Have you ever been fascinated by death? This subject is susceptible because it concerns all human beings, whatever their origin or type of life. Some symbols are directly associated with death; there are hundreds of them around the world. Some are symbols of sadness and others are wrapped in joy because death is seen in different ways according to cultures, religions, and traditions.
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10th on the classification of death symbols: Crows
You've probably already come across crows in movies and series, especially the Crow; this animal is a powerful symbol of death and mystery. You will find this symbol in many legends and mythologies. The ravens often accompany the Nordic deities during the apparitions.
The crow has a dark and nocturnal image; this is mainly due to their black plumage; they are often portrayed in the cinema as nocturnal animals that appear in the company of witches and evil spirits.
This intelligent and mysterious animal has often been associated with evil and death in the past. Nowadays, studies and the globalization of cultures helped to unravel the mystery about this animal. Some raise them as pets. They have adapted very well to urban life and live with us humans in harmony.
9th on the classification of the symbols of death: Flag at half-staff
Have you ever wondered why when a country is in mourning, the flag settles in the middle of the pole? The reason is that the space at the top is supposed to contain an invisible flag that refers to death.
When there is national mourning in the United States, for example, the flag is raised to the top of the mast and lowered in the middle to pay tribute to dead ones. The president may order this in the case of support for other nations that have suffered a tragedy, such as attacks or a natural disaster.
The mourning of an important personality, usually military or political, can also be represented by this symbol. Finally, you have understood that, unlike the raven, a flag at half-staff is a powerful symbol that allows a nation to express its mourning in the face of death.
8th on the classification of the symbols of death: The Black Color
The color black is a unique color since the dawn of time; in the Middle Ages, armies used black flags to scare the enemy; pirates also had this strategy. The association of the color black with evil and mysteries does not date from today. In the West, black is the color of mourning and sadness and the color of rebellion 🏴.
In the Hindu religion, the god Kali is represented in black; it is indeed the god of destruction and chaos. Some Egyptian gods appear in black in some representations. Finally, as you have understood, black symbolizes night, darkness, and of course, death, and this has been ingrained in human minds for as long as human beings have protected themselves from the night and its darkness for hundreds of thousands of years.
The color black is not only a symbol of death, some bands express their uniqueness and belonging by dressing in black, like gothic and metalhead.
7th on the classification of the symbols of death: The White Color
Contrary to popular belief, white is used for peace like white flags during battles or white doves symbolizing serenity. Maybe in the West, this color is associated with good things but not in some parts of the world like Eastern countries.
The deceased’s burial is done in a clean white sheet; people dress in white at the funeral ceremony. The meaning behind this is to give an image of purity and peace after death, a color that expresses RIP (rest in peace).
We can also mention ghosts. They are represented in white during their apparitions. Let us note that they are humans formerly living on earth but that their spirits remain blocked in our dimension once dead. If you have already crossed one of them, do you confirm that it had the appearance of a flying white sheet? 👻
6th on Death Symbol Rankings: The Grim Reaper
The angel of death or the god of death; many synonyms have an exact image in our minds, a large dark being dressed in a large black sheet and a hood covering his head, armed with a large scythe with a long blade to separate the souls from the body. This representation of death is prevalent in the western world.
This symbol appeared around the 14th century in present-day Europe. You have probably heard about the Black Plague that devastated the European continent around that time; a third of the European population died from the disease.
This pandemic had a significant impact on the people of the time psychologically. Death was the general thought and theme of most discussions. It was the most representative subject of the moment’s reality when a powerful symbol was born, the tremendous grim reaper.
5th on the classification of the symbols of death: The Day Of The Dead
Every November 1st, millions of Mexicans celebrate "dia de Los Muertos" or the day of the dead.
This particular day is celebrated for two consecutive days, where the dead and the living feast together. The elders’ memory is honored with offerings, cakes, pictures of the deceased, colorful flowers, and drinks.
In the Mexican belief, the spirits of the dead hear the prayers and feel the energy of all these offerings, which helps them join the living to celebrate this unique occasion. This festival is extraordinary because the mourning image that 99% of humans have of death is replaced by joy and celebration.
4th on the classification of the symbols of death: The Angels
Angels are at the heart of monotheistic religions. These beings of light are often seen as protectors of us human beings. They can also intervene during the process of death to accompany the soul from earth to heaven.
Some angels can even save us from death; many testimonies exist for people who have been near the end in accidents. Angels also help the sick who are going through a prolonged and painful death process.
Unlike the reaper who brutally tears the soul away, the angel has a role of accompaniment to the world beyond; it’s a little bit the same Shinigami position in Japanese culture. They appear to those whose time has come to invite them to leave the world. According to the Bible, good Christians are greeted by angels when they leave this earth. They are accompanied and escorted under the benevolence of Jesus Christ ✝️.
At birth, an angel is assigned to each human being; they are called "guardian angels,” do not sleep and do not eat, accompany the person throughout his life, sometimes a guardian angel can save his human life in danger. Some people come into contact with this entity through meditation and introspection.
3rd on the classification of the symbols of death: Poppies
The poppy is a hypnotizing flower by its bright red color. This symbol is used to commemorate the dead of the two world wars. This association’s meaning is not random; indeed, this flower contains an opioid active substance; this property gave it the symbol of peaceful sleep; its red color gave it the meaning of bloodshed 🌹.
In the ancient mythologies of Greek and Roman peoples, this flower symbolized the resurrection, a new possibility to start all over again; it was offered to the nearest dead.
If you visit Belgium, we invite you to visit the cemetery of Flanders Field. There are about a hundred cemeteries in this area where millions of American and European soldiers and civilians are buried. A red flower decoration covers these martyrs’ tombs. The poppy deserves the bronze medal on our classification.
2nd on the classification of the symbols of death: The Red Ribbon
The most deadly disease of our time is AIDS; once this virus attacks the body, it is impossible to cure it completely. The red ribbon that is rolled up in the picture below is the official symbol of AIDS and the fight against this awful disease.
This bright red color of the ribbon helps to raise awareness to support HIV patients. The color red is also associated with other vascular or cerebral diseases. This symbol deserves its silver medal on our ranking because it is one of the most potent synonyms of support in our time.
1st on the classification of the symbols of death: Skulls and crossbones
Here we go, I don't know if you guessed it but let's face it, it was apparent. Our ranking’s gold medal goes to the skulls; it’s THE most powerful symbol for death. For thousands of years, the human head has been used to strike the spirits with an image of death; the Vikings hung skulls on their drakars, pirates waved their black flag with white skulls and crossbones ☠️.
We can also find this symbol, triangles, or rectangles with a skull logo in the industry. These images quickly alert the human brain of a life-threatening danger. Many cultures consider the skull as a symbol of evil and darkness, but this is not everyone's opinion ;)
Rebels such as bikers, metalheads, gothic, punks, and other unusual communities embrace the skull and crossbones symbol with open arms. It is not surprising that they position themselves as the opposite of generality even in terms of symbolism.
One thing is sure, my friend, death will come for all of us one day or another, in the form of a reaper or an angel, we will all end up as a skull without hair, you are strongly invited to accept your fate and proudly wear on your fingers beautiful skull rings. Discover a selection of more than 500 choices by clicking on the image below.
