Number Eight Powerful Symbol In Ancient Traditions Of Many Cultures

A. Sutherland - AncientPages.com - The Greeks used to say: "all things are eight" and considered number eight – an all powerful number. According to Pythagoreans, Eight/Ogdoad was related to the goddess Venus. It symbolizes harmony, friendship, sympathy, and love among living creatures.

Eight symbolizes regeneration for many religions and it is one of the most significant ancient symbols that predate Christianity.

Eight Immortals

Sacred number ‘eight’ plays an important role in Chinese beliefs and symbolism.

In ancient Chinese symbol tradition, there are Eight Immortals who are said to know the secrets of nature. These super-humans control all aspects of life and eight tools of power that can give life or destroy evil. Together, these eight tools are called “Covert Eight Immortals”.

Usually depicted together, the Eight Immortals are usually a frequent subject of Taoist iconography because they symbolize the number eight.

The emblems of the Taoist Eight Immortals are: the Sword, Fan, Flower Basket, Lotus, Flute, Gourd, Castanets and Musical Tube.

The Eight Buddhist symbols are: the Jar, Umbrella, Lotus, Fish, Conch-Shell, Canapy, Wheel of the Law, and the Mystic Knot.

There are also Eight Treasures: the coins, books, the stone chime, the pearl, the lozenge (lucky object that symbolizes victory), the mirror, Rhinoceros’ Horn, Artemesia Leaf (Chinese Herb).

Depiction of the Ogdoad with serpent and frog heads (Roman-era relief at the Hathor temple in Dendera). Image via Wikipedia

The exact meaning of these eight symbols is somewhat obscure but in general, they symbolize wisdom, wishes for wealth, aesthetic pleasure and bodily health.

See also:

Legend Of The Eight Immortals Who Know The Secrets Of Nature

Sacred Number Four – Perfect Number And Deep Meaning Behind It

Significance Of Secret And Powerful Number 108 That Has Accompanied Humankind For Thousands Of Years

Number Nine: Sacred Symbol In Ancient Cultures

In Egyptian mythology, the Ogdoad (Greek - "the eightfold") were eight primordial deities worshipped in Hermopolis during the Old Kingdom period (27th to 22nd centuries) and in Gnosticism, Ogdoad, plays an important part. It means seven heavens and an extra, supercelestial region called the Ogdoad.

In astronomical terms, there are seven planetary spheres and an eighth above them – the sphere of the fixed stars.

Number Eight – that symbolizes the descent of the Soul and the Matter and its ascent to its original position - was sacred to the god Dionysus, who was born at the 8th month.  The isle of Naxos was dedicated to him and it was granted to the women of Naxos, that their children born in the 8th month should live, whereas it is usual for such to die.

In Christianity, this number symbolizes Salvation and Resurrection, but it also has fundamental Theological concepts. The famous Christian “Chi-Ro” symbol has affinities with the Number Eight and together with the caduceus and the form of the digit Eight itself (two circles touching each other vertically) are the symbols of the number eight.

In the eight pointed Armenian Star, the points are related to Christ; in the west, it is also called the Bethlehem Star, symbolizing the world Jesus came to save; eight is the symbol of newness, often  associated with Baptism and Christ’s resurrection, where it is referred to as the “eighth day” of the week.

Left: Eight pointed star depicted in the Margate Seashell. Source; Middle: Inanna's symbol is the eight-pointed star (or rosette), between the pincers of two scorpions on the square face of this stamp seal. Dated c.3300 BC. North Mesopotamia. Source; Right: Baptismal Cross; Ancient coin introduced in 1271 by Duke Meinhard II of Tirol in Meran.

This Greek cross is superimposed on a Greek “chi”, the first letter of the Greek word for “Christ.” It forms a cross with eight arms. Since the number eight is symbolic of death, life, rebirth and regeneration, this cross is often used as a baptismal cross.

In "Images of Nebuchadnezzar: The Emergence of a Legend", Ronald H. Sack cites of Halicarnassus (5th BC):

"The temple of Bêl, the Babylonian Zeus [...] was still in existence in my time. It has a solid central tower, one stadium square, with a second erected on top of it and then a third, and so on up to eight. All eight towers can be climbed by a spiral way running round the outside, and about half way up there are seats for those who make the ascent to rest on...."

The list of the significance of the number ‘eight’ is long.

Written by – A. Sutherland AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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