Apr-07-2011, 11:30 AM (UTC)
Thank you for the nice summary of these meanings, Farseer. It seems that Robin Hobb actually took these things into account when choosing the various crests. I love it when a book turns out even deeper then you thought it did.
Interesting that every single one of these crests are animals - except indeed Patience with her ivy. That's something we see in our own society, too, in sports teams and land mascots, and it's a leftover of a totemic society when animals used to be our gods.
In the Elderling-realm, I like to think that no-one uses the dragon sigil because dragons simply wouldn't allow some silly human to associate so strongly with them.
'thul, there's a theory that mythical creatures represent human's fear of nature, by combining the most dangerous elements of real animals into one, often also including human intelligence. As for lions and such not being known yet, that's actually quite interesting... is it possible these crests were created in colonial times?
The French part of Belgium has a rooster as it's symbol (not crowned, though).
Interesting that every single one of these crests are animals - except indeed Patience with her ivy. That's something we see in our own society, too, in sports teams and land mascots, and it's a leftover of a totemic society when animals used to be our gods.
In the Elderling-realm, I like to think that no-one uses the dragon sigil because dragons simply wouldn't allow some silly human to associate so strongly with them.
'thul, there's a theory that mythical creatures represent human's fear of nature, by combining the most dangerous elements of real animals into one, often also including human intelligence. As for lions and such not being known yet, that's actually quite interesting... is it possible these crests were created in colonial times?
The French part of Belgium has a rooster as it's symbol (not crowned, though).
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