from fever, and for this reason, ointments made up of their brains moderate the fever of sick people. We read that so many people who had the habit of eating venison in the morning were durable without fevers; but this only helps if the deer died from one wound ”(Solin. 19. 17). In the treatise of the Persian author Hubais Tiflisp (XII century) it is said: “The benefits of the snake. Hippocrates (Bukrat) says: anyone who eats a lot of snake meat will protect himself from serious illnesses, his organs will become strong, and he will not age for a long time ”(Hubais Tiflisi. XII. 29). The al-Biruni pharmacological reference book contains the following excerpt: “Djibril says that [efa] sharpens vision and prolongs [duration] of life. With regard to visual acuity, it is [said] in Akhbar al- “Arab [...]” (al-Biruni. Book on medicinal substances. 81). According to Persian cosmography, “efs are caught and placed in small boxes. Years later, if take it out and put it on the floor, it will move. They say that one tablet [made] from efa will prolong [a person's] life ”(“ Wonders of the World. ”191). This information again brings us back to the motive of rebirth and renewal, which is associated with the image of a snake.

All available resources of flora and fauna and the world of minerals were used by ancient pharmacists. It is unlikely that there is such a tool (even if it was ineffective, poisonous or had some unpleasant properties) that would not be used to heal the sick. A variety of drugs is illustrated by the Book of Medicinal Substances by al-Biruni, containing 1116 chapters, and the Book of Simple Medicines by Ibn Sina (Ibn Sina. Canon. II). Ancient medicine, or rather sympathetic magic, acts as a sacred practice aimed at restoring the harmony of the body and soul.

Earthly beings were thought of as symbols of hidden spiritual beings, which allowed authors of moralistic works such as the “Physiologist” to turn to sacred zoological subjects. As a rule, stories about animals in a simplified form inherit scenarios of archaic myths and related rites, pointing to the hidden relationships of macro- and microcosm. However, not all plots lend themselves to a straightforward interpretation in the Christian code, similar to how, for example, the story of a snake that casts off "old age" looks like. “The physiologist says about the snake that it has four properties. Its first property is as follows: when it grows old, its eyesight weakens and it is hard to see. And if she wants to be renewed, she goes and fasts for forty days and forty nights, until her skin becomes loose. And he searches for a rock or a narrow cleft, and, having stuck there, rubs his body. And, dropping old skin, updated. Interpretation. So you, man, if you want to lose the decrepit skin of the world, then in a narrow and tight way, by fasting, exhaust the body. “For the gates are narrow and the path that leads to eternal life is narrow” ”(“ Physiologist ”, p. 131). Here’s what Aristotle’s story looks like: “When the snakes begin to shed their skin, it lags behind the eyes first of all, so those who are not familiar with this phenomenon seem to be blinded, then from the head, and it seems white to everyone. For almost a day, all old age is removed, starting from the head to the tail. What was inside is outside; they come out of the skin like embryos from the shells ”(Aristotle. History of animals. VIII. 17. 114). A harmless innovation in the “Physiologist” is associated with the forty-day post of the snake.

We are interested in those cases when a traditional plot is addressed with a special purpose and the material is rearranged to illustrate ideas for which this material is least suitable. Obviously, the author of the alteration was not embarrassed by the inevitable conflict between the goal and the attracted zoological example. The episode of eating a snake by a deer is omitted by the author of the Alexandrian Physiologist, since it would create an insurmountable difficulty in interpreting where Christ is likened to a deer. Accordingly, the nature of the struggle of animals has undergone a change. The deer no longer needs to get rid of snake venom, and he uses water to extract the enemy from the crevice. Moreover, water carries a special semantic load - this is the heavenly water of baptism. In other words, the original antique plot, before taking its rightful place in Christian exegetics, underwent deep semantic transformations that distorted its content beyond recognition. This is the preliminary reconstruction of the history of the confrontation between a deer and a snake.

