Christian symbols of two fish and what appears
to be a trident, which was probably a disguise for the cross
symbol, which might identify the person as a Christian and
subject his family to persecution. Catacombs.
Christ was often depicted symbolically as the
Good Shepherd. Paintings of Jesus didn't appear until about
the Fifth Century. Catacombs.
What was early Christianity like? We the archaeology of the Roman catacombs
in the second and third centuries AD, give us clues, where the graves of
hundreds of thousands of Christians give clues, especially with a number of
symbols that reflect the earliest period of the Christian era.
This site contains some photos and drawings of early Christian symbology,
with links to many others. Most of these represent Christian visual art prior to 313
A.D., when Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity. During
this time, the cross is seldom seen, except disguised in some way
as an anchor, a trident, or the mast of a ship. Instead,
Christians identified their tombs in the catacombs by other
symbols alongside of funerary inscriptions.
Christian symbols were first mentioned in writing by Clement
of Alexandria (153-217 AD) in Paedogogus 3, 11.
"And let our seals be either a dove, or a
fish, or a ship
scudding before the wind, or a musical lyre, which Polycrates
used, or a ship's anchor, which Seleucus got engraved as a
device; and if there be one fishing, he will remember the
apostle, and the children drawn out of the water."
So-called Pagan Origins of Christian Symbols
It is without question that nearly all Christian symbols are adaptations of pre-Christian symbols. But as Christianity took
hold theses symbols typically lost their pagan associations and
took on Christian meanings. There is a certain sort of believer
that cries "pagan" or "papist" at any Christian symbol, but
that's silly. If we were to rid ourselves of every pagan remnant,
we would refuse to use the names of the days of the week or the
months of the year. Thoughtful twenty-first century Christians look at
the heart and meaning of the symbols as intended by their early
Christian brothers and sisters. We Christians are one with every
other true believer in Christ, no matter what denomination or
doctrinal stance. We look, listen, and learn from a faith that
was forged on persecution and struggle and yet grew and
flourished.
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