The Sun Of Vergina - The Sun Of The Greeks

[Nikolaz]

This one was posted in the biggest Greek and Skopian groups of a famous web community.

Its a collection of images of the Vergina Sun- Many of them were found in this forum!
If there is already a thread about this subject in this forum, the admins can delete it.

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The Sun of Vergina is a symbol that was widely used by Ancient Greeks.
Although it is a Panhellenic Symbol, it became famous because of the Macedonians, who were using it as Symbol of the Argead Dynasty-the Royal house of Macedon:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/verg.jpg

The typical Sun of Vergina is a 16-pointed Sun. It can also be found in other styles: 12-pointed or 8-pointed.

What was the meaning of this symbol??

--In the typical 16-pointed Sun , the 4 rays represent the 4 elements: Earth-Ocean-Fire-Air.
The other 12 rays represent the 12 Gods of Olympus.
You can see the explanation in the following animation :

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/vergina.gif

--In every form, the Sun of Vergina symbolized Virginity: Goddess Athena was a Virgin, so this Sun was associated with her.
We can also find this symbol associated with Apollo.

--All the versions (16,12 and 8-pointed Sun) are associated with another famous Greek symbol, the "Delphian Epsilon", symbol of Apollo:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/other/epsilon.jpg

The Sun of Vergina became common art design in coins, craters, wall-drawings etc LONG BEFORE the Macedonian royal house (the Argead Dynasty) used it.

After the unification of the Greek (Hellenic) nation under the leadership of Alexander the Great, the Sun of Vergina became the symbol of the Hellenic Ethnogenesis.

In the following replies, you will be able to see some pieces of Ancient Greek art containing the Sun of Vergina, BEFORE THE RISE OF THE GREEK KINGDOM OF MACEDONIA. These sun symbols are found in various Greek places, apart from Macedonia.

Moreover, there will be a small historical flashback, in order to see the evolution of this symbol throught the ages :

2000 BC: This is the time where ancient Greeks first started using the Sun symbol.
It was not standardized yet, it was a early form of the Sun of Vergina:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/Vergina_06gif.png

780BC: The Sun of Vergina has been standardized. The following art work shows the destruction of Troy. We can clearly see the Sun symbol in the warrior's hump.
It was found in Mykonos island :

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/Vergina_04.jpg

The following images are just a small sample, showing the wide usage of the Sun of Vergina in Greek Art:

Spartan Hoplite 780 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/l_99c67c6f8d415d464ba672fff98dcbb0.jpg

Spartan Amphoreus of 6th Century BC-Museum of Louvre:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/kraterverginasun6thcentlb3.jpg

Achilles and Ajax playing dice-6th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/achillesajaxdice6thcen.jpg

The return of Hephestus- 560 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/returnofhephaistos560.jpg


Athena and Hermes- 540 BC

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/athenaandhermes540.jpg

Heracles and Lernaia Hydra- 525 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/heraklesandthehydramagnagrecia525.jpg

Oddyseus blinds the Cyclop, Magna Grecia- 520 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/odysseusblindscyclops520magnagrecia.jpg

Greek Amphoreus, Magna Grecia- 500 BC

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/magnagrecia500bc.jpg

Heracles- Olympia- 500 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/heraklesolympianspyxis.jpg

Godess Athena- 5th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/athenaseatedpars017xd7.jpg

Godess Athena- 5th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/athenaheracleidaelegnd025gh0.jpg

Ades-the Greek underworld- 5th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/greekunderworld018dj3.jpg

The Greek Hero Achilles, 5th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/Vergina_02.jpg

Heracles and Athena, 480 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/heracles_athena_480_-470_BC.jpg

Athenian Hoplite- 480 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/athenianhoplitesixteen480.jpg

Greek hoplite departing- 450 BC

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/hoplitedeparting450.jpg

Inside the temple of Nemesis in Thamnous- 436 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/templenemesisatrhamnous436bc.jpg

Ancient Greek hoplites, 400 BC Museum of Napoli:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/normal_naples2422.jpg

