Greek meander ornament - photo and meaning

Meander (Greek ?????????) is a Greek ornament, which is a border made up of straight continuous lines that form right angles between themselves. Most researchers agree that the name comes from the Meander River (now Big Menderes) in the Aegean region of Asia Minor, in southwestern Turkey. The river has a very meandering course, and was first mentioned in Homer's Iliad.

The meander pattern has various variants, of which the most classic meander consists of a continuous line winding at right angles, although there are simplified and complicated types.

The Meander was often used as an ornament in Etruscan and Ancient Greek architecture, and later in Roman, Byzantine and Romanesque architecture. The ancients loved to use it on many household items and clothing. It was often used to decorate vases, architectural structures, and the hem of clothing. Whoever decorated the hem of their clothes with this ornament, in all likelihood, wanted to emphasize that they were leading the right life.

Nature and eternity were reflected in the culture of the ancient Greeks, today Ancient Greece continues to inspire artists and poets, designers and fashion designers. Slender nymph models demonstrate exquisite clothing models on the catwalk, jewelers - gold jewelry with meander patterns, Greek patterns decorate the walls of buildings and interior items.

The meander has magically attracted to itself for hundreds and hundreds of years. Probably, his continuous correct line carries in himself what a person is looking for all his life - peace and righteousness, which he subconsciously strives for ...

Maybe the simplicity of the meander has earned such popularity, because it can be drawn by any of us, even a child. But ancient Greeks saw the meaning and beauty precisely in simplicity. Therefore, the meander has been the most popular and most mysterious ornament for many centuries.