Open AccessThe Symbolic Meaning of the Acorn – a Possible Interpretation
Author(s) -
Maciej Wacławik
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
studies in ancient art and civilization
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.101
H-Index - 1
eISSN - 2449-867X
pISSN - 1899-1548
DOI - 10.12797/saac.19.2015.19.12
Subject(s) - acorn , interpretation (philosophy) , meaning (existential) , art , literature , motif (music) , the symbolic , history , aesthetics , philosophy , linguistics , epistemology , psychology , biology , ecology , psychoanalysis
The acorn is a very popular literary and decorative motif in Greek and Roman culture that was used by many ancient authors to symbolise fertility and the possibility of creating new life. It was used as a decoration with this significance on many everyday objects, such as vessels and jewellery. The acorn was also very popular as a shape for the counterweights of Roman balances. On this group of objects, it is possible that the acorn symbolised the gods, who ensured the fairness of transactions between sellers and their customers. The gods used may have been Zeus, Hermes or Athena, with the latter being the most likely to appear.