Symbolism and evolution of the lotus motif from ancient Egypt

The lotus, an ancient Egyptian motif symbolizing eternal life and rebirth

The lotus motif, which was widely used in ancient Egypt as a symbol of eternal life and rebirth, is still a popular motif today, commonly used in a wide range of fields, including architecture.

It was an essential plant at festivals, used as an offering to the gods and shrines.

In mythology, it was believed that the sun rose from the lotus flower and then set there, so it was also a symbol of the sun and its surroundings.

That is why it is widely used in temples and murals.

Spread around the world

Lotus means water lily in Japanese, and both open and closed buds are used in decoration.

When it spread from Egypt to Greece, its buds were used to decorate temple capitals.

Lotus flowers used in combination with palmettes and other ornaments

The lotus is often combined with other plant motifs that also symbolize life.

Like the acanthus pattern, the way it was painted has changed over time, and some patterns contain the lotus pattern if you look closely.