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Each state has its own attributes. In Russia it is image of a double-headed eagle, which is the official state symbol, along with the flag and anthem. He is depicted on the coat of arms and seals, this emphasizes the independence and individuality of the country, tells a long history. The double-headed eagle is depicted on money and government documents.
Where did the image of the double-headed eagle come from?
double headed eagle - a symbol of the Russian Federation. However, throughout history, it was present in many cultures: Ancient Persia, the Roman and Byzantine Empire, Scandinavia. For the first time the double-headed eagle appeared on Russian coins at the end of the 15th century. Ivan III in 1497 made the black eagle the official emblem of the Russian Imperial Court. This symbol was used on official and personal coats of arms, postage stamps, coins, military flags and banners.
Ivan III adopted the double-headed eagle from Byzantine culture after his marriage to Princess Sophia Palaiologos, daughter of the Byzantine Emperor in 1469. In 1497, the first official Russian seal with a double-headed eagle appeared. Some historians and archaeologists believe that the symbol of the double-headed eagle appeared in Russia earlier, and note that in Byzantium it was used as a personal or religious symbol, and not as a state one. The image of a proud bird appeared on the clothes and coins of emperors, symbolizing unity. Scientists suggest that the Russian rulers adopted this symbol from the Holy Roman Empire, or it was brought to Russia as an Orthodox Christian symbol, which was adopted by the Christian church.
Byzantine heritage
The first images of the double-headed eagle were carved on stone, it is believed that it belongs to the Hittites who lived in the Middle East in the 13th century BC. The image of a proud bird began to appear frequently in the East and West. However, it was the Byzantine Empire (395-1453) that extolled this bird. Most historians believe that most peoples associate themselves with the double-headed eagle, and inherited it from Byzantium, through dynastic marriages. So got emblems of Serbia, Albania and Montenegro.
The meaning of the double-headed eagle symbol
The most common meaning about the double-headed eagle is two heads facing East and West, which symbolizes the geographical position of Russia. The image of the bird often changed. During the 16th and 17th centuries, it began to be depicted on the state emblem, supported by a lion, dragon, griffin. On the state emblem of Russia in the 19th century, the eagle was supported by archangels. Each eagle wore a crown on its head. Other symbols were often added between the heads, such as the Russian six-pointed cross. In 1625, the third crown was officially placed instead of the cross. Historians interpret the three crowns as a reference to the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). In its claws, the eagle holds a scepter, which means symbols of power.
In 1917 the eagle became white. In Soviet times, the bird was replaced by a hammer and sickle. Since 1993, the eagle has returned, and still looks in different directions and wears three crowns. Image of a double-headed eagle on the coat of arms of Russia symbolizes the unity of all peoples and nationalities living on the territory of the state.
Historians cannot come to a unified theory of the origin of this bird. Whether it was taken from the Romans or the Hittites, who brought and made this attribute a state symbol.
