In the eyes of ancient peoples these small flying, extremely busy beings, devoted to their occupation were the messengers that connected men and the gods, the visible and the invisible with their flight. Moreover, in many Middle Eastern and Asian cultures, bees represented the human soul and its journey on earth. Associating the bee with light, the sun and gold, the people of antiquity often incorporated it into their myths and legends. The bee is an emblem of rebirth and the renewal of nature, it is associated with determination and will power as, in fact, given its scale, it should not be able to fly, its body being too large compared to the size of its wings. Myths, rites and legendary narratives, let's find out more about the many symbolic forms that this precious little animal has assumed over the centuries.

Ancient Middle East

In ancient Egypt the bee was associated with the sun and belonged to the divine world of the after life because it was born from the tears of Ra, the sun god. Beeswax was considered sacred and candles made from it could only be used by priests. In addition, wax was also used for mummification (the term "mummy" comes from the Arabic "mum" or "moum" used to refer to the wax with which the Egyptians impregnated the bands for enveloping the bodies). Still in ancient Egypt, it was said the the bee, material embodiment of the soul, would bring the deceased back to life if it entered his/her mouth. The ancient Babylonians, on the other hand, worshipped the god Mithras, depicted as a lion with a bee in its mouth, the name of which was "dabar" also meaning "divine word". This same name was later to be used by the ancient Jews to invoke the Messiah. In Hebrew, the word "bee" comes from the word "dbure" which originates from "dbr" or "speech". Bees were in fact a symbol of intelligence, eloquence and the ability to use words well.

 India

Indian culture places great value on forms of plant and animal life and, over the centuries, has created its many myths from the existence of these natural phenomena. In Hindu literature, for example, Kama, the god of love, manifests himself with a bowstring made of bees. In Indian art, the god Vishnu is portrayed as a bee resting on a lotus and Shiva as a bee over a triangle. The ancient Mediterranean goddesses of bees in Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece are linked to the Indian goddess, Brahmari Devi, the goddess of bees, and her connection to the teachings inherent in the chakras, the seven centres of consciousness that, it is said, emanate the heartbeat of the goddess. The Great Mother (Maha Devi), the Kundalini, manifests herself in the form of the sound of the queen bee or surrounded by clouds of buzzing bees.

Statue of Artemis in the temple of Ephesus  Greek-Roman Mythology

Considered messengers of the muses for their sensitivity to sound, bees were also a symbol of obedience and respect for civil and political life, both among the Greeks and the Romans (the organisation of the hive was greatly admired, as is clear from the writings of Pliny the Elder and Cicero). In Greece there was a famous myth about the birth of Zeus: Zeus as a child, it is said, was hidden by his mother Rea in a cave on Mount Ida in Crete, to hide him it from his father Kronos who wanted to eat him, and there he was nurtured by a goat and some honey produced by bees. Hence, it is said, he gave the bees a colour reminiscent of the glow of gold. Probably the special attention given to bees is linked to the topic of bugonia or the belief in the spontaneous origin of life (for example, a swarm of insects that forms in the carcasses of sacrificed animals) and, hence, to the theme of eternal life and rebirth. Historically, bees are also linked to femininity, divine women and goddesses. The priestesses of Eleusis were called "bees", while the statue of Artemis in the temple of Ephesus showed the goddess surrounded by various animals, including bees. In Greece, sometimes connected with the myth of the birth of Zeus, there was the widespread worship of the goddess Melissa, half-bee, half-woman, called "virgin goddess" because she had the capacity for self-regeneration, just like bees that reproduce without union with the male. Her incessant creative activity was related to Demeter and her generative and regenerative powers. During the Thesmophoria of Syracuse – festivities dedicated to Demeter and her daughter, Persephone – myollì were prepared, bread with sesame and honey depicting female genitalia. The bee was also a symbol of courage and fortitude for its determination in defending itself and attacking aggressors. However, it was also a symbol of purity and Plutarch took the view that sex slaves should be stung by it.

Christianity

Even Christian iconography has greatly valued this insect, using it as symbol of Christ (honey as mercy and the sting as justice), while the hive has been used as a Christian metaphor for the chaste, protected life (based on the model of monastic communities). The mistaken belief that bees reproduce constantly like the flowers they pollinate also made them a symbol of the Virgin Mary. St. Francis de Sales and St. Bernard likened the soul of man to a bee (perhaps for the restlessness portrayed by the flight of the animal), while Dante and St. John Chrysostom did the same with the souls of the blessed and angels (for its service role and proximity to the sky). However, bees were not only positive symbols, as in the Old Testament, in fact, bees were viewed as annoying insects similar to flies and the Lord announced an invasion of them, heralding a military invasion by the Assyrians (Isaiah). The Psalms, on the other hand, emphasise their ambivalence as being producers of honey but also armed with a sting.

Peoples of the North and Heraldic Symbols

For the Gauls and Celts the bee symbolised the survival of the soul after death (probably related to the fact that in winter bees gather in the hive and then come out in the spring). According to Nordic legends bees emerged on the earth from an enchanted, subterranean world, where they lived together with fairies. It was believed that they possessed prophetic virtues, thus, by watching the flight, the future could be predicted.

The bee is also a recurring symbol in heraldry, where, over the centuries, it has represented industriousness, work and temperance. In particular, the bee was the emblem of the Abbey of Notre Dame de Melleray and the emblem of the Barberini family (three bees on a blue background), reproduced in the famous Bernini fountain in Rome, sculpted at the request of Pope Urban VIII and today located on the corner of Piazza Barberini and Via Veneto. The bees of Napoleon are also famous; they adorned the imperial cloak as a symbol of immortality and political continuity (golden bees were also found on some flags of the Empire, such as the flag of the Island of Elba).

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