( Not my photo)
Since buying this Moroccan bowl, I observed it was a lotus pattern, which initially escaped my eye, I suppose because I was so interested with the details in the pattern. I kne
w that Morocco was not always Islamic, but was curious about the motif ,and how long it had been used as a symbol of new life, so I did a little digging in the lotus pond, here's what I learned..
"Lotus is native to the Middle East, Asia, New Guinea and Australia. It is the most commonly featured flower in South Asian mythology and has featured in many South Asian religions through the ages.
OriginsLotus is native to Iran, India, China, Vietnam to Japan, Malaysia, New Guinea and Australia. It has been held sacred in Asia and the Middle East for over 5,000 years.
It has been cultivated since early times, for religious and ornamental purposes. In India it is commonly grown in ponds and tanks for its elegant, sweet-smelling flowers.
Lotus flowers have been used throughout history in South Asia and have been featured in Buddhist and Hindu art, architecture and literature. It was even a symbolically import
ant plant before the religions at the time of the the Indus Valley civilisation.
The flowers became symbolic of immortality and resurrection because people observed that they would grow from the bottom of dried up pools after the monsoon rains.
Despite its early use, it was Buddhism which first brought the lotus symbol to widespread use. Lotus medallions are prominent on the Buddhist places of worship at Sanchi in Madhaya Pradesh and Amaravati in Andhra Pradesh dating from the 2nd century BC to the 2nd century AD.
As Buddhism spread from India to Central Asia and China in the first few centuries AD, lotus flowers were used to represent Buddha. They featured on rosettes, scrolls, motifs an
d iconography.
The giant leaves of lotus plants were used as plates in ancient India, and its seeds and roots are still considered a delicacy. 11th and 12th century texts noted lotus dishes and feasts in which lotus leaves were consumed.
The lotus became a common feature woven into South Asia's culture. This continued with the advent of Islam in the 12th century AD. Lotus flowers had ancient connections with Persian culture, so they were already popular motifs on Islamic carpets, textiles and architecture. They feature in intricate patterns on perforated screens, tiles and ceramics.
Furthermore:Recent research using carbon-dating techniques have shown that lotus seeds are "the oldest demonstrably viable and directly dated seed ever reported".
Scientists are now using evidence from lotus seeds to try to understand the ageing process of other species.
Important discoveries
In the 1920s, some lotus seeds were recovered from lake sediments in northeast China. No one knew how old the seeds were at the time, but they were planted and they successfully germinated into plants. But it was only in the 1990s that the age of the germinated seeds were revealed. Astonishingly, they were found to be around 1300 years old.
Image: Whole and sectioned lotus seeds housed in Kew's Economic Botany
Collection.
Scientists believe that this extraordinary ability to remain viable after so long is due to a special enzyme in the seeds. This enzyme is called L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase and is responsible for the seeds repairing damage to proteins within their cells before germination. This could contribute to our knowledge of the ageing process in other organisms, and scientists are following up research this field.
The lotus is one of the world's most celebrated flowers. From ancient times to the present day, it has featured in folklore, religion and the arts in one form or another. It is a symbol of eternity, plenty and good fortune. The flowers are widely used for ornament and as offerings particularly in Buddhism and Hinduism.
The lotus has great significance in the spiritual life of South Asia. It is a symbol of purity and untarnished enlightenment amid ignorance. Particularly sacred in Hinduism and Buddhism, it represents the concept of primordial birth from the cosmic waters of creation." ..
more
"Lotus (seshen)
Appearance: In Egypt, two native species of lotus grew, the whit
e lotus (Nymphaea lotus) and the blue lotus (Nymphaea cerulea). A third type, the pink lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) was introduced to the country from Persia during the Late period. All three species were depicted in Egyptian art (the pink lotus showed up in Hellenistic artworks), however the sacred blue lotus was the flower most commonly used and the one depicted in the hieroglyph.
Meaning: The lotus closes at night and sinks underwater. In the morn
ing it re-emerges and blooms again. Thus the flower became a natural symbol of the sun and creation. In Hermopolis, it was believed that it was a giant lotus blossom that first emerged from the primordial waters of Nun and from which the sun-god came forth (portrayed in the image at left).
As a symbol of re-birth, the lotus was closely related to the imagery of the funerary and Osirian cult. The Four Sons of Horus were frequently shown standing on a lotus in front of Osiris. The Book of the Dead contains spells for "transforming oneself into a lotus" and thus fulfilling the promise of resurrection.
The lotus was commonly used in art as a symbol of Upper Egypt. It was often shown with its long stems intertwined with papyrus reeds (a symbol of Lower Egypt) as a representation of the unification of the two lands."
more here
I finally wandered onto that last site with link to rings with all kinds of patterns and was side tracked, so maybe I'll return to this topic at a later date, if not, hope it has intrigued you a bit..
Ok, here is the lotus ring I found and a link to this incredible site, be sure to click on read more for information about meaning of symbols..
What they say about the lotus...
""Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus"
The Lotus flower is a symbol of the sun and of creation and rebirth. At night the flower closes up and submerges underwater, and at dawn it emerges and opens up again. According to a popular creation myth, it was a giant lotus which first rose out of the watery chaos in the beginning of time.
In the East, the Lotus flower is viewed as a symbol of spiritual enfoldment. The lotus has its roots in earthly mud, but as it grows upward in aspiration toward the light, its petals open out into a beautiful flower. Om Mani Padme Hum, meaning, "Hail to the Jewel in the Lotus" is the sacred mantra of the Tibetans.
The lotus ring contains the lotus flower symbol on both sides of the ring. The Hebrew engraved translation is: "Life flows within you and without you". This sentence holds the secret of unification with the One. When our false ego dissolves we enter the state of unification with the whole - hence life flows within you and without you.
"
