22 Unity Symbols & Where They Come From

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Symbologist David Christiansen goes over symbols of unity and oneness from cultures throughout history

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Circle

2 Raised Fist

3 Clasped Hands

4 Joined Hearts

5 Borromean Rings

6 Flower of Life

7 The Number 1

8 Tudor Rose

9 Trinity Knot (Triquetra)

10 Ouroboros

11 Cross of Lorraine

12 Odal Rune

13 Yggdrasil

14 Infinity

15 Iodhadh

16 Northern Knot (Dagin Arewa)

17 Masonic Trowel

18 Möbius Strip

19 Abusua Pa

20 Funtumfunefu Denkyemfunefu

21 Pentagram

22 White Pine Tree

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Co-authored by David Christiansen and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: April 1, 2026 Fact Checked

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The ideas of unity and togetherness transcend time, place, and culture, and there are many symbols of unity from places all over the world and throughout history that still inspire us today. In this article, we’ll explore 22 unity symbols from a variety of cultures, from ancient Greece to medieval Europe to the Indigenous peoples of North America and beyond, with insights from wikiHow’s ancient symbols experts.

Symbols Representing Unity

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Symbologist David Christiansen says common symbols of unity include the tree of life, the Ouroboros, the Triquetra, the pentagram, and the infinity sign. Other popular symbols are the circle, raised fist, or clasped hands. Others come from specific cultures, like the Tudor Rose (England) or the Northern Knot (Nigeria).

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1

Circle

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1. 
   The circle is an ancient symbol of completeness and unity. Many cultures believe the circle is an important symbol—they have no beginning and no end, encompassing all things and people. Traditions like talking circles, peacemaking circles, or prayer circles show just how essential the circle is to bringing people together.

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   David Christiansen is a symbologist and full-time nomadic traveler who educates others about different perspectives, symbols, spiritualities, pagan paths, and more.

   John Paul Gomez is an ancient symbols expert and a freemason of over 17 years.
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2

Raised Fist

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1. 
   The raised fist represents solidarity and collective resistance in times of struggle. The raised fist often appears in revolutionary movements and represents the collective strength of common people who stand together. It has roots in the French Revolution and has been adopted by many movements throughout history, including anti-fascist movements in Europe, the Black Power movement in the 1960s, and more.

3

Clasped Hands

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1. 
   Clasped or shaking hands are a sign of people agreeing and working together. Grabbing or shaking hands may seem ordinary, but it’s an action that represents two humans welcoming each other or coming together as a team. Shaking hands can strengthen bonds, build trust, and symbolize closeness or allyship.
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4

Joined Hearts

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1. 
   Interlocking hearts represent the union of two people in love. You’ve probably seen romantic jewelry or wedding invitations featuring a design of two hearts joined together. It’s a common symbol for lovers who pledge to stay together for life, but it can also apply to other types of love, like in familial or platonic relationships.

   • In some cultures, joined hearts indicate broader ideas of agreement, togetherness, or unity at a community level.

5

Borromean Rings

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1. 
   The Borromean Rings symbolize strength in unity. Named after the Borromeo family of Italy who used the symbol on their coat of arms, the Borromean Rings depict three interlocked rings that cannot be separated. The rings are strong together, but fall apart if one of them is removed, signifying strength and stability in togetherness and cooperation.
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6

Flower of Life

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1. 
   The Flower of Life is an ancient symbol of interconnectedness. The design features 19 evenly spaced, overlapping circles that form a hexagonal, flower-like pattern and has been used by cultures as early as the ancient Egyptians. According to ancient symbols expert John Paul Gomez, “In modern interpretation, this arrangement of the overlapping circles pattern expresses interconnectedness and the elegance of geometric order.”

7

The Number 1

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1. 
   The number 1 was a symbol of unity for the Greek Pythagoreans. The Pythagoreans believed some numbers had mystical significance, and 1 was thought to be the origin of all things since all other numbers can be created from it. They also believed that odd numbers were male and even numbers were female—however, number 1 was neither, as adding 1 to any odd number makes it even and vice versa.
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8

Tudor Rose

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1. 
   The Tudor Rose symbolizes peace and unity after England’s Wars of the Roses. The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) were a series of civil wars and battles in England that pitted the houses of Lancaster (represented by a red rose) and York (represented by a white rose) against each other for control of the throne. When the conflict finally ended through a marriage that united the houses, the Tudor dynasty took control and set the red and white “Tudor Rose” as England’s emblem.

9

Trinity Knot (Triquetra)

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1. 
   The Trinity Knot represents unity in a variety of cultures and practices. Christiansen says the triquetra represents interconnected forces and connection, specifically of 3 things becoming 1 (like the mind, body, and soul, and the past, present, and future). The design of interlocked arches drawn from a single line was originally a Celtic symbol that represented the unity of the elements earth, air, and water.

   • Later, the trinity knot was adopted by Christians to symbolize the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit).
   • More recently, it’s also become a Wiccan symbol for unbreakable vows and the unification of lovers (in addition to its original meaning of earth, air, and water).
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10

Ouroboros

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1. 
   This ancient symbol represents the unity of all things and the cyclical nature of the universe. The symbol looks like a snake consuming its own tail, forming a circle, with the snake continuously devouring itself and being reborn from itself. Christiansen explains that this is a representation of eternal life and death and the oneness of the experience. He says it unifies endings (death) and beginnings (life).

   • The symbol was in use as early as the 13th or 14th century BCE in ancient Egypt, and has been used widely throughout history by many cultures, including the Greeks.

11

Cross of Lorraine

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1. 
   The Cross of Lorraine is a historic symbol of unity in France. Also called the Cross of Anjou, this double-beamed cross is an alternate version of the traditional Latin cross. It was used as a rallying call for unity in the Lorraine region of France as early as the 15th century. Germany and France fought over this land for many years in the 19th and 20th centuries, and the Cross was used as an emblem of resistance during WWII.
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12

Odal Rune

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1. 
   Odal is a Viking rune meaning family unity, togetherness, and belonging. Standing for the letter “O,” the Odal or Othala rune is the rune of heritage, ancestry, and the land of the family. Traditionally, it represented the process of handing down land from generation to generation, keeping cultural traditions rooted in the same place. In a modern sense, it symbolizes the intangible things we inherit from our families.

13

Yggdrasil

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1. 
   Yggdrasil is the “World Tree” that connects all 9 realms in Norse mythology. Throughout history, it’s been seen as a sign of universal interconnectedness by cultures around the world. As Gomez puts it, “Yggdrasil’s immense trunk and branches connect gods, humans, and spirits. It symbolizes the interconnected structure of the cosmos and the living web holding all realms together.”

   • Christiansen notes that more generally, the tree of life is a common symbol of unity, representing the connection of all things to one living source of energy. He says there are many representations of this symbol.
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14

Infinity

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1. 
   The infinity symbol represents love and eternity. While the infinity symbol is more modern, Christiansen says it has ancient origins. And according to him, it represents eternal being, endless love, and connection. It’s a single line that creates a figure-8 shape, and is commonly associated with the Ouroboros.

15

Iodhadh

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1. 
   Iodhadh is an Irish ogham sigil representing the unity of life and death. The ogham alphabet was used to write the early Irish language, and the letters also correspond to different trees, plants, and natural elements. Iodhadh (the letter “I”) represents the yew tree, which is the longest-living tree in Europe and is said to represent the dual nature of endings and beginnings, like death and life, at the same time.
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16

Northern Knot (Dagin Arewa)

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1. 
   The Northern Knot is a sign of unity in diversity from Nigeria. The symbol resembles two elongated ovals forming an “X” shape over a concave diamond and was adopted by politicians as the Nigerians were preparing for political independence from the United Kingdom. The symbol is featured on Nigeria’s currency, coat of arms, in paintings, and in palace art, representing the shared culture of Northern Nigeria.

17

Masonic Trowel

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1. 
   The Masonic trowel represents brotherhood among men in Freemasonry. A trowel is used to spread cement or mortar, which binds the bricks of a building together. Symbolically, it’s a sign to spread affection and morality to unite people of differing view points and minds. It’s featured in Masonic jewels, lapel pins, insignias, and rings.
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18

Möbius Strip

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1. 
   The Möbius strip signifies unity, oneness, and solidarity. Discovered in 1858, this geometric wonder is an infinite loop with a one-sided surface that can’t be defined as internal or external. No matter which side of the strip you’re on or which direction you travel, you’ll always end up on the same path. Symbolically, the Möbius strip can mean that we’re all on the same path in life.

19

Abusua Pa

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1. 
   The Abusua Pa is an Adinkra symbol for the unity of a family. The Adinkra are symbols of the Akan people of Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire that represent aphorisms and folklore. The Abusua Pa looks like a grid of 4 squares, with each square containing 9 dots in a 3x3 layout. A semi-circle is fitted to each outside edge of the grid, linking the squares together. The symbols comes from the expression Abusua pa mu na adoye ne koroye wo (“It is in a good family that we have love and unity”).
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20

Funtumfunefu Denkyemfunefu

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1. 
   This Adinkra symbol of conjoined crocodiles teaches a lesson about common destiny. The symbol shows two crocodiles, Funtumfrafu and Denkyemfrafu, who share a stomach but have their own mouths. The accompanying proverb says, “Funtumfrafu and Denkyemfrafu share a stomach, but when they get something (food), they fight over it because the sweetness of the food is felt as it passes through the throat.”

   • The story is a lesson about uplifting people in your community. When one crocodile eats, the other is fed too (even though it didn’t get to experience the taste of the food itself). We should be happy to help our neighbors, even if we are not directly impacted by our efforts, because that help will come around to “nourish” us later, too.

21

Pentagram

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1. 
   The pentagram represents the unity and balance of air, fire, water, earth, and spirit. According to Christiansen, the pentagram symbolizes the unity of all things. It represents the four elements (earth, water, fire, air) and ether, which is the link between the spirit and the physical worlds. He says the circle around the symbol represents oneness and connection.

   • Christiansen notes that the pentacle is often used as protection. Historically, it’s been used to ward off evil and represent perfection.
   • The pentagram is commonly used in Neo-Pagan and Wiccan traditions.
   • In the Christian tradition, an inverted pentagram is seen as a symbol of Satan or the occult. However, modern users of the pentagram do not believe there is anything inherently evil about it.
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22

White Pine Tree

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1. 
   The white pine means peace and unity for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. The Haudenosaunee Confederacy (also known as the Iroquois Confederacy or Six Nations) is an alliance of Indigenous nations in North America. The original Five nations—the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca—were in conflict with each other until they finally acknowledged that they would be stronger together. Their leaders met underneath a white pine tree to form their alliance, and the tree came to be known as the Tree of Peace.

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