Gammadium

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Gammadium

As gammadium (from ancient Greek τετραγαμμάδιον - four gamma, Latin gammadium or crux gammata - gamma cross; French croix gammée) a cross is referred to in heraldry that is formed from a common cross, which is vertically from a pole and horizontally from a bar , both in thread size, centered. It is usually a herald image .

Originally, Byzantine robes and Greek chasuble were decorated with decorations similar to the Greek capital letter gamma " Γ ". For this purpose, four gamma letters were placed symmetrically in a cross. Book corners were also decorated with gammas. Soon four letters " F ", slightly modified, were put into a gammadium and called a gymnast's cross . This term is common in the gymnastics movement. The four letters stand for “ fresh, pious, happy, free ”.

literature

  • Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm: German Dictionary , German Academy of Sciences in Berlin, Academy of Sciences in Göttingen, published by S. Hirzel in 1854
  • Heinrich Otte , Otto Fischer: Archaeological Dictionary , Reprint-Verlag, Leipzig 2001; ISBN 3-8262-1513-3

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