Greek meander tattoo template free#

It has been called a Greek key because an individual section vaguely resembles a primitive key The labeling of it as a meander results from its continuous back and forth progression, recalling the winding course of the Meander River in Asia Minor, now present-day Turkey.Īntonyms. This is why you will often find the Greek Key design on wedding bands as a symbol of eternal love. Today, the Greek Key is known to symbolize ‘eternity’ and ‘unity’ because of the continuous line pattern. This is an obvious association, due to the pattern’s unbroken, continuous style. On his own disciplined volition, this beefy warrior defied the rules of mortality to reach the heavens As his father, Zeus is often exhibited alongside the muscly likeness of Hercules.

What does a Hercules tattoo mean?Īny guy with a ripped build can invite apt comparisons to godliness with a heroic Hercules tattoo. Greek key, also referred to as meander, is in its most basic form a linear pattern The design is made up of a long, continuous line that repeatedly folds back on itself, mimicking the ancient Maeander River of Asia Minor with its many twists and turns. The motif is found abundantly in architecture and decorative arts from the Greek Empire. The Greek key pattern, also referred to as a “meander” or even Greek “fret”, is a continuous line that folds back on itself replicating the maeander river which is located in Turkey. In Ancient Greece, the unbroken, interlocking pattern of the Meander (Meandros), or Greek Key, was one of the most important symbols it symbolized infinity, unity and the eternal flow of life through reproduction. What does The Greek Key Motif symbolize? Greek Key or Meander Pattern. What are the Greek swirls called?Ī meander or meandros (Greek: Μαίανδρος) is a decorative border constructed from a continuous line, shaped into a repeated motif. They were among the most important symbols in ancient Greece they, perhaps, symbolized infinity and unity many ancient Greek temples incorporated the sign of the meander. On our website there is one more collection of meander patterns called ‘ Ancient Greek key patterns‘, and on the Architectural meander borders page you can find examples of meander patterns transformed into borders.For the people of ancient greece, Meander (or Meandros) was thought to symbolize eternity and the undulating flow of human life through reproduction The unbroken, interlocking pattern turned it into a symbol of both unity and infinity, whereupon it became one of the most important symbols in Ancient Greece.

Greek meander tattoo template free#

If you like them, try not to use them just for projects related to Antiquity, but feel free to use them as your imagination dictates.Īnd remember that meander patterns have been popular for 2-3 millennia now! Meander patterns can be used as frieze patterns, but by drawing corners they can be turned into frame borders. It can be concluded that these repeating patterns are several thousand years old. The collection contains 12 precisely drawn meander patterns found in various books that focused on Ancient Art.

Some art history books have stated that the meander pattern can also be understood as the well-known ancient frieze pattern in the form of a continuous line having the shape of successive water waves (spiral curved wave tops). It is one of the most used patterns throughout human history, and has been applied in architecture, on various items such as pottery, on clothing, and even the shield of Alexander the Great was decorated with meander patterns.