Hexafoil

The seven overlapping circles grid forms a triangular lattice, seen here with hexagonal rings of 1, 7, 19, 37, 61, 91 circles.[3]

The pattern figure can be drawn by pen and compass, by creating seven interlinking circles of the same diameter touching the previous circle's center. The second circle is centered at any point on the first circle. All following circles are centered on the intersection of two other circles.

The design is sometimes expanded into a regular overlapping circles grid. Bartfeld (2005) describes the construction: "This design consists of circles having a 1-[inch] radius, with each point of intersection serving as a new center. The design can be expanded ad infinitum depending upon the number of times the odd-numbered points are marked off."[4]

The hexafoil has been very widely used throughout European folk art for a very long period of time. It is attested from at least the beginning of the Late Bronze Age,[2] represented, for example, on ornamental golden disks found in Shaft Grave III at Mycenae (16th century BC).[5] It is also found in some Cantabrian stelae, dated to the Iron Age, as well as Norwegian bronze kettles from the same period[6]

The six-petal rosette is common in 17th to 20th century folk art throughout Europe.

In Portugal, it is common to find it in medieval churches and cathedrals, as the engraved signature of a mason; but also as decoration and symbol of protection on the chimneys of old houses in Alentejo (at times together with the lauburu, or with the pentagram).

In Galicia (Spain) hexafoils are found since the Iron Age in torc terminals and decoration, and is still used in folk art.[7]

It can also be found in the Pyrenees (Cantabria, Navarre, Aragon).[8]

In the United Kingdom the hexafoil is commonly found on churches, but also in barns and private buildings, as well as on cross slabs.[6] The use of the hexafoil as a folk magic symbol was brought from the United Kingdom to Australia by settlers, where six leaf designs with concentric circles have been found in homes and occasionally in public buildings to serve as a sign of protection.[9][10]

The hexafoil was also widely used on gravestones in Colonial America, especially popular in parts of Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. The design was commonly used from the later 17th century until the early 19th century.

The design is also known as "Sun of the Alps" (Sole delle Alpi) in Italy from its widespread use in alpine folk art.[11] It resembles a pattern often found in that area on buildings.[12] It is used in the coat of arms of Lecco Province. It has also been used as the emblem of Padanian nationalism in northern Italy since the 1990s. In 2001, Editoriale Nord, the publishing company of La Padania, registered the green-on-white design as a trademark.[13]

In Norway it can mostly be found on wooden objects, such as beer bowls, clothes smoothing boards, milk butts, wooden chests, beds, and so on, but it can also be found on the doors of buildings. In Norwegian it's sometimes known as "Olavsrose" (rose of Olaf), although that name is used for another symbol as well.[6]

In Lithuania the hexafoil was found on wooden beer bowls, on spindles, but also on other wooden objects. It is known as "little sun" (saulute) in Lithuanian.[6]

In the Tatra mountains, southeastern Poland and western Ukraine, the mark was commonly carved on roof beams inside peasant huts. In Ukraine it was known as "the symbol of Perun" (Peruna znak) and "the thunder mark" (gromovoi znak).[14]

In the Russian North the hexafoil was carved near the outside roof of peasant houses to protect them against lightning. The symbol was known as the thunder sign (gromovoi znak) or the thunder wheel (gromovoe koleso), and was associated with the thunder god Perun.[15]

The origin and meaning of the symbol are not known, but many researchers have independently suggested that it is of religious origin,[16] and very likely served as a protective symbol.[17][1][15] There are two main theories for its meaning and origin.

Ivory mirror case with a hexafoil motif (alternate form)

The name hexafoil is sometimes also used to refer to a different geometric design that is used as a traditional element of Gothic architecture,[20] created by overlapping six circular arcs to form a flower-like image.[21][22] The hexafoil design is modeled after the six petal lily, for its symbolism of purity and relation to the Trinity.[23] The hexafoil form is created from a series of compound units, and exists as a more complex variation of the same extruded figure.[24] Other forms similar to the hexafoil include the trefoil, quatrefoil, and cinquefoil.[25]

The other hexafoil design is implemented in various Gothic buildings constructed in the 12th through 16th century. The traditional design is used in cloisters, triforiums and stained glass windows of famous buildings such as Notre-Dame, Salisbury Cathedral, and Regensburg Cathedral.[26] Stone cut-out hexafoils are displayed in a plate tracery style in the Salisbury Cathedral, creating a pattern along the triforium.[27]

It can also be seen as a framing design in Bible moralisée.[28] They are often rendered in red, blue, gold or vibrant orange and surround biblical scenes in the bible.[28][29] The hexafoil style of framing was often used in conjunction with architectural framing to provide the text with more depth, creativity, invention, and volume.[28] Old Testament illustrations were surrounded by hexafoil frames while moralization depictions favored architectural frames.[29]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Flower of Life.

• Overlapping circles grid
• Sudarshana Chakra
• Triquetra
• Triskelion
• Foil (architecture)