Hidden meanings of 10 professional symbols
Filed under: Career
Most of us would recognize the red, white & blue striped spinning barber shop pole, but do you know what those three colors represent? And do you know why many pawn shops display three golden balls in their window? Read on and see how much you know about the symbols of common professions and other organizations.
Barbers
The red, white and blue stripes in the barber shop pole are meant to represent blood, bandages and veins. For thousands of years, barbers didn't just cut hair and shave beards -- they performed surgery, dentistry, and more.
These barber-surgeons, as they were known, practiced everything from tooth-extractions to bloodletting. After sopping up any blood with white cloths, the barbers would wash the cloths and hang them out to dry. This is what the pole's red and white colors signify. It is commonly accepted that the blue color represents veins.
The Marines
One branch of the U.S. Armed Forces uses an eagle, globe and anchor as its symbol: The Marines. As the official United States Marine Corps web site explains: "The eagle with spread wings represents our proud nation. The globe points to worldwide presence. The anchor stands for naval tradition. Together, they represent a dedication to service in the air, on land and at sea."
Pawnbrokers
The universal symbol for pawn shops is three balls suspended from a curved bar. The "three balls" were originally part of the coat of arms of the Medici family, who established the Medici trading and banking empire in Florence, Italy. Legend has it that one of the Medicis (in the employ of Emperor Charles the Great) fought a giant and slew him with three sacks of rocks. The three balls or globes later became part of their family crest, and ultimately, the sign of pawnbroking.
Boy Scouts
The badge for the Scout rank consists of a simple fleur-de-lis, which symbolizes a compass needle. The needle points the Scout in the right direction, which is onward and upward. The Tenderfoot badge takes the fleur-de-lis of the Scout badge and adds two stars and an eagle with an American shield. The stars symbolize truth and knowledge; the eagle and shield symbolize freedom and readiness to defend it.
Live Theater
Comedy and tragedy masks are sometimes referred to as theater masks or drama masks. They have been adopted as the universal symbol for live theater. The origins stem from ancient Greece when actors always wore masks on stage.
Pharmacists
There are two symbols most commonly associated with the pharmacy profession. One is the mortar and pestle. Pharmacists would use the mortar and pestle to crush and mix ingredients to cure diseases. The other is the Rx symbol. According to most sources, Rx is an abbreviation of the Latin word for recipe ("recipere").
Medical Profession
The caduceus (left) is an ancient symbol that stands for wisdom, eloquence, and communication. The rod entwined by two snakes and topped with wings -- comes from the magic wand of the Greek god Hermes. According to Dr. Keith T. Blayney, the association between the caduceus of Hermes and medicine seems to have arisen by the seventh century A.D., when Hermes had come to be linked with alchemy. Dr. Blayney also points out that another traditional symbol of medicine is the staff of Asclepius (right). This symbol is a single serpent encircling a staff, classically a rough-hewn knotty tree limb. Asclepius was an ancient Greek physician deified as the god of medicine.
Wall Street
The bull and bear are two oft-used symbols of Wall Street. A "bear market" is known as a period of time in which the overall trend of the stock market is down. A "bull market" is a period in which the prices in the market rise overall. According to The Motley Fool, the term "bear market" may come from "bear skin jobbers," who sold bear skins before they caught the bears. This term eventually was used to describe short-sellers, who make money buying and selling shares that they don't own (they borrow them). Short-sellers profit when the price of their shares goes down. The theory further goes that since bear baiting and bull baiting were common sports, bull became the counterpart of bear. Others will say the term bear comes from the fact that bears swipe their paws down when fighting, whereas bulls swipe their horns up.
Firefighters
The Badge of a firefighter is called a Maltese Cross. The Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor. The New York City Fire Department explains: The first firefighters were a band of crusaders known as the Knights of St. John. Their heroic efforts were recognized by fellow crusaders with a badge of honor -- a cross similar to the one firefighters wear today. Since the Knights of St. John lived on a little island in the Mediterranean Sea named Malta, the cross came to be known as the Maltese Cross.
Freemasons
Two of the principal symbolic tools always found in a Lodge are the square and compass. They are reminders that Masons should "square their actions by the square of virtue" and to learn to "circumscribe their desires and keep their passions within due bounds toward all mankind." When these two Masonic tools are placed together with God as the central focal point., Freemasons believe peace and harmony is the result.
The red, white and blue stripes in the barber shop pole are meant to represent blood, bandages and veins. For thousands of years, barbers didn't just cut hair and shave beards -- they performed surgery, dentistry, and more.
These barber-surgeons, as they were known, practiced everything from tooth-extractions to bloodletting. After sopping up any blood with white cloths, the barbers would wash the cloths and hang them out to dry. This is what the pole's red and white colors signify. It is commonly accepted that the blue color represents veins.