The purpose of our study is not only to follow the evolution of the plot, but to discover the moment when changes in the plot content become irreversible, associated with its movement from the mythological field to the sphere of moral teachings. Transitions of this kind are fraught with the meaninglessness of texts. Only the author of the Physiologist needs a war between a deer and a snake. It is too early to talk about the extent of distortion. They can be identified by comparative analysis with parallel materials. It is interesting that when you first get acquainted with the story from "Physiologist" there is no sensation of a trick. We must pay tribute to the bold literary fantasy of a Christian author. However, the point is not even a distortion of the plot (any author has the right to create his own reality on the basis of ancient myths), but rather that grandiose goal to which he sought, namely, to rid physiological narratives of associations that were vicious in his opinion. The conflict can be described with the help of one of the Tertullian paradoxes: “What is common between the seeker of truth and the seeker eternal life? " Between the Athens and Jerusalem, between the Academy and the Church, a gap was so deep that there was no hope of a compromise. From the position of a seeker of truth, the cultural matrix looks unacceptable, each episode of which implicitly inspires aversion to the natural manifestations of being projected into the mythological sphere. In fact, it looks like this. The sacred marriage of a deer to a snake is replaced by a crushing serpent. Since the serpent embodied male strategy, an unprecedented degree of purity was achieved in the new version of the Christian myth. Now, when a new perspective in the study is indicated, a new look at the well-known plot is proposed and the contours of the tabooed situation are outlined, you can get acquainted with the short story from the Physiologist:

“David says:“ As a deer strives for a source of water, so my soul strives for You, God. ”*

• Compare: “As a doe desires for streams of water, so my soul desires for you, God!” (Psalm 41: 2).

The physiologist speaks of a deer that is quite hostile to the snake. When a snake runs away from a deer into the crevices of the earth, a deer walks and fills its jaws with spring water, and spews into crevices, and removes the snake, and crushes it, and kills.

Interpretation.

So our Lord crushed the serpent, the devil, by the heavenly waters, which he had in the divine word of virtuous wisdom. And just as a serpent cannot carry water, so the devil is a heavenly word.

And if you have reason in your heart, call the gospel, and they will tell you: "Do not commit adultery, do not fornication, do not steal." And having tasted the holy waters, you will cast out all evil.

The Lord, having come, drove off the thought serpent with the heavenly waters. But the devil hid him in the underworld of the earth. And the Lord, having drained blood and water from his rib, destroyed the devil power hidden in us through the font of resurrection ”(“ Physiologist ”, p. 143).

The last circumstance remained unclear in the subject of snake crushing: the function of water. The interpretation speaks of heavenly waters likened to heavenly words. As such, a deer is an extra figure here. The secret of victory lies in the source of water. In the cosmic battle of God with the devil for man, the font of resurrection is filled with sacred water that can destroy the devil's power. This is the interpretation of the Physiologist, and it finds its depth against the background of Tertullian’s next reflection: “The sacrament of our water is life-giving, for having washed away the sins of yesterday’s blindness, we are freed for eternal life! Our reasoning will not be idle; it is addressed both to those who are sufficiently sophisticated in the faith, and to those who are fairly easy to believe, without delving into the meaning of tradition, who, through ignorance, profess the unenlightened imaginary faith. And because of this the recently appeared viper of the Cainic Heresy recently attracted many to its venomous teaching, turning first of all against baptism. Clearly, this is her nature. After all, usually vipers, aspids and even basilisks are kept dry and waterless. But we, fish, following our “fish” (////), Jesus Christ, are born in water, we save life only when we remain in water. [...] Nothing confuses the soul of people more than the sheer simplicity of God's works, compared with the greatness of the promised result. Here it is. Due to the fact that a person immersed in water with such simplicity, without splendor, without any special preparations and, in addition, without expenses, gets baptized with a few words and comes out of the water a little cleaner or not cleaner, the more incredible it seems the inheritance of eternity ”(Tertullian. On baptism. 1-2). From “dry” and “snake” (symbols of the enemy of the human race) the symbols of “fish” and “water” are transferred to the divine sphere. Baptism as immersion in water (water is one of the most important principles) and exit from it to a new life, to its original purity, are closely connected with the image of the Messiah. For early Christians, the image of the fish served as a symbol of Jesus Christ, since the Greek "fish" (////) consists of the first letters of the five words: ////// ("Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior").

