Throughout history, various symbols have been used to represent peace. In the 21st century, the circle with the two lines pointing down at angles and one line pointing up is called a peace symbol. Like many symbols in the past, the design was repurposed for a broader purpose than initially intended.
The peace symbol was created in 1958 by British artist/activist Gerald Holtom. Holtom designed the emblem for the Campaign of Nuclear Disarmament. He designed the symbol around flag semaphores, which are long-distance messages sent with visual hand flags. The peace sign is based on the letters N and D, which stands for Nuclear Disarmament. The symbol was popularized and came to represent anti-war.
The olive branch dates back to ancient Greece and served as a symbol of peace and victory. Olive branches were said to drive away evil spirits and were attributed to Eirene, the goddess of peace. (Known as Pax to the Romans). Pax appeared on Roman Imperial coins with an olive branch. Roman poet Virgil associated the “plump olive” with Pax and used the olive branch as a symbol of peace in Aeneid. In Greek Mythology, Athene gave the olive tree to the people of Athens, and to show their appreciation of her gift, they named the city after her. The olive branch continued to be used in association with peace. The symbol appeared in the Bible and was used on English coins, in art, and even by the American Continental Congress when they adopted the “Olive Branch Petition” in July of 1775. In the document, the colonist pledged their loyalty to the Crown and asserted their rights as British citizens. The petition was created with the hope of preventing a war with Great Britain.
A white dove often appears as a symbol of peace and holiness in Judeo-Christian iconography. In the Bible, Noah released a dove after the floodwaters receded, and it returned with an olive leaf, indicating that life returned to Earth. (Genesis 8:10-11) Early Christians often performed baptisms accompanied by a dove. The dove has been used by many cultures. In ancient Egypt, doves were domesticated. In the ancient Aztec culture, the goddess of Love, Xochiquetzal, was said to descend to Earth in the form of a dove. In ancient Greek mythology, the dove served as a symbol of love and renewal of life. In Hindu mythology, the god of love, Kamadeva, is known to ride a dove. In Japan, a dove carrying a sword represents the end of war. Doves have become a universal symbol of peace around the world.
The white poppy came to be seen as a symbol of peace in 1933, during widespread fear of war in Europe. White poppies had grown on the battlefield and gravesites at the end of WWI. The Royal British Legion wore red poppies on November 11, which is Remembrance Day. In 1933, the anti-war Women’s Co-operative Guild began to sell white poppies in remembrance and pacifism. The color white represents a lack of bloodshed, which came to be seen as a political symbol. In the 1930s, women lost their jobs for wearing white poppies. In 1934, the newly formed Peace Pledge Union (PPU), the largest British peace organization at the time, began distributing white poppies and laying white poppy wreaths as a pledge to peace. The PPU revived the symbol in the 1980s to remember victims of war.
The V hand gesture symbolizing peace was used during WWII. Colonel Britton Ritchie, a resistance fighter in German-occupied territories, used the hand gesture as a symbol of camaraderie and strength. The symbol represents the first letter of French, Flemish, and English words for victory. In the 1940s, Winston Churchill, UK Prime Minister, adopted the sign and was known to use it during his speeches. In the 1960s, activists against the Vietnam War adopted the sign as an anti-war symbol of peace.
The origami paper crane is a traditional symbol of luck in Japan. It was popularized by the story of the young girl Sadako Sasaki who developed leukemia after suffering radiation exposure due to the horrific bombing of Hiroshima. She spent her final days constructing paper cranes while listening to Japanese folklore that promised to grant a wish to whoever produces 1000 of them. Her story inspired the adoption of the paper crane as a symbol of peace in Japan. A statue of Sadako stands in Hiroshima’s Peace Park and is often covered in paper cranes made by visitors.
Many symbols represent peace, including many flags, from the broken rifle flag of 1921 to the rainbow peace flag of 1960s Italy. These signs and symbols are still used today and carry meaning to the viewer without saying a word.
Power Symbols:https://lahilden.com/power-symbols/
A special thank you to: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/75690/7-peace-symbols-arent-peace-symbol, https://www.rd.com/article/history-of-peace-sign/, https://www.thehistorypress.co.uk/articles/peace-symbols-through-history/, https://spiritualray.com/why-is-dove-symbol-of-peace-love
