Why is olive branch (leaves) used as a symbol of peace?
Dear Friend, Actually I too do not know the exact reason, but I searched for you and me in dictionary.com and Encyclopedia and found the following , and hope this helps you to some extent.Thank you. In Judaism and Christianity, a white dove is generally a sign for peace. The Hebrew Bible describes a story in which a dove was released by Noah after the Great Flood in order to find land. The dove came back carrying an olive branch in its beak, telling Noah that the Great Flood had receded and there was land once again for Man. (Genesis 8:11). This symbolized that God was ending his “war” with mankind. The appearance of the rainbow (Genesis 9:12-17) at the end of the Flood story also represents peace. The rainbow represents God’s promise to us [humankind] that He will never again destory the earth with a flood. It is also thought that the Rainbow is a continuing symbol of God’s promise to His people that He will never abandon them. The motif can also represent “hope for peace” and even a
OLIVE BRANCH IS THE PEACE SYMBOL – The olive is also, not surprisingly, our most ancient symbol of peace, as the olive grove cannot be cultivated in a war zone. An olive tree requires care and attention to thrive and be fruitful. Many peaceful years are needed to produce an olive grove, whose trees require at least 30 years to reach the plateau of maximum yield which can last for centuries…if peace prevails. The olive has numerous qualities which evoke peace. The oil can be burned for light; its cleansing power is associated with purification. The tree’s longevity easily translates to fertility. Hercules was protected by a wreath of olive leaves. With all these extraordinary, live-giving, -affirming, and –preserving qualities in a single tree, it is hardly surprising that the olive has symbolized peace at least since the founding of Rome. The white dove which bore the olive branch as a message of peace from God to Noah, has become itself a peace symbol only by association with the a
Deriving from its origins in Ancient Greece as a symbol of peace and prosperity, the olive branch is used throughout many western cultures to convey the idea of peace. In Ancient Rome, the defeated carried olive branches in order to seek peace. There are some speculations as to why the olive branch came to symbolize peace. Some explanations center around the idea that olive trees take a very long time to bear fruit. Thus the cultivation of olives is something that is generally impossible in time of war.