5.5. ANIMALS EATING KNITS

On the Ebstorf world map of 1284, a deer and a snake are depicted in India, a wonderland. However, a curious metamorphosis occurred in the relations between the animals, generated by legends about the extraordinary sizes of Indian snakes. The inscription to the figure explains: In India sunt serpentes tarn vasti, ut cervos devorent et ipsum oceanum transnatent "In India, snakes are so huge that they devour deer and even cross the ocean." In the XIII century Persian cosmography there are two stories about a deer and a mountain bull - snake-eaters. In fact, the mountain bull, which is reported to have a red skin with white spots, and the horns are updated annually, is a red deer. Therefore, in both cases the same animal is referred to as a deer. note that the snake is designated as a water creature. Oia transfers the plot to Egypt and the country of Zinjas, a realm of miracles, from the Persian author’s point of view. The exceptional interest of this information is that it demonstrates the natural evolution of the plot, marked by the gradual loss of internal connections. The relationship of a deer with a snake is the original mythologem.

“There is a serpent in Misra whose face is like a human face *. If a person’s gaze falls on a snake, the snake will die immediately **. This snake lives in wells and underground channels. There are no [such] snakes in the steppe and mountains. The deer removes the snake from the crevice and eats. They say that where the deer horns are burned, the snake leaves that place ”(“ Wonders of the World. ”64).

• The idea of \u200b\u200bcreatures with a snake body and a human head is characteristic of Hindu (naga) and some other mythologies. The transfer of the plot to Egypt indicates the combined nature of cosmography information.

• • This monstrous creature has a deep connection with the Gorgon, but the plot is upside down and devoid of any meaning. How can a man’s gaze kill a snake? Wed with the characteristic of the queen of snakes (basilisk) in the Canon of Ibn Sina: “When a bird flies over its burrow,

it falls, and [every] animal, barely sensing it, runs, and if it is too close, it is numb and cannot [move]; this snake kills with his whistle at the distance of the arrow's flight. The one on whom her gaze falls from afar dies, and it is incorrect to say that the one whose gaze falls on this snake dies ”(Ibn Sina. Canon. IV. 6. 3. 21).

“In the country of Zinjas, there is a red-headed mountain bull with white spots. Its meat is sour, like vinegar. [Mountain bull] is the enemy of snakes. No matter how much he meets [the snake], he will eat everyone. At the tip of his tail is an antidote. His horns are so huge that he dumps them every year. When new ones appear, they happen even more ”(“ Wonders of the World ”. 177).

A deer or mountain bull extracts a snake from a crevice and eats it. A variation of this theme in Byzantine literature is the legend of the mythical catoblep bull.

The information of the Persian cosmography considered above is close to the original tradition presented by the majority of ancient writers. However, the exceptional breadth of the plot (taking into account the Chinese ideas about the Lin goats, as described below) does not suggest direct borrowing. Most likely, in cosmography, the eastern version of a medical or zoological character is presented in a popular version. Al-Biruni's information about a mountain goat or a deer eating a snake confirms this assumption. Al-Biruni reports that poison accumulates at the tip of the tail of this animal. According to Persian cosmography, there is an antidote at the tip of the tail of a mountain bull from the Zinja country, which is apparently a metamorphosis of al-Biruni's information. Most likely, in each of these stories we are talking about the same animal (appearing in the form of a deer, mountain goat or bull), which is the enemy of snakes. Such representations date back to the ancient tradition and were known to Western contemporaries Ibn Sina, in particular, a connoisseur of medicines Odo from Mena writes about this (XI century).

