A triskelion or triskeles is an ancientmotif consisting of a triple spiral exhibiting
rotational symmetry
Rotational symmetry, also known as radial symmetry in geometry, is the property a shape has when it looks the same after some rotation by a partial turn. An object's degree of rotational symmetry is the number of distinct orientations in which ...
.
The spiral design can be based on interlocking Archimedean spirals, or represent three bent human legs. It is found in artefacts of the European
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...
and
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...
with continuation into the Iron Age especially in the context of the La Tène culture and related
Celtic
Celtic, Celtics or Keltic may refer to:
Language and ethnicity
*pertaining to Celts, a collection of Indo-European peoples in Europe and Anatolia
**Celts (modern)
*Celtic languages
**Proto-Celtic language
*Celtic music
*Celtic nations
Sports Foo ...
traditions.
The actual ''triskeles'' symbol of three human legs is found especially in Greek antiquity, beginning in archaic pottery and continued in coinage of the classical period.
In the Hellenistic period, the symbol becomes associated with the island of
flag of Sicily
The flag of Sicily ( scn, Bannera dâ Sicilia; it, Bandiera della Sicilia) shows a ''triskeles'' symbol (a figure of three legs arranged in rotational symmetry), and at its center a Gorgoneion (depiction of the head of Medusa) and a pair o ...
, came to be used in the flag of the
Isle of Man
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, anthem = " O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europ ...
(known as ''ny tree cassyn'' "the three legs").
Greek (''triskelḗs'') means "three-legged".
While the Greek adjective "three-legged .g. of a table is ancient, use of the term for the symbol is modern, introduced in 1835 by
Honoré Théodoric d'Albert de Luynes
Honoré Théodore Paul Joseph d'Albert, 8th Duke of Luynes (15 December 1802 – 15 December 1867) was a wealthy French nobleman and scholar. He is most remembered for the collection of exhibits he gave to the Cabinet des Médailles in 1862, and f ...
as French ,Honore-Theodoric-Paul-Joseph d'Albert de Luynes, ''Etudes numismatiques sur quelques types relatifs au culte d'Hecate'' (1835) 83f. /ref> and adopted in the spelling ''triskeles'' following Otto Olshausen (1886).
The form ''triskelion'' (as it were Greek ) is a diminutive which entered English usage in
numismatics
Numismatics is the study or collection of currency, including coins, tokens, paper money, medals and related objects.
Specialists, known as numismatists, are often characterized as students or collectors of coins, but the discipline also inc ...
in the late 19th century.
The form consisting of three human legs (as opposed to the triple spiral) has also been called a "
triquetra
The triquetra ( ; from the Latin adjective ''triquetrus'' "three-cornered") is a triangular figure composed of three interlaced arcs, or (equivalently) three overlapping '' vesicae piscis'' lens shapes. It is used as an ornamental design in ar ...
of legs" or ''triskelos'', ''triskel''.
Use in European antiquity
Neolithic to Bronze Age
The triple spiral symbol, or three spiral volute, appears in many early cultures, the first in
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
(4400–3600 BCE) and in the astronomical calendar at the famous megalithic tomb of
Newgrange
Newgrange ( ga, Sí an Bhrú) is a prehistoric monument in County Meath in Ireland, located on a rise overlooking the River Boyne, west of Drogheda. It is an exceptionally grand passage tomb built during the Neolithic Period, around 32 ...
in Ireland built around 3200 BCE, as well as on Mycenaean vessels. The
Neolithic
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...
era symbol of three conjoined spirals may have had triple significance similar to the imagery that lies behind the triskelion. It is carved into the rock of a stone lozenge near the main entrance of the prehistoric
Newgrange
Newgrange ( ga, Sí an Bhrú) is a prehistoric monument in County Meath in Ireland, located on a rise overlooking the River Boyne, west of Drogheda. It is an exceptionally grand passage tomb built during the Neolithic Period, around 32 ...
monument in
County Meath
County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the ...
,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
. Newgrange, which was built around 3200 BCE.
