The symbol “hare” over time has acquired many different meanings both in world popular culture and in art. But how did it become his trademark? Easter;

The answer to this question is not as simple as it seems, and in order to find it, one has to turn to various … “burrows”. There are three main motifs in mythology and religion associated with hares: their perception of sacredness, their mystical connection to the moon, and their connection to fertility.

Can we say that hares have become associated with Easter because they are considered “sacred” animals? In Celtic culture, hares were revered, and in some Native American tribes they were described as mischievous and “naughty”. Similar narratives can be found in Central African myths.

Also, in the popular culture of Great Britain, witches could transform themselves into rabbits or hares, while in many cultures the animals in question were seen as carriers of both good luck and bad luck.

Three birds with one stone

Hares are fast and agile animals, which is perhaps why they are sometimes considered “cunning” or “mysterious”. This notion is reinforced by a symbol found in many medieval churches in the United Kingdom, which depicts three hares running after each other in an endless circle, their ears touching each other to form a triangle.

The “three birds with one stone” symbol is said to have originated from one of the Jatakas (referring to the life of the Buddha) and is related to the “hare of selflessness”. In this story, the hare is essentially the Buddha in a past life. He is so generous and reverent that, having met a priest suffering from hunger, he selflessly throws himself into the fire to cook his own food.

The connection of hares with the moon

As a reward for his virtuous character, an image of a hare appeared on the moon. This story, and the associations of hares with the moon in general, probably come from many ancient Indian religions. There is indeed a shape on the moon that vaguely resembles a hare.

Rabbits living on or looking at the moon appear in the cultures of China, Japan, and Korea. The Taoist traditions of China tell the story of a rabbit that lives on the moon and mixes the ingredients of the elixir of life.

In addition, in the culture of the natives of North and Central America, there are similar myths that connect hares and rabbits with the moon, perhaps because they also saw spotted marks on the lunar surface that resemble these animals. It seems that the rabbit is a creature revered by several cultures and is synonymous with heavenly powers and the concept of rebirth not only for Christians at Easter but also for other cultures.

Rabbits and fertility

Although there are many oriental symbols and myths that have been incorporated into European iconography, the origin of the Easter Bunny is perhaps closer geographically and culturally. Most of the Christian symbols are taken from the Bible, although some have survived from ancient Greek and Roman civilizations.

In Old Epirus, several societies used rabbits as a symbol of fertility and associated them with fertility deities. According to the writings of the Venerable Bede (673-735 CE), an Anglo-Saxon deity named Eostre was accompanied by a rabbit because he represented the fertility of spring. The celebration of her festival took place in April, and it is believed that it was from Ostré that the word “Easter” came from, which means “Easter” in English. If this is true, then it means that Christian iconography has long adopted symbols from older, pagan religions, combining them with their own.

But can the above give us a clear enough idea of ​​the origin of the Easter Bunny? The problem with trying to give any definitive answer is the lack of evidence. Apart from Bede, there is no clear connection between Ostré and Pascha, and Bede cannot be considered a direct source for the Anglo-Saxon religion because he wrote from a Christian perspective. While this may seem highly likely, a connection can never be proven with certainty.

The more we chase after the truth, the more our hare “brings” it and plays with our hopes of finding a logical answer to a surprisingly complex puzzle.

^{According to BBC Future.}

⇒ News today

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