Literature

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• MNME article of the same name
• AUAF; ch. Deer and the snake. Vicious bond
• Lucretius. About the nature of things. V. 765-767< AUAF
• Lucan. Farsalia. VI. 674< AUAF
• Pliny. Natural history. Viii. fifty; Xxxii. 5.19< AUAF
• Solin. Collection of memorable things. 95.4ff.< AUAF
• Alian. About the nature of animals. II. 9< AUAF
• Oppian. Cynegetica. II. 240sq.< AUAF
• "Physiologist", p. 143< AUAF
• Apa Poimen. Teachings. 216< AUAF
• Isidore of Seville. Etymology. XII. 1.18-19< AUAF
• Geoponics. XIX. 5.3< AUAF
• Hrabanus Maurus. De rerum naturis. VII. 8. (PL III, 204 C)< AUAF
• Remigius von Auxerre. Eiiarr. in Ps. 41. (PL 131, 362 CD)< AUAF
• Hildegard von Bingen. Physica VII. (PL 197, 1321 Af)< AUAF
• De bestiis et aliis rebus. 11. 14. (PL 177, 64 A)< AUAF
• English bestiary. l 31< AUAF
• Caesarius von Heisterbach. Dialogus miraculorum. 1< AUAF
• Thomas Cantimpratensis. IV. 22, 10-13< AUAF
• Dicta Chrisostomi, l. fifty< AUAF
• Albert the Great. About animals. 22. 42< AUAF
• Bundahishn, with. 292< AUAF
• al-Biruni. Book about medicinal substances. 117, 467, 507< AUAF
• al-Biruni. Mineralogy, p. 190-191< AUAF
• Ibn Sina. Canon. IV. 6.2.23< AUAF
• "Wonders of the world." 64; 177< AUAF
• Zakaria al-Qazvini. fol. 175v, 3, 13< AUAF
• Andrianov B. The Bull and the Snake. At the origins of the cult of fertility // Science and Religion. 1972. No. 1. S. 46-52.
• Rempel L.I. Chain of times. Centuries-old images and wandering plots in the traditional art of Central Asia. Tashkent. 1987.S. 34.
• Bayet J. Le symbolisme du cerf et du centaure a la Porte
• Rouge de Notre-Dame de Paris // Revue arche’ologique 44.1954.P. 21-68.

Goldstaub M., Wendriner R. Ein Tosco-Venezianischer Bestiarius. Halle, 1892. S. 424-427.

• Haupt J. Verflucht und angebetet. Die Schlange als Motiv und Symbol // Antaios. 1964. V. 5. S. 375-396.
• Henkel N. Studien zum Physiologus im Mittelalter. Tu "bingen, 1976. S. 186-187.
• Kolb H. Der Hirsch, der Schlangen fri (ss) t // Mediaevalia litteraria. Festschrift fu "r H. de Boor. Mu" chen, 1971. S. 583-610.
• Perry B. E. Physiologus // RE Neue Reihe, XX, 1. Stuttgart, 1941. Sp. 1089.
• Puech H.-Ch. Le cerf et le serpent // Cahiers arche’ologiques 4. 1949. P. 17-60.
• Sharkey L. Celtic Mysteries the Ancient Religion. Thames and Gudson, 1975. P. 89. Fig. 43.
• Wellmann M. Der Physiologus. Eine religionsgeschichtlich-naturwissenschaftliche Untersuchung (Physiologus. Supplementband. Bd. CXP. 1). Leipzig, 1930.S. 30.

Artwork

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• Deer with a wheel. A fragment of the painting on the vessel. I Iron Age. ? Central Lnatolia?
• Deer. Engraving on a baker. South Tyrol, 19th century
• St. attribute Hubert and St. Eustachia. T. Luer. The Tabernacle of Saints, 1890
• Om1Sh-males drink from an inexhaustible source of life flowing from the foundation of the atonement cross. (Fresco from the Lutheran Basilica of St. John.)

The deer symbol is very ancient, it is present in all historical traditions. It is always a gracious symbol of rebirth and renewal, strength and nobility, courage and purity, piety and piety - a symbol of the human soul, but also a symbol of a warrior.

Deer in the mythology of the Slavs

The image of a deer played a special role in the life of the Slavs, they attributed it to the regal animals, and was endowed with fantastic features. He was called "wonderful", "wondrous beast", "round". According to popular beliefs, he was able to perform various miracles, speak the human language.

The Slavs considered the deer to be the personification of their ancestors. Deers carried the souls of the dead to the other world, many of their images were found on the walls of ancient ritual caves.

The Russian north has preserved the image of a deer in architecture, carving, embroidery, fairy tales, epics. The Russian museums have collected the richest collections of fabrics embroidered with patterns, the main element of which is deer.

The deer was a symbol of the Slavic goddesses of Rozhanitsy - mother and daughter, giving birth to all living things. They were depicted on embroidery in the form of two deer or horned female figures. Images of this horned deity most likely adorned the homes of the Slavs, and the tradition of hanging deer horns inside the house may have more ancient than we think roots.

The male deer, especially during the rutting season, was the embodiment of strength, courage, determination and prudence at the same time. An elegant and timid female could engage in a deadly battle, protecting her cub. A man has always admired the strength and beauty of a deer, felt its superiority over himself.

And already quite a surprising effect was exerted on deer horns. In beauty and grandeur, they were compared with the sun, were the personification of life and its renewal. Horns have played a major role in religious rituals for many millennia. Magi appeared in horned hats.

The image of a deer is captured on many household items: spinning wheels, clay vessels,   toys. It is known that deer bones flour was sometimes added to clay for these vessels. They continue to sculpt a folk toy in the form of a deer even now in the Russian North and in the central part of Russia.

On Russian embroideries, two deer with a tree in the center were depicted as sacrificial deer by a sacred tree. According to legend, a deer came down from heaven, came with a deer and sacrificed it himself, wanting to give people food.

In Ilyin, they stopped swimming in Russia for a day - "A deer dipped a hoof in the water - you can’t swim." “He does not knock, does not rattle his hooves, And a deer flies with a harsh arrow, The deer has silver hooves, The deer has red and gold horns. “Where are you flying, young deer?” - I’m running, I’m flying to the river water ... I need to step into the water with a deer with a hoof to step. With that hoof, toss silver water. ”

Deer - a creature correlated among the Slavs with the sun. Songs about the golden-horned deer were recorded in Russia, in Serbia, in Bulgaria. Deer is an animal endowed with divine symbolism. It closely intertwines the features of not only folk and pagan, but also of Christian origin.

Deer in the Christian tradition.

According to Bulgarian belief, it is forbidden to kill a deer, because there is a deer carrying a cross on its horns; killing such a deer threatens death to a person. The Christian tradition is associated with the image of a deer with a crucifix on the horns and the idea of \u200b\u200ba deer as a servant of God. In a Ukrainian fairy tale, an angel takes the form of a deer. Belarusian riddle about a deer: "Alive - and not in the church, he died - they did not die, but as a god-bearer."

The symbolic deer is depicted on tombs, icons, baptismal fonts - drinking at the foot of the cross. The symbolic representations of Christ in the form of a deer in combination with a cross, the image of a deer with a crucifix between the horns are known.

Deer is a symbol of seclusion, piety and purity in the Christian culture. He symbolizes Christ and is associated with a soul striving to hear the word of Christ: “As a deer desires for streams of water, so a soul desires for You, God!”

In Christian iconography, a deer stomping the earth is a symbol of a Christian fighting evil, an emblem of nobleness and fortitude. “See: as a snake eats a snake, That drinks spring water, And here it is again clean from the poison, And the person here sees the meaning: He is bathed with water of baptism, He is fit for a sinless life.”

A special attitude of a person to a deer is also manifested in heraldic images: the sun - abundance, the laurel - glory and honor, the lion - strength and courage. The deer also refers to bright heraldic images and is a symbol of the warrior before whom the enemy is running, a symbol of the human soul, longing for God and struggling with temptations.

In Christian culture, the image of a deer was often interpreted precisely as the image of the human soul. This applies to both Byzantine and ancient Russian art.

The deer is also the emblem of a warrior, a symbol of male nobility. This emblem is found in the knight's arms of warlike ancient peoples. Deer was especially popular in England and Germany. In Russian heraldry, a deer chasing a snake serves as the emblem of a warrior, in front of whom an enemy flees. But not only Christianity reveres a deer ...

Deer in buddhism

Not far from the Chinese city of Sanya, on a vast territory, one of the modern centers of Buddhism operates, in which there is a deer park.

There is a legend in Buddhism that the creator of Buddhism, Shakya Muni, in one of his past lives was a deer - the king of all deer with luxurious golden horns. Perhaps it is no coincidence that the Buddha first set forth his teachings in the Deer Grove near the city of Benares (modern Varanasi) 7 weeks after he reached awakening.

In the ancient capital of Japan, Nara, a herd of 1,200 sika deer has been living near old temples for more than 1,000 years. According to legend, the first emperor of Japan, Jimmu, descended from heaven and arrived in Nara riding a deer, and modern deer, the descendants of that deer, are protected as messengers of the gods.

The deer is one of the most important symbols of Buddhism, and the Buddha is often depicted with a deer.

Deer - European symbol of deity.

Among the Celtic tribes, the deer was a symbol of fertility and vitality. The deer symbolized the sun, renewal, creation, he was considered the first ancestor. The main god of the Celts Cernunn was depicted sitting next to a deer, and the head of the god was decorated with branching deer horns. The image of a man - a warrior with deer horns on his head was a symbol of masculinity and military valor.

The deer was a participant in the ritual ceremonies, since he was considered the master of animals and had power over fertility, abundance and renewal. Deer appear as wonderful messengers and guides, showing the heroes the path to their goal.

Deer as a symbol of the universe is mentioned in Edda, the main work of German-Scandinavian mythology. Deer is a sacred animal in the Greek Mysteries, a companion of the hunter Diana. The image of this noble animal is widely represented in the art of Ancient Greece.

Totemism

In the art of all peoples there is an image of a mighty beast - the ancestor of the tribe, relative and patron. This phenomenon is called totemism and the deer is represented in it very widely.

The ancient Mayans, for example, called themselves "ah-maya" - "people of the deer." Deer was considered the main tribal great-ancestor. Huichi Indians also called themselves "deer people." In Sami mythology, the wonderful deer - the werewolf Myandash - is a totem animal - the ancestor of the Sami.

The word "saka" in the ancient Scythians meant a deer - a male, and many Scythian tribes called themselves "Saks". This name is related in Iran to the word “saka”, in Persian - “sax”, in Buryat - “saga”, in Russian “sushy” and has the meaning “deer”.

The veneration of a deer in such completely different historical traditions can hardly be called accidental. All this, one way or another, reflects the deep, largely spiritual connection of man with a deer - a symbol of the noble soul of man.

A beautiful animal with an equally attractive meaning for those who love the image of a deer. The deer borrowed the extremely positive meaning of the tattoo from the beliefs of the ancestors who revered the animal as the messenger of the Gods. Each nation has its own story associated with it:

The Japanese venerate the deer as a symbol of good, depicting a serpent at its feet (the personification of evil).
  The Slavs compare his horns with the tree of life, depicting branches with leaves and flowers on his head.
  The Chinese give him the ability to endow us with wealth and to accompany success.
  Native Americans honor the deer for its courage, longevity and justice.
  Europeans believe in his ability to revive.

Common features of significance for all peoples are self-confidence, spirituality, wisdom, sunrise, life, protection, love.

Guess what deer tattoo means among modern men? Success in women. Although the branching horns immediately remind you of terms such as “cuckold” and “instruct horns”, this does not apply to the meaning of the tattoo. Once upon a time, one king was very loving and the status of "married" did not stop him. To make amends to deceived husbands, he gave everyone an estate, but to make it clear to everyone from whom the gift came, the owner had to hang deer horns above the gate.

One thing is not clear, how did this news spread centuries later across the earth without televisions and newspapers to firmly sit in our minds?

Deer in history and art

These animals were depicted on their emblems by French kings and Russian nobles. Fonts in Christian churches adorned their images; in the Bible, a deer was compared with an innocent victim. The peoples of the northern lands prayed for these animals and idolized them for protection, warmth and food.

They painted this noble animal trampling a snake as a symbol of the victory of good over evil. Today, we still experience love and subconscious respect for these animals, therefore we draw a tattoo in the form of a deer.

There has long been debate about who first started drawing deer in triangles and why. We will briefly cover this topic, and you already decide whether such a symbol is worthy of showing off on the body or yes. Let's start with the triangle itself. The meaning of this symbol: God, connection with the cosmos, feminine or masculine, knowledge and other sublime concepts, which we wrote about in the article about triangles. We will only say that this sign has become a favorite of secret magic orders and just wizards.

Previously, this symbol was found among musicians playing heavy metal, but today hipsters prefer to decorate them with everything that comes to hand. In turn, a horned animal is also a favorite of secret societies and priests, so a deer tattoo in a triangle is a combination of two powerful occult symbols.

Therefore, when such a symbiosis flaunts on the body, you will always be accepted as yours: hipsters for hipsters, Masons for Masons, and so on, which is actually very convenient. We know exactly one thing - no one will explain the exact meaning of a deer tattoo in a triangle, except for yourself, because too many concepts and traditions of peoples from all over the world are mixed in this symbol.

Probably, the deer tattoo in the triangle is one of the most mysterious symbols, and here you should rely on intuition.

In any case, these are two figures that carry a constructive meaning and when they are combined, it only intensifies. So, the meaning of a deer tattoo in a triangle:

• Connection with higher powers,
• The pursuit of wisdom, the possession of knowledge,
• Confidence, grandeur, mystery,
• Connection with divine powers
• Belonging to a religious / magical community.

Someone may give this pair of characters a negative color, but what really needs to be done with caution is the deer’s skull, which means "soul-eating darkness."

The meaning of a deer tattoo for girls

This tattoo is mistakenly considered the exclusive domain of men. However, there are works that are subtle and elegant, suitable for women's tattoos.

Firstly, deer horns began to be decorated with flowers and leaves, which means the continuation of life, the tree of the genus. Secondly, women choose sketches that depict females, that is, without horns and smaller size. Deer girls make such tattoos even more elegant, emphasize their femininity, humility and devotion.

As you know, a tattoo is applied in several cases:

• You want to decorate your body and attract attention, emphasize individuality.
• You reflect with your tattoo those character traits that are inherent in you.
• You want to acquire some features that are characteristic of this symbol.
• You stuff a symbol, like a charm or a talisman for yourself.
• You need to close the defect on the skin (scar or excessive pigmentation).

Next, we describe how the drawings can help you with this. The image of several individuals means fidelity or family. A drawing with one female can be regarded as a message that his carrier is lonely and looking for a pair. If a female has a bunch of grass clamped in her teeth, this is interpreted as healing and stuffed in case of difficult life situations. Male branching horns can also mean fertility, which will become a talisman for a girl who dreams of creating a family.

The meaning of deer tattoo for men

Also, the image of one male can mean that the guy is in search of his half. For men, it is typical to stuff a deer tattoo on the forearm or chest. The figure with branching horns is depicted in the center of the chest or on the back. In any case, the designation of the deer tattoo does not change.

What matters is what surrounds him:

• Tattoo deer with flowers - female symbol.
• A few deer - family and loyalty to her.
• The body of the animal pierced by arrows is jealousy and disappointment.

Otherwise, it is a good helper in life's journey, protection from evil, confidence and nobility. Many kings compared themselves to deers, appropriating them and themselves. divine origin. Initially, such tattoos in the form of a deer were applied by priests during rituals to our distant ancestors, so that they would gain the deer's ability to revive, lightning speed and judgment.

Another meaning of such a tattoo is loneliness. It is believed that travelers often apply this pattern as a sign of their nomadic life. Often we see tattoos with the image of a male with a cross placed between the horns. This is a Christian symbol meaning divine protection. Just do not draw all sorts of inverted crosses, please.

Although they say that this is a symbol of the crucified apostle Peter, who, having learned that death awaits him, similar to the execution of Jesus, decided that he was not worthy of this. Since they were still going to crucify him, he allegedly asked to be executed on an inverted cross, upside down. But only too much did this symbol fall in love with the Antichristians to use it together with deer.

By the way, strong faith and true righteousness can be portrayed as a male drinking water at the foot of the cross. And wisdom and longevity are depicted in the form of a male of white color.

Where to fill and in what style

This is one of the characters that looks equally good in monochrome and in color. The size of the tattoo dictates its location. Due to the elongated silhouette of the animal, the pattern looks great on the forearm. Here he can sit on his half arm.

Volumetric paintings fit perfectly on the back or chest. Girls who prefer a deer tattoo with flowers will appreciate the work of the master in the style of old school and watercolor. You can also choose only the shape of the animal. Such a tattoo is suitable for a deer on the wrist, neck, shoulder. Another place on female bodywhich is ideal for such a pattern is from the lower abdomen to the chest. In this case, you can depict the head of a deer with branching horns almost life-size and with masterful execution such a picture will look elegant, touching and original.

  - An important symbolic beast in ancient world cultures. According to the hypothesis of the French researcher, in prehistoric times, as can be seen in the cave art of the ice age, they built a mytho-cosmological dualistic system, similar to the one that was formed with the help of wild and. Due to the tree-like appearance and the periodic renewal of its horns, the deer was a symbol of the rejuvenating life, the rebirth and running of time. In ancient northern mythology, 4 deer hide in the crown of the world Yggdrazil. There they eat kidneys (hours), (days) and branches (seasons). Deer symbolized the sun's rays. In antiquity, a deer was considered a poisonous enemy, and a deer skin was considered an amulet against a snake bite.