Classical Antiquity
The ''triskeles'' proper, composed of three human legs, is younger than the triple spiral, found in decorations on
Greek pottery
Ancient Greek pottery, due to its relative durability, comprises a large part of the archaeological record of ancient Greece, and since there is so much of it (over 100,000 painted vases are recorded in the Corpus vasorum antiquorum), it has exe ...
especially as a design shown on hoplite shields, and later also minted on Greek and Anatolian coinage.
An early example is found on the shield of
Achilles
In Greek mythology, Achilles ( ) or Achilleus ( grc-gre, Ἀχιλλεύς) was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors, and the central character of Homer's '' Iliad''. He was the son of the Nereid Thetis and Pe ...
in an Attic '' hydria'' of the late 6th century BCE.
It is found on coinage in Lycia, and on staters of Pamphylia (at
Aspendos
Aspendos or Aspendus ( Pamphylian: ΕΣΤϜΕΔΥΣ; Attic: Ἄσπενδος) was an ancient Greco-Roman city in Antalya province of Turkey. The site is located 40 km east of the modern city of Antalya.
It was situated on the Eurymedon ...
, 370–333 BCE) and Pisidia. The meaning of the Greek triskeles is not recorded directly.
The Duc de Luynes in his 1835 study noted the co-occurrence of the symbol with the eagle, the cockerel, the head of Medusa, Perseus, three crescent moons, three ears of corn, and three grains of corn.
From this, he reconstructed feminine divine triad which he identified with the "triple goddess"
Hecate
Hecate or Hekate, , ; grc-dor, Ἑκάτᾱ, Hekátā, ; la, Hecatē or . is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depict ...
.
The triskeles was adopted as emblem by the rulers of Syracuse. It is possible that this usage is related with the Greek name of the island of
, ''Trinacria'' (Τρινακρία "having three headlands").
The Sicilian triskeles is shown with the head of Medusa at the center.Matthews, Jeff (2005 Symbols of Naples
The ancient symbol has been re-introduced in modern flags of Sicily since 1848. The oldest find of a triskeles in
Castro Culture
Castro culture ( gl, cultura castrexa, pt, cultura castreja, ast, cultura castriega, es, cultura castreña, meaning "culture of the hillforts") is the archaeological term for the material culture of the northwestern regions of the Iberian Pe ...
settlement in
Galicia
Galicia may refer to:
Geographic regions
* Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain
** Gallaecia, a Roman province
** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia
** The medieval King ...
,
Asturias
Asturias (, ; ast, Asturies ), officially the Principality of Asturias ( es, Principado de Asturias; ast, Principáu d'Asturies; Galician-Asturian: ''Principao d'Asturias''), is an autonomous community in northwest Spain.
It is coextensiv ...
Celtic Christianity
Celtic Christianity ( kw, Kristoneth; cy, Cristnogaeth; gd, Crìosdaidheachd; gv, Credjue Creestee/Creestiaght; ga, Críostaíocht/Críostúlacht; br, Kristeniezh; gl, Cristianismo celta) is a form of Christianity that was common, or held ...
the symbol took on new meaning, as a symbol of the
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God th ...
(Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
Medieval use
The triple spiral design is found as a decorative element in
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture (or pointed architecture) is an architectural style that was prevalent in Europe from the late 12th to the 16th century, during the High and Late Middle Ages, surviving into the 17th and 18th centuries in some areas. It ...
canting arms
Canting arms are heraldic bearings that represent the bearer's name (or, less often, some attribute or function) in a visual pun or rebus.
French heralds used the term (), as they would sound out the name of the armiger. Many armorial all ...
in the city seal of the Bavarian city of Füssen (dated 1317).
Modern usage
The triskeles was included in the design of the Army Gold Medal awarded to British Army majors and above who had taken a key part in the Battle of Maida (1806).
An early
flag of Sicily
The flag of Sicily ( scn, Bannera dâ Sicilia; it, Bandiera della Sicilia) shows a ''triskeles'' symbol (a figure of three legs arranged in rotational symmetry), and at its center a Gorgoneion (depiction of the head of Medusa) and a pair o ...