The Legent of godess Dimitra-400BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/legendofdemeter016qw2.jpg

Canos Vase -400 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/canosavase4th.jpg

Detail of Canos Vase- 400 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/canosadetail010ng3.jpg

Greek Hoplite vs Persian Soldier, 4th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/hoplitevspersians5thcen.jpg

Greek Hoplite vs Persian Soldier, 4th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/hoplitevspersianssixtyfour.jpg

The Greek hero Perseus:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/H14Perseus.jpg

Inside the temple of Propilaia, in Acropilis:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/propilaiaacropolis.jpg

Inside Thision Temple,under the Acropolis:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/thision.jpg

Godess Athena figure 4th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/Vergina_01.jpg

Athenian Oplite,4th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/vase.jpg

Greek hoplite, 4th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/Vergina_03.jpg

Athena and Hercules, 4th centuryBC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/a8a5.jpg

Greek coins:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/grcoins.jpg

Godess Athena,4th century BC- Louvre Museum:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/460px-Judgement_Paris_Getty_Villa_8.jpg

Phrixus and Elli- 4th century BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/phrixusandhelle020vo6.jpg

Coin of Kerkyra:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/kerkyracoin.jpg

Helios(God of Sun)- Temple of Athena , Troy:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/heliostempleofathena.jpg

Propylaia of Elefsina: 360 BC:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/ancientgreekpro/eleusinianpropylaia360.jpg


The tradition passed from ancient Greek to Byzantine period.
As I have mentioned in my previous posts, Athena was the virgin Godess. When Christianity "arrived" in Greece, Greeks replaced Athena with the Madonna(the mother of Jesus Christ). So , all the temples of Athena became churches of Madonna (including the Parthenon) and all the symbols that had connection with Athena, became Madonna's symbols. So did the Sun of Vergina: It became the symbol of Madonna!

The Byzantine Artists were calling the Sun of Vergina as "Aeiparthenon", that means "For ever Virgin".
A typical image of Madonna includes 3 Suns of Vergina (Aeiparthena). These 3 suns, as Byzantinologists say, symbolize the fact that Mary remained a virgin before the conception, during the gestation and after the birth of Jesus Christ.

The following images show the usage of the Vergina Sun in the Byzantine Empire:


http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/Vergina_05_odigitria_2.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/theotokoseleousa041qz3.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/passiontheotokosho2.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/300px-Mary16thC.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/imagephp.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/odigitria.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/008.jpg

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/panagia.jpg

In addition, here is a collection of images that I have photographed myself:

In my birthplace, Patras, the largest temple of the Balkans is located: St Andrew.
Look at Madonna's image inside the temple:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/standrew.jpg

Furthermore, here is a collection of Madonna's images in my house :

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/DSC01780.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/DSC01760.jpg
http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/DSC01759.jpg

We have to note though that the "Aeiparthenon" symbol is not always like the Vergina Sun, it can be different in other Madonna images.
Also we have to mention that other non-Greek christians copied that style of art and started using the "Aeiparthenon" symbol that looked like the Vergina Sun in their churches: We can find the Vergina sun in Serbian,Bulgarian and Russian churches too!

Apart from Madonna, the Vergina Sun was used a s decorative inside churches. Here are some examples:

St Nicolas in Mistras, Peloponnisus:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/stnicholastheorphan043pm3.jpg

Osios Loukas church- Beotia:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/starofbethlehemosioslukasbeotia.jpg

Last judgment- Mistras , Peloponnisus:

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff101/macedonia2/byzantines/lastjudgementmistras.jpg



This is the story of the famous Greek symbol-The Vergina Sun.

I hope you enjoyed viewing the images.

I have to say something last, though : Our Slav neighbours in the North of Greece are claiming all these symbols as theirs. After viewing this topic, you may have realized why Greeks oppose to the usurpation of their history.

Truth shines like the Sun of Vergina. Truth will prevail!

The Sun of Vergina is in fact the SUN OF THE GREEKS

Thank you for your time!
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[BigBlackBeast]

Hi Nikolaz. I became aware of this post only when trawling through Whakspews and coming across a topic entitled: Proof that the Vergina Sun is Greek? As if this fact wasn’t self-evident …

It seems the examples appearing here were a little too confronting for our Slavic friends of the Vardar and the collection seems to have generally perplexed them. Not surprisingly they have chosen to avoid discussing the evidence presented about the apparent panhellenic nature of the Sunburst preferring instead to concentrate on the reasons why Piperkata chose to pull the direct-link to this site and to console themselves with their usual deluded diversionary sh*t about ‘what is a Greek?’...

I’m very happy you have included so many of the Sunburst examples that I had accumulated for my little work ‘The Stolen Sun’ created over a decade ago now. There are many, many more examples we can add … one need only keep their eyes open.

For now let me add these few Athenian samples that I detected during a brief visit to the Archaeological Museum of Athens a couple of months ago. The ceramic samples are from the fourth century BC while the epaulette is from the third century BC. Unfortunately I was (naturally) not permitted to use the flash in the museum which is why the quality of the photos is a little dodgy.

The following example is another one of an apparently long list of ‘Athenas’ further cementing this deity’s association with the symbol. This one is of Athena Promachos flanked by a couple of winged Nikes:
http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/7581/heracleidouathenafi1.png

Below are three youths in battles one of whom carries a shield emblazoned with the Sunburst:
http://img528.imageshack.us/img528/6272/himatiophoroihk0.png

The epaulette below answered my question about the sunbursts we so often see on the shoulders of ancient Greek armour as depicted in artwork (primarily amphorae etc). At one point I thought the depictions were simply that of some sort of stitching that happened to look like the Sunburst. Not any more:
http://img386.imageshack.us/img386/3576/sunburstepaulettezm9.png


To round off I include some more recent examples, this time from the eleventh century Greek church of Saints Anargyroi in Kastoria. In the first image we observe a sixteen-ray Sunburst ‘proudly and poignantly’ appearing on the base of the elaborate cross to which the Makedonomachoi swore an oath for their holy struggle to unite Macedonia to Greece - during the very early nineteenth century. The second image is from the same church and depicts a medieval Byzantine knight holding a tapering oval shield adorned with two eight-ray Sunbursts – the artists perhaps having been influenced by recollections of the shields of the ancient Macedonians.
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/2480/saintsanargyroicross038tu9.jpg

http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/3196/kastoriasoldier183nd1.jpg

[Nikolaz]

http://www.maknews.com/forum/post197585.html

Hahaha guys check this out!!!!

They are funny LOOOOOL!

[BigBlackBeast]

For the sake of completeness I thought it would be useful to include here some more examples of the Panhellenic sunburst from the ‘Stolen Sun’ which were omitted in Nikolaz’s post:

(See also: http://p100.ezboard.com/fbalkansfrm97.showMessageRange?topicID=668.topic&start=1&stop=20)


An Athenian citizen-soldier of about 450 BC. He is wearing a linen cuirass (body armour), a style which had largely replaced cuirasses made of bronze by about the middle of the 6th century BC:

http://img227.imageshack.us/img227/1999/atheniancitizensoldier005ny1.jpg


At least two of the hoplites competing in the armed foot-race from a Greek amphora of the 4th century BC (below) carry shields featuring a solar episema (shield emblem). Athletic contests were held in honour of the gods at Greek festivals. The armed foot-race was a very popular event, so much so, that 25 shields were on hand at Olympia for the use of the contestants. A Panathenaic amphora by Nikomachos from the same period (not shown) likewise depicts three nude warriors racing, two of whom carry shields emblazoned with Sunbursts:

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/2372/hoplitesracing012qh0.jpg


The 'Polygnotos' stamnos (445-430 BC; below) dealing with the mythical battle between Theseus and his Athenians against the invading Amazons, shows Theseus himself carrying a shield decorated with a Sunburst:

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/218/theseusvsamazons024nq7.jpg


The bust of Xanthippus, who led the Athenians to victory over the Persians at Mycale (479 BC), reveals that the brow-piece of his helmet was adorned with a 16-ray Sunburst. Xanthippus was the father of Pericles, the great Athenian statesman of the 'Golden Age' of Athens:

http://img354.imageshack.us/img354/1021/xanthippus008di7.jpg

This reproduction of a scene from a 4th century BC vase found at Ruvo, presents the familiar tale of Jason and the Golden Fleece. Jason is about to spear the dragon guarding the prized fleece. Herakles makes an appearance and swings his trademark club while Medea stands nearby and is in the process of lulling the dragon to sleep with her sorcery. One of Jason’s companions (bottom right) carries a shield with an 8-ray Sunburst:

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/3274/jasongoldenfleece013sh4.jpg


This mixing bowl by the so-called Nazzano painter (c. 400 BC) depicts a scene from the sack of Troy by the Greeks. Neoptolemos is shown brandishing the child Astyanax by the leg (centre of scene) while Aphrodite intercedes to protect Helen from the wrath of her husband Menelaos, king of Sparta (bottom left of scene). The helmets of both Neoptolemos and Menelaos are adorned, like that of Xanthippus, with Sunbursts. The Trojan king Priam lies on the ground (bottom right) at the feet of a Greek soldier who is raising his sword threateningly at him. The soldier’s shield, once again, displays the familiar shape of the Sunburst:

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/4727/sackoftroy031lr9.jpg


And one more for the Athena/Virgin Mary connection. This is the Panagia from the Monastery of Panagia Soumela in the Pontus:

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/5303/panagiasoumelasunburst1sp7.jpg

[BigBlackBeast]

A further link of the Sunburst to the Greek world (other than Macedonia) – particularly its evidently very common Athenian association – can be explained through the following image taken from Volume 19 (September 2009) of Ιστορικες Σελιδες magazine. It represents a modern reconstruction of an Athenian hoplite from the Medontidae clan (‘The Old Royal House – the clan of Solon’) whose main symbol was apparently an 8-ray version of the Sunburst (although other symbols, including 16-ray Sunbursts, also applied):

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/7734/medontidrecon188lh1.jpg

This excellent site gives even more information about this very theme:

http://www.300spartanwarriors.com/images/ATTICA_MEDONTID_CLAN.pdf

[BigBlackBeast]

And one last thing for the record... Piperkata seems to believe (as he states below in the Jaknews thread related to the Sunburst) that I am some poster called brebebrebrebre. I wish to assure him that that is not the case. I did attempt some time ago to actually register in Jaknews but as BigBlackBeast– I prefer to keep this name throughout cyberspace. Surprisingly, my attempt at registration simply stalled and I was never able to address the one particular absurdity (out of a veritable treasure trove of such nonsense) that attracted my indignation/attention. I don’t recall which of their members posted it. At any rate I expect that I would not have lasted too long in that forum and have little interest in playing by their “call us ‘Macedonian’ or else rules” nor do I relish the prospect of trying to converse with and to reach so many absolute bricks. At some later stage I plan to discuss on MOTW the topic of that Jaknews thread that attracted my ire on that occasion.

http://img185.imageshack.us/img185/5916/piperkihidesitwellun0.png

True to his motto ... Piperkata is once again hiding knowledge well ..!

Cheers

[Cadmus]

The Athena virgin Mary connection is most interesting, lastely i saw an documentary which was called the son of god i think, it was about the thesis that there is a connection with the ancient gods and christianism..

It said that connections between Dionysus and Christ existed since they showed an ancient plaque where Dionysus was depicted on a cross..also a connection with the god Mithras and his celebration on the 25th of december, as a celebration of life..renewed life..etc..

The main idea was that christans used old pagan gods/ideas and myths as the progenitors of christianism..and that the early christain writers would not acknowledge that there is a clear link with ancient gods and christanism, but there is..it is all about the principles of finding the god within you as agnosticism preaches..

Interesting..the vergina sun symbol is also just a devine deity worshipping..Who can say something about a possible 16teen sunray star and the god of Appollo , is there a connection?

Also Illyrians and Macedonians had the sunray symbols on their shields see the regions of ancient macedonia topic.