One branch of the U.S. Armed Forces uses an eagle, globe and anchor as its symbol: The Marines. As the official United States Marine Corps web site explains: "The eagle with spread wings represents our proud nation. The globe points to worldwide presence. The anchor stands for naval tradition. Together, they represent a dedication to service in the air, on land and at sea."
The universal symbol for pawn shops is three balls suspended from a curved bar. The "three balls" were originally part of the coat of arms of the Medici family, who established the Medici trading and banking empire in Florence, Italy. Legend has it that one of the Medicis (in the employ of Emperor Charles the Great) fought a giant and slew him with three sacks of rocks. The three balls or globes later became part of their family crest, and ultimately, the sign of pawnbroking.
The badge for the Scout rank consists of a simple fleur-de-lis, which symbolizes a compass needle. The needle points the Scout in the right direction, which is onward and upward. The Tenderfoot badge takes the fleur-de-lis of the Scout badge and adds two stars and an eagle with an American shield. The stars symbolize truth and knowledge; the eagle and shield symbolize freedom and readiness to defend it.
Comedy and tragedy masks are sometimes referred to as theater masks or drama masks. They have been adopted as the universal symbol for live theater. The origins stem from ancient Greece when actors always wore masks on stage.
There are two symbols most commonly associated with the pharmacy profession. One is the mortar and pestle. Pharmacists would use the mortar and pestle to crush and mix ingredients to cure diseases. The other is the Rx symbol. According to most sources, Rx is an abbreviation of the Latin word for recipe ("recipere").
The caduceus (left) is an ancient symbol that stands for wisdom, eloquence, and communication. The rod entwined by two snakes and topped with wings -- comes from the magic wand of the Greek god Hermes. According to Dr. Keith T. Blayney, the association between the caduceus of Hermes and medicine seems to have arisen by the seventh century A.D., when Hermes had come to be linked with alchemy. Dr. Blayney also points out that another traditional symbol of medicine is the staff of Asclepius (right). This symbol is a single serpent encircling a staff, classically a rough-hewn knotty tree limb. Asclepius was an ancient Greek physician deified as the god of medicine.
The bull and bear are two oft-used symbols of Wall Street. A "bear market" is known as a period of time in which the overall trend of the stock market is down. A "bull market" is a period in which the prices in the market rise overall. According to The Motley Fool, the term "bear market" may come from "bear skin jobbers," who sold bear skins before they caught the bears. This term eventually was used to describe short-sellers, who make money buying and selling shares that they don't own (they borrow them). Short-sellers profit when the price of their shares goes down. The theory further goes that since bear baiting and bull baiting were common sports, bull became the counterpart of bear. Others will say the term bear comes from the fact that bears swipe their paws down when fighting, whereas bulls swipe their horns up.
The Badge of a firefighter is called a Maltese Cross. The Maltese Cross is a symbol of protection and a badge of honor. The New York City Fire Department explains: The first firefighters were a band of crusaders known as the Knights of St. John. Their heroic efforts were recognized by fellow crusaders with a badge of honor -- a cross similar to the one firefighters wear today. Since the Knights of St. John lived on a little island in the Mediterranean Sea named Malta, the cross came to be known as the Maltese Cross.
Two of the principal symbolic tools always found in a Lodge are the square and compass. They are reminders that Masons should "square their actions by the square of virtue" and to learn to "circumscribe their desires and keep their passions within due bounds toward all mankind." When these two Masonic tools are placed together with God as the central focal point., Freemasons believe peace and harmony is the result.
AP
- LISTEN UP! Six Stocks That Could Save Your Retirement - The Motley Fool
- WELL-RUN OR WORSE? America's Most Profitable Hospitals - Forbes
- HARDEST HIT: Cities Left Behind by the Great Recession - 24/7 Wall St.
- BEWARE: Most Deceptive Terms Used in Credit Card Offers - FOX Business
- TINY SPACES: Open a Shop With Very Little Cash - CNNMoney
- STUPID: 14 Worst Toys for Girls - Huffington Post
- SHHH! 10 Things Graduate Schools Won't Tell You - SmartMoney
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-02-2010 @ 10:42AM
Phillip said...
According to the History CHannel the S shape symbol on the side of the modern car hearses near the window dates back to the days when hearses were horse and wagons.
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 12:53PM
JanTr said...
There is only one place around where you can buy computers, smart phones, and HDTVs for Deep Discounts http://bit.ly/DeepDiscounts
9-02-2010 @ 10:52AM
Peter Drowler said...
Great site!
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 12:10PM
john said...
I thought that the Rx was for reaction.
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 12:42PM
Mark W said...
2 important points:
1) the caduceus. The symbol also comes from a way to remove a certain parasite that burrows into the skin leaving only part of it exposed. The treatment is winding the parasite around a stick and gently pulling until it is removed - according to my parisitology professor.
2) Masonic symbol: a) it also stands from the medieval days when there were guilds, or "operative masons" during the times of the great cathedrals. When the cathedrals were no longer being built, the guilds became fraternal organizations, or "speculative masons". b) The "G" is not found in the masonic symbol in other countries. In the USA, "G" coincidently stands for God. However ithe letter has another meaning......
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 2:13PM
Scotty said...
The G on the masonic symbol = Geometry.
9-02-2010 @ 12:54PM
george said...
"According to the History CHannel the S shape symbol on the side of the modern car hearses near the window dates back to the days when hearses were horse and wagons."
The old hearses, both horse drawn and automobile, had tops that folded back with a big "S" shaped hinge. Hence the symbol. I was there.
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 1:32PM
Mary said...
try Numbers 21:4-9
"The Lord said to Moses, 'make a snake & put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.' So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived."
"...the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses.."
"Then the Lord sent venomous snaes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said 'we sinned when we spoke against the Lord and against you. Pray that the Lord will take the snakes away from us.' So Moses prayed for the people."
THIS is the source of the entwinded serpents around the pole, the wings representing God's healing for those who obeyed him.
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 5:11PM
Jon said...
I am so glad someone else pointed this out. You were much more diplomatic than I would have been. It CANT be from the Bible...
9-02-2010 @ 1:37PM
Margaret M. said...
The three gold balls of the pawnbroker are the symbol of St. Nicholas, their patron saint, who gave these as gifts in stockings.
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 1:35PM
David said...
The medical symbol comes from the Bible when Moses lifted up a pole with a serpent on it. When anyone looked at the pole they would be saved from the wrath of the snakes.
The barber pole colors come from Bible times too when one of the 12 tribes was the one that did all the slaughtering of animals for sacrificing. Once Christ came and He became the substitute then all the sacrificing was done away with and so the one who used to slaughter animals, the ones with all the tools of the trade, started to trim hair.
The pawn broker symbol is a representation of the balance used to weigh goods and give gold or silver in return for it's worth.
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 2:20PM
jcc1 said...
now wonder the medical industry in the US sucks so bad...they're ALCHEMISTS for jebus sake...lol...they need to be shutdown by the government for quakery & based on what they are charging/along with their business practices, fraud charges should be in order too
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 3:06PM
k said...
fleur-de-lis, which symbolizes a compass needle
Come on, isn't that a stretch? Sounds like most of these explanations are made up by people with limited imagination or those who sling the bull.
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 5:25PM
bob said...
The bear and bull market is in reference to a hibernating bear and taking the bull by the horns.
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 5:22PM
perkida said...
The medical "Star of Life"
a pole with a single snake came from the bible the book of Numbers 21:9
"And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived."
Reply
9-02-2010 @ 5:53PM
Pilgrim said...
Its time to stop telling stories and research the truth, whilst at the same time telling the NYFD their portrayed origins are a mith.
The GC (George Cross) was awarded to the island of Malta in a letter dated 15 April 1942 by King George VI.
Whilst still being the highest Civilian award for bravery, it has been presented three time to a group of People. One being the Island of Malta, Later being called the Maltee's Cross to represent the People of Malta whom were bestowed the medal.
The first form of fire fighters and rescuers were the River Thames water boatmen, who later formed the London Fire brigade.
The Worlds First Fire Service!!!!
Following a multitude of ad-hoc firefighting arrangements and the 1666 Great Fire of London, various insurance companies established fire fighting units to fight fires that occurred in buildings that their respective companies had insured. As the demands grew on the primitive fire brigades they began to co-operate with each other until, on January 1, 1833, the London Fire Engine Establishment was formed under the leadership of James Braidwood With eighty firefighters and thirteen fire stations, the unit was still a private enterprise, funded by the insurance companies and as such was responsible mainly for saving material goods from fire.
Several large fires, most notably at the Palace of Westminster in 1834 and warehouses by the River Thames in 1861 spurred the insurance companies to lobby the government to provide the Brigade at public expense and management. After due consideration, in 1865 the Metropolitan Fire Brigade Act was passed
1. Glass bombs!!
NO boiling oil was poored over the battlements and flaming arrows fired into the attackers. And the truth is:-
The Knights Hospitaller, also known as the Order of Hospitallers or simply Hospitallers, and known at various points in their history as the Order of St John, Knights of Rhodes and Knights of Malta, were a major Western Christian military order that originated during the Middle Ages.
The Order arose around the work of an Amalfitan hospital located at the Muristan site in Jerusalem, founded around 1023 to provide care for poor, sick or injured pilgrims to the Holy Land. After the Western Christian conquest of Jerusalem in 1099 during the First Crusade, the organisation became a religious and military order under its own charter, and was charged with the care and defence of the Holy Land. Following the conquest of the Holy Land by Islamic forces, the Order operated from Rhodes, over which it was sovereign, and later from Malta where it administered a vassal state under the Spanish viceroy of Sicily.
Reply