The (Not so Ancient) Olympic Rings & Pierre de Coubertin

The symbol of the olympic is its rings which consist of five interlocking rings, one for each continent: blue, yellow, black, green and red on a "field of white."

The Olympic Rings

While the Olympics have been around since the ancient times of Greece, the modern Olympics were started with the creation of the International Olympic Committee in 1894 by Pierre de Coubertin.

"…the six colors [which includes the white canvas background] thus combined reproduce the colors of all the nations, with no exception. The blue and yellow of Sweden, the blue and white of Greece, the tri- colors of France, England and America, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Hungary, the yellow and red of Spain next to the novelties of Brazil or Australia, with old Japan and new China. Here is truly an international symbol."

Pierre de Coubertin

Pierre de Coubertin was a french aristocrat, educator, and historian, who wished to improve physical education in French schools. In 1850, de Coubertin has initiated a local athletic competition he called the "Meetings of the Olympian Class." During that time other countries like Britain also wished to improve their physical education, and the Liverpool Athletic Club also hosted their own Olympics. While more and more countries were thinking about physical education and starting their own Olympics; it was Coubertin's work that would start the International Olympic Committee.

The Headcounters of the International Olympic Committe

The summer of 1886, the first Modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece. These games were first financed by the philanthropic cousins Evangelos Zappas and Konstantions Zappas. 

A picture from the 1886 Olympic Games

The first Olympic Games did not have the same image of the olympics rings that we know today, instead the symbol of the Olympic rings were not created until 1912 when they were designed by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. In 1914 with the outbreak of WWI the Olympics were put on hold and so the rings made their debut during 1920 summer Olympics. 

A poster from the 1920 summer Olympics

In the 1950s, British Authors Lynn and Gray Poole found an "ancient" carving of the Olympic rings in Delphi, Greece. The authors thinking it was an ancient altar piece published an article about it in their book, which sparked the rumor that the rings may have been an ancient symbol. 

Cartoon from the 1936 Summer Olympics

In fact, the stone was carved for the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin. Why was the stone in Delphi then? Carl Diem, the president of the organizing committee at the time, wanted to to have the relay of the Olympic Flame from its lighting point in Olympia to the Olympic stadium in Berlin. Diem, who is supposed to have a theatrical flair, included a stop at Delphi which included a "ancient" torchbearers' stadium and a "ancient"  three-foot-tall stone altar with the modern symbol of the Olympic rings. 

The "ancient" altar piece left in Delphi

While most of the altar was removed from the site, the stone containing the Olympic rings were placed near the entrance to an ancient site, where it was found by Lynn and Gray Poole. 

The Laurel Wreath of the Classical Age

The laurel wreath is a circular wreath made from the branches of the Laurus Nobilis, the Ruscus Hypoglossum, or the Prunus Iaurocerasus. In ancient Greece, laurels most often took the shape of a horse shoe. 

Golden laurel wreath, probably from Cyprus, 4th/3rd century BC; Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim, Germany

Photo: Andreas Praefcke

In Greek Mythology, Apollo the sun god is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head. The Ancient Greeks wore laurel wreaths on their heads as a sign of victory or during poetic meetings, though they could also be worn as a symbol of high status by the ruling class. 

Ancient Statue depicted wearing a Laurel Wreath

During the classical age, the laurel wreath was worn to show the attainment of a masters degree; the laurel was given to the scholar durning the graduation ceremony. This custom is still preformed today in various countries at the masters and doctorate levels.

The Latin Poet Ovid wearing a laurel wreath

DID YOU KNOW?

That the term "laureate" in "poet laureate" refers to being signified by the laurel wreath?

Pre-Raphaelite paintings depicting women wearing Laurel Wreaths

The Ancient Egyptian Scribe

The scribe of ancient egypt was known as a sesh, or a person who was educated in writing. Scribes had to be able to write in hieroglyphs and hieratic script for formal writing; and in demotic script used for shorthand and in use of advertisements.

Two Egyptian Scribes taking notes

Scribes were brought up in scribal traditions, they were sent to school and upon entering civil service took the positions of their fathers. Scribes would often came from families of scribes as positions would be handed down. 

Statue of an Egyptian Scribe; Louvre, Paris

Scribes held posts that would record administrative and economic actions in egyptian life. They would also take notes on the erection of buildings and monuments. Much of what we know of Egyptian life comes from the notes that the scribes took on everyday life in Egypt and on the matters of state. 

Set of tools that an Egyptian Scribe would use

The Pharaoh and The God Horus of Ancient Egypt

Horus is one of the oldest gods of Ancient Egypt. He is usually depicted with the head of a falcon and the body of a man. Horus is the recorded as the patron deity of Nekhen and is one of the first known national gods of Egypt. 

Horus

Horus, to the ancient Egyptians, was seen as being directly related to the king. In turn the king was thought to be a manifestation of Horus himself. The pharaoh was considered Horus in life, and Osiris in death. 

An artist's rendition of the god Horus

The Pharaohs were considered the children of Atum and Horus, which they used as the reason to justify Pharaonic power. Horus was the symbolization of cosmic and terrestrial forces, and the Pharaoh being the child of Horus in turn was thought to also have these powers. To Ancient Egyptians, because of the Pharaoh's connection, the Pharaoh was thought to have domain over all of the world. 

Horus (right) presenting Regalia to the Pharaoh (left)