Persephone's Rooster: Greek Women's Magic Part 3/5

The secret magic symbols in Greek folk embroidery and wedding art

Welcome to Part 3 of the Greek Women’s Magic series, where I explore the hidden magical symbolism in Greek folk embroidery. Part 1 provided sociocultural context; Part 2 explored the botanical symbolism. In this instalment I focus on two powerful birds recurring in the embroidery and carvings: the two-headed eagle and the rooster. Part 4 deals with the remaining mythical beasts found as recurring symbols; Part 5 ties the threads of this symbolic narrative together, and traces continuities in these traditions through the centuries.

The Double-headed Eagle

See the images in Part 2 for the women’s wedding jackets embroidered with the two-headed eagle; it also figures on various samples of embroidery.

A popular myth has it that the double-headed eagle was a symbol of Zeus. He had sent two eagles out to find the centre of the world; one flew east, the other west, and their paths crossed in Delphi, where the Omphalos was thereafter set.

Although this myth is widely repeated, even by the Greek…