, proposed in 1848, included the Sicilian triskeles or "Trinacria symbol".
Later versions of Sicilian flags have retained the emblem, including the one officially adopted in 2000.
The
Flag of the Isle of Man
The flag of the Isle of Man or flag of Mann ( gv, brattagh Vannin) is a triskelion, composed of three armoured legs with golden spurs, upon a red background. It has been the official flag of the Isle of Mann since 1 December 1932 and is based o ...
(1932) shows a heraldic design of a triskeles of three armoured legs.
The spiral is used by some
polytheistic reconstructionist
Polytheistic reconstructionism (or simply Reconstructionism) is an approach to modern paganism first emerging in the late 1960s to early 1970s, which gathered momentum starting in the 1990s. Reconstructionism attempts to re-establish genuine po ...
or
neopagan
Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, is a term for a religion or family of religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Afric ...
groups. As a "Celtic symbol", it is used primarily by groups with a Celtic cultural orientation and, less frequently, can also be found in use by various eclectic or syncretic traditions such as
Neopaganism
Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism and neopaganism, is a term for a religion or family of religions influenced by the various historical pre-Christian beliefs of pre-modern peoples in Europe and adjacent areas of North Afric ...
. The spiral triskele is one of the primary symbols of Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism, used to represent a variety of triplicities in cosmology and theology; it is also a favored symbol due to its association with the god
Manannán mac Lir
Manannán or Manann, also known as Manannán mac Lir ("son of the sea"), is a warrior and king of the Otherworld in Irish mythology who is associated with the sea and often interpreted as a sea god, usually as a member of the Tuatha Dé Dana ...
.Bonewits, Isaac (2006) ''Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism''. New York,
Kensington
Kensington is a district in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in the West of Central London.
The district's commercial heart is Kensington High Street, running on an east–west axis. The north-east is taken up by Kensington Garden ...
Publishing Group . p. 132: mong Celtic Reconstructionists"...''An Thríbhís Mhòr'' (the great triple spiral) came into common use to refer to the three realms." Also p. 134: n CRs"Using Celtic symbols such as triskeles and
Linux distribution
A Linux distribution (often abbreviated as distro) is an operating system made from a software collection that includes the Linux kernel and, often, a package management system. Linux users usually obtain their operating system by downloading one ...
and the seal of the
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT or DOT) is one of the executive departments of the U.S. federal government. It is headed by the secretary of transportation, who reports directly to the President of the United States and ...
The boric acid molecule is triskelion-shaped as seen in the image. The molecular point group of triskelion-shaped molecules is ''C''3h. The endocytic protein,
clathrin
Clathrin is a protein that plays a major role in the formation of coated vesicles. Clathrin was first isolated and named by Barbara Pearse in 1976. It forms a triskelion shape composed of three clathrin heavy chains and three light chains. When ...
, is triskelion-shaped, as well as the edicaran
Tribrachidium
''Tribrachidium heraldicum'' is a tri-radially symmetric fossil animal that lived in the late Ediacaran (Vendian) seas. In life, it was hemispherical in form. ''T. heraldicum'' is the best known member of the extinct group Trilobozoa.
Etymol ...
.
Boric-acid-2D.svg, A molecule of boric acid
Tribrachidium_heraldicum_トリブラキディウム_ヘラルディキウム_24mm.jpg, The Edicaran organism
Tribrachidium
''Tribrachidium heraldicum'' is a tri-radially symmetric fossil animal that lived in the late Ediacaran (Vendian) seas. In life, it was hemispherical in form. ''T. heraldicum'' is the best known member of the extinct group Trilobozoa.
Etymol ...
Gallery
Antiquity
File:2009-03-22 03-29 Sizilien 683 Agrigent, Parco Valle dei Templi Agrigento, Museo Archaeologico.jpg, Triskelion of Sicily of the Minoan period (archaeological museum of
Agrigento
Agrigento (; scn, Girgenti or ; grc, Ἀκράγας, translit=Akrágas; la, Agrigentum or ; ar, كركنت, Kirkant, or ''Jirjant'') is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy and capital of the province of Agrigento. It was one o ...
