What's the meaning of the Shamrock (clover) »

Shamrock (clover)

This page is about the meaning, origin and characteristic of the symbol, emblem, seal, sign, logo or flag: Shamrock (clover).

Rate this symbol:3.0 / 3 votes

In modern times, this little weed has come to serve as a visual metaphor for anything connected with Ireland, and many people simply take it at face value. However, the shamrock actually has some interesting history behind it that everyone should know about.

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Roman-occupied Britain, probably in the late 4th or early 5th century C.E. The story goes that when he arrived in Ireland and started spreading the Gospel, he used the shamrock as way to explain the concept of The Trinity to the locals; how there is only one God but He can take three forms (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), much like the shamrock has three separate leaves but they all sprout from the same stem.

Besides its association with the Irish and their culture, the shamrock was also a religious symbol in pre-Islamic Arabia. Before the rise of Islam in the 7th century CE, people of the Arabian Peninsula worshipped a trio of goddesses known as Manat, Al-Uzza and Al-Lat. The three-leafed shamrock was used as a visual symbol for these goddesses and, in fact, one possible etymological origin of “shamrock” is the Arabic word ‘shamrakh’.

1,375 Views

Graphical characteristics:
Asymmetric, Open shape, Colorful, Contains both straight and curved lines, Has no crossing lines.

Categories: Plants, Trees, and Flowers, Religious Symbols.

Shamrock (clover) is part of the Christian Symbols group.

More symbols in Christian Symbols:

Christian signs and symbols. read more »

More symbols in Religious Symbols:

Religious symbolism is the use of symbols, including archetypes, acts, artwork, events, or natural phenomena, by a religion. Religions view religious texts, rituals, and works of art as symbols of co… read more »

More symbols in Plants, Trees, and Flowers:

The natural world is home to a vast variety of symbols, and plants, trees and flowers are among the most symbolically charged objects you'll ever encounter. Some of their symbolic meanings are w… read more »

Have a discussion about Shamrock (clover) with the community:

0 Comments

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this symbol to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "Shamrock (clover)." Symbols.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.symbols.com/symbol/shamrock-%28clover%29>.

    We need you!

    Are we missing an important symbol in this category?

    Graphical Index

    Use our unique search feature to find a symbol based on its various graphical characteristics:


    • Symmetry:
    • Shape:
    • Colors:
    • Curveness:
    • Crossing:

    Quiz

    Are you a world flags master?

    »
    A Bangladesh
    B Mauritania
    C Luxembourg
    D Bolivia

    Browse Symbols.com