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The 16-pointed Greek Star, the so-called Vergina Sun or Star or Vergina etc, has functioned as a Greek decorative symbol for millennia. This symbol and its brother symbol the 8-pointed star were in use in the ancient Greek world as far afield as Magna Graecia (southern Italy and Sicily), Pontus and Sparta etc hundreds of years prior to Alexander III (Greek king of Macedonia).
It became famous due to the Macedonians who were using it as Symbol of the Argead Dynasty
-The Royal house of Macedon:
The typical Sun of Vergina is a 16-pointed Sun. It can also be found in other styles: 12-pointed or 8-pointed. What was the meaning of this symbol?? –In the typical 16-pointed Sun , the 4 rays represent the 4 elements: Earth-Ocean-Fire-Air. The other 12 rays represent the 12 Gods of Olympus.You can see the explanation in the following animation:
–In every form, the Sun of Vergina symbolized Virginity:
Goddess Athena was a Virgin, so this Sun was associated with her. We can also find this symbol associated with Apollo. –All the versions (16,12 and 8-pointed Sun) are associated with another famous Greek symbol, the “Delphian Epsilon”, symbol of Apollo:
The Sun of Vergina became common art design in coins, craters, wall-drawings etc long before the Macedonian royal house (the Argead Dynasty) used it. After the unification of the Greek (Hellenic) nation under the leadership of Alexander the Great, the Sun of Vergina became the symbol of the Hellenic Ethnogenesis.
In the following replies, you will be able to see some pieces of Ancient Greek art containing the Sun of Vergina, before the rise of the Greek Kingdom of Macedonia. These sun symbols are found in various Greek places, apart from Macedonia.
2000 BC:
This is the time where ancient Greeks first started using the Sun symbol. It was not standardized yet, it was a early form of the Sun of Vergina:
780BC:
The Sun of Vergina has been standardized. The following art work shows the destruction of Troy. We can clearly see the Sun symbol in the warrior’s hump. It was found in Mykonos island:
The following images are just a small sample, showing the wide usage of the Sun of Vergina in Greek Art:
Spartan Hoplite – 780 BC:
Spartan Amphoreus
It dates from the 6th century BC, that is, well before Macedonia’s later dominance in the Greek world. In this fine example of ancient pottery, the Sunburst here is not just an incidental decorative motif but rather constitutes the central theme. Its appearance on this household item from distant Sparta, at such an early date, is one of the most compelling pieces of evidence for the panhellenic nature of this ancient symbol. In addition, this item perhaps alludes to a more specific connection between Sparta and her Dorian cousin of the north.
This vase can now be found in the Louvre Museum, Paris. 6th Century BC:
An amphora from the Pontus region (the southern shore of the Black Sea) dating from the second half of the sixth century BC. Priam and the god Hermes lead Hera, Athena and Aphrodite to Paris whose task will be to decide which of these goddesses is the most beautiful. According to the legend each of these goddesses made offers to Paris so that they might win the contest. Hera promised to make him ruler of the world, Athena vowed that he would never be vanquished in battle. Paris eventually chose Aphrodite as she promised him the love of Helen, the most beautiful mortal woman in the world. The Trojan War was a direct result of this fateful contest:
Exekias was a famous vase-painter and potter of ancient Athens. The scene on this page, from an amphora of the third quarter of the 6th century BC (now at the National Museum of Athens), is one of his most famous works. It is considered one of the finest surviving examples of ‘Black Figure’ vase painting.
Achilles and Ajax, two major Greek heroes of Homer’s Iliad are depicted here relaxing over a game of dice during a lull in the fighting. Achilles has just won; he has just thrown a ‘four’ while Ajax has to accept a ‘three’:
Third Quarter of the 6th century BC:
The cloaks of both these Homeric figures are studded with numerous 8-ray Sunbursts.
The return of Hephestus- 560 BC:
Below is a pyxis (box-like vase) from the second half of the 6th century BC signed by the prolific Athenian potter Nikosthenes. It depicts the hero Herakles with the Gods of Olympus. The seal on the lid of this vessel features the familiar 16-ray Sunburst. Like the garments of Achilles and Ajax on the Exekias vase, the clothes of one of the figures on the front of the pyxis is also adorned with sunbursts:
Athena and Hermes- 540 BC
Heracles and Lernaia Hydra- 525 BC:
Odyseus blinds the Cyclop, Magna Grecia- 520 BC:
Greek Amphoreus, Magna Grecia- 500 BC
Heracles- Olympia- 500 BC:
Goddess Athena- 5th century BC:
Hades-the Greek underworld- 5th century BC:
An Athenian citizen-soldier of about 450 BC. He is wearing a linen cuirass (body armour), a style which had largely replaced cuirasses made of bronze by about the middle of the 6th century BC:
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