)
File:Ancient greek beaked jug decorated with triple spirals.jpg, Late Helladic (14th century BCE) beaked jug decorated with triple spirals
File:Trisquel da Aira Vella, Santo Estevo de Allariz, Allariz.jpg, Iron Age
Castro culture
Castro culture ( gl, cultura castrexa, pt, cultura castreja, ast, cultura castriega, es, cultura castreña, meaning "culture of the hillforts") is the archaeological term for the material culture of the northwestern regions of the Iberian Pe ...
Galicia
Galicia may refer to:
Geographic regions
* Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain
** Gallaecia, a Roman province
** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia
** The medieval King ...
File:Torque de Santa Tegra 1.JPG, Triskelion and spirals on a Galician
torc
A torc, also spelled torq or torque, is a large rigid or stiff neck ring in metal, made either as a single piece or from strands twisted together. The great majority are open at the front, although some had hook and ring closures and a few had ...
terminal.
Medieval
File:Triskel-triskele-triquetre-triscel VAN DEN HENDE ALAIN CC-BY-SA-40 0718 PDP BG 007.jpg, Triskèle
Saint-Marcellin
Saint-Marcellin is a soft French cheese made from cow's milk. Named after the small town of Saint-Marcellin, Isère, Saint-Marcellin (Isère), it is produced in a geographical area corresponding to part of the former Dauphiné province (now inclu ...
(in
Isère
Isère ( , ; frp, Isera; oc, Isèra, ) is a landlocked department in the southeastern French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Named after the river Isère, it had a population of 1,271,166 in 2019.France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
)
File:Triskel_et_Biskel_-_Saint_Antoine_l_Abbaye_-_Alain_Van_den_Hende_17071627_Licence_CC40.jpg, On the front of Abbatial church of
Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye
Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye (), also Saint-Antoine-en-Viennois, is a commune in the Isère department in southeastern France. On 31 December 2015, the former commune of Dionay was merged into Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye.Isère
Isère ( , ; frp, Isera; oc, Isèra, ) is a landlocked department in the southeastern French region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. Named after the river Isère, it had a population of 1,271,166 in 2019.France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
)
File:Triskele karja church.jpg, Mural depicting a triskelion on the ceiling of Karja church in Saaremaa,
Estonia
Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, an ...
Modern
File:Flag of the Isle of Mann.svg,
Flag of the Isle of Man
The flag of the Isle of Man or flag of Mann ( gv, brattagh Vannin) is a triskelion, composed of three armoured legs with golden spurs, upon a red background. It has been the official flag of the Isle of Mann since 1 December 1932 and is based o ...
File:Sicilian Flag.svg,
Flag of Sicily
The flag of Sicily ( scn, Bannera dâ Sicilia; it, Bandiera della Sicilia) shows a ''triskeles'' symbol (a figure of three legs arranged in rotational symmetry), and at its center a Gorgoneion (depiction of the head of Medusa) and a pair o ...
, with the triskeles-and- Gorgoneion symbol
File:Flag of Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug.svg, Flag of Ust-Orda Buryat Okrug
File:Flag of Ingushetia.svg, Flag of Ingushetia
File:Ingush national solar symbol.svg, Red triskelion on the flag of Ingushetia (1994)
File:27. SS-Freiwilligen-Grenadier-Division „Langemarck“ (1. flämische).svg, Emblem of the
27th SS Volunteer Division Langemarck
The Flemish Legion ( nl, Vlaams Legioen) was a collaborationist military formation recruited among Dutch-speaking volunteers from German-occupied Belgium, notably from Flanders, during World War II. It was formed in the aftermath of the German ...
File:Flag of the Afrikaner-Weerstandsbeweging.svg, Flag of Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging
File:AWB 777 Triskele.svg, Emblem of Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging