In the Bible a rainbow appeared to show Noah that the flood was over and that God had forgiven his people and in the Chinese tradition the rainbow is a common symbol for marriage because the colours represent the union of yin and yang. In Greek mythology it was associated with Iris, the goddess who brought messages from the gods on Mount Olympus and in Scandinavian mythology the rainbow was a bridge between the gods and the Earth. Peace, with with her doves and lambs, hands an olive branch to William, who in turn hands the cap of liberty to Europe, where absolute monarchy prevails.Īnother ancient and universal symbol for peace, the rainbow often represents the connection between humans and their gods. James Thornhill’s allegorical painting Peace and Liberty Triumphing Over Tyranny depicts King William III and Queen Mary - who had enacted the English Bill of Rights - enthroned in heaven with the Virtues behind them.

English coins of the 18th century depict Britannia with a spear and olive branch and in July 1775 the American Continental Congress adopted the ‘Olive Branch Petition’ in the hope of avoiding a full-blown war with Great Britain. 17th century poets used the olive branch as a symbol of peace and a Charles I gold coin of 1644 shows the monarch with a sword and olive branch. Later representations also associate the olive branch with peace. In the early cultivation of the olive it took years for the trees to bear fruit for the harvest, so it was believed that anyone who planted olive groves must be expecting a long period of peace. Furthermore, wars between states were suspended during the Olympic Games and the winners were given crowns of olive branches to wear. Another goddess in Greek mythology, Athene, gave the olive tree to the people of Athens, who showed their gratitude by naming the city after her.

Known as Pax to the Romans, she appeared on Roman Imperial coins with an olive branch and the Roman poet Virgil associated the ‘plump olive’ with Pax and used the olive branch as a symbol of peace in Aeneid. The ancient Greeks believed that olive branches represented plenty and drove away evil spirits and an olive branch was one of the attributes of Eirene, the Greek goddess of peace. The use of the olive branch as a symbol of peace in Western civilisation dates back to at least 5th century BC Greece.

German serenity symbol