Powder from deer antlers served as a protection of grain sowing from witchcraft.

In ancient China, a deer (Lu) was considered a symbol of prosperity due to the consonance with the word denoting wealth, and, in addition, a symbol of filial piety (according to the fable, the young man dressed in the skin of a deer to get to the deer, as a means of blindness for his parents). Also, the deer is the guide of God into long life, "Shujing."

Christian iconography is based on the 42 psalm of David: “As a deer cries for fresh water, so my soul, Lord, cries for You.”

In the early Christian Physiologist (Physio-logus) it was stated that a deer spits water in every crack of the earth where poisonous snakes hid. In doing so, he makes them emerge from the cracks and crushes them. “Our Lord also beats a serpent, the devil with heavenly water ... The ascetics, in a different sense, also imitate the deer. "They strangle fiery tears of despair, and they trample large snakes - this is hell, and kill him."

The deer sucks from their holes and, in order to protect itself from their poison, drinks water from the spring for three hours: then it will live another five years. "If you have a snake and you hate it - this is a sin, then hurry to the springs, to the veins of the Holy Scripture and drink living water ... and do not die because of sin." All this also repeats the medieval text about animals (bestiary). Deer discovered the miraculous power of grass to dikts (lat. Dictamnus, Dictamnus), so if hunting arrows fall into them, they use this plant to heal wounds.

If deer have to overcome water barriers, then they lay their head on the croup of the previous deer and thereby lighten their weight. If on their way come across dirty places, then in a quick run deer jump over them. So Christians should help each other; they should jump over the place of dirty vices, and if they tasted the devilish snake venom, they should run to the true source - to Christ, to confess, repent and rejuvenate again (Unterkircher).

  , it is said further, are a healing remedy, and the right rods are stronger than the left. A burnt deer horn drives any snake away. Deer meat cures fever, and ointment from its bone marrow is also a healing agent.

Often a deer is found in where he “served meekness and moderation, because he did not have bile, and this also served as the reason for his longevity” (Beckler, 1688). According to Beckler, even if only one horn is represented on the coat of arms, in this case the image is interpreted as a "sign of the manifestation of force." An explanation of the symbolism of the expression “horned” husbands is associated with deer horns: Greek Andronicus ordered the horns to be attached to the houses of the women with whom he slept, and gave their husbands a hunting privilege, in case he came to instruct the Hanray horns (the word “Gunray” means castrated rooster, capon).

During the reign of the Galeation of Sforz, Duke of Milan, women also did not hesitate to sleep with the princes, while their husbands wore not simple, but golden horns, and were highly revered. In ancient Celtic mythology, deer were associated with “fairies cows” and thus were in the symbolic space between the world of gods and the world of people. The Celtic god Cernunnos was depicted with a deer horn on his head, as were the shamans of ancient tribes. In the sculpture of the Christian Middle Ages, a deer is found on a bunch of grapes as a symbol of a person who, even on Earth, can partially achieve heavenly bliss. The search for sources is a sensual image of the desire to be cleansed with baptismal water: “Just as a deer swallows a snake and then jumps into fresh water and cleanses itself of poison again, the same is with man: then he will be cured of sins when he is drenched in baptism. " Therefore, images of deer often appeared in the stone reliefs of baptismal fonts. The imaginative world sees in the deer a symbol interconnected with the ancient myth of the hunter Actaeon, who was turned into a deer by Diana (Artemis).

This circumstance is taken as evidence of the possible transformation of metals in contact with the "lunar" (belonging to the Moon) feminine world of silver.

In a symbolic sense, the expression “to hunt white deer"Means the consequences of a very difficult and hardly feasible task. In the legends of St. Eustachy speaks of the appearance between the horns of a pursued deer. For a number of images of other saints (Meinulf, Meinhold, Oswald, Prokop of Bemen), a deer is an integral attribute. In pre-Columbian Central America, 7 out of 20 calendar day indexes were denoted by reindeer horns symbolic animals (Aztec - matzatl; Maya - manic). Just like these wild animals born under their signs, people try to go into the bosom of pristine nature and despise a solid dwelling (see Obstacles).

In Japanese Shintoism, the deer was considered the "supreme beast of the gods" and was often represented along with the symbols corresponding to a particular god in images on scrolls in shrines.