Black panther (symbol)
Encyclopedia
Black panther is a Carinthian
historical symbol
, which represents a stilized heraldic panther. As a heraldic symbol, it appeared on the coat of arms of the Carinthian Duke Herman II
as well as of the Styrian
Margrave Ottokar III
. In this region it was most frequently imaged on various monuments and tombstones.
The symbol can still be found in the coat of arms of the Austria
n state of Styria
, although the colours have changed.
The symbol of the black panther in its current version was first reconstructed by self-declared historian Jožko Šavli
in the 1980s. Šavli claims that he discovered that several feudal families originating from the old Carantanian area had a black panther in their dynastic coat of arms. He also claims he discovered several documents mentioning the black panther as an ancient symbol of Caranthania. From all these evidences he made a reconstruction of how the symbol of Carolingian
Caranthania most probably looked like.
Šavli's reconstruction soon gained some popularity among younger generations of Slovenian patriots and nationalists. In the last two decades, it has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Slovenian patriotism. It is also used by several nationalistic groups.
Several academic historians, such as Peter Štih
, have disputed the hypothesis that the black panther was the symbol of Carolingian and Ottonian
Duchy of Carinthia
. According to their views, all mentions which would suggest such a conclusion are vague. Furthermore, there is no direct evidence of the symbol dating to the time of the Slavic principality of Carantania. Nevertheless, the ties of the black panther symbol with the territory of the early Ottonian Carinthia seem to be beyond doubt.
The origins of the symbol are unclear. Some maintain it comes from the Roman province of Noricum
. Indeed, the figure of two panthers guarding the arbor vitae
can be seen in an ancient Roman carved stone built into the church of Maria Saal
, which was the religious and administrative center of the old Carantanian principality. Furthermore, the figure of the black panther was very popular in medieval legends: since ancient times, the panther was regarded to be the deadly enemy of the dragon
, thus symbolizing the archetypal narrative about the struggle between forces of light and darkness. In early medieval symbolism, the panther was often depicted as a symbol of Christ
.
Since 1991, there have been several proposals to replace the Slovenian coat of arms
with the black panther.
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
historical symbol
Symbol
A symbol is something which represents an idea, a physical entity or a process but is distinct from it. The purpose of a symbol is to communicate meaning. For example, a red octagon may be a symbol for "STOP". On a map, a picture of a tent might represent a campsite. Numerals are symbols for...
, which represents a stilized heraldic panther. As a heraldic symbol, it appeared on the coat of arms of the Carinthian Duke Herman II
Herman II, Duke of Carinthia
Herman II of Sponheim, Duke of Carinthia ruled the Duchy of Carinthia from 1161 to his death. -Family:A scion of the House of Sponheim, he was a son of Margrave Engelbert III of Istria and Matilda of Sulzbach...
as well as of the Styrian
Duchy of Styria
The history of Styria concerns the region roughly corresponding to the modern Austrian state of Styria and the Slovene region of Styria from its settlement by Germans and Slavs in the Dark Ages until the present...
Margrave Ottokar III
Ottokar III of Styria
Ottokar III was Margrave of Styria from 1129 until 1164. He was the son of Leopold the Strong and father of Ottokar IV, the last of the dynasty of the Otakars. His wife was Kunigunde of Chamb-Vohburg....
. In this region it was most frequently imaged on various monuments and tombstones.
The symbol can still be found in the coat of arms of the Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n state of Styria
Styria (state)
Styria is a state or Bundesland, located in the southeast of Austria. In area it is the second largest of the nine Austrian federated states, covering 16,401 km². It borders Slovenia as well as the other Austrian states of Upper Austria, Lower Austria, Salzburg, Burgenland, and Carinthia. ...
, although the colours have changed.
The symbol of the black panther in its current version was first reconstructed by self-declared historian Jožko Šavli
Jožko Šavli
Jožko Šavli was a Slovene author, self-declared historian and high school teacher in economic sciences from Italy....
in the 1980s. Šavli claims that he discovered that several feudal families originating from the old Carantanian area had a black panther in their dynastic coat of arms. He also claims he discovered several documents mentioning the black panther as an ancient symbol of Caranthania. From all these evidences he made a reconstruction of how the symbol of Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
Caranthania most probably looked like.
Šavli's reconstruction soon gained some popularity among younger generations of Slovenian patriots and nationalists. In the last two decades, it has become one of the most recognizable symbols of Slovenian patriotism. It is also used by several nationalistic groups.
Several academic historians, such as Peter Štih
Peter Štih
Peter Štih is a Slovenian historian, specialising in medieval history.Štih was born in Ljubljana, but spent most of his childhood years in the town of Most na Soči in the Goriška region of western Slovenia. He attended grammar school in Tolmin and studied history at the University of Ljubljana,...
, have disputed the hypothesis that the black panther was the symbol of Carolingian and Ottonian
Ottonian
The Ottonian dynasty was a dynasty of Germanic Kings , named after its first emperor but also known as the Saxon dynasty after the family's origin. The family itself is also sometimes known as the Liudolfings, after its earliest known member Liudolf and one of its primary leading-names...
Duchy of Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
. According to their views, all mentions which would suggest such a conclusion are vague. Furthermore, there is no direct evidence of the symbol dating to the time of the Slavic principality of Carantania. Nevertheless, the ties of the black panther symbol with the territory of the early Ottonian Carinthia seem to be beyond doubt.
The origins of the symbol are unclear. Some maintain it comes from the Roman province of Noricum
Noricum
Noricum, in ancient geography, was a Celtic kingdom stretching over the area of today's Austria and a part of Slovenia. It became a province of the Roman Empire...
. Indeed, the figure of two panthers guarding the arbor vitae
Arbor vitae
-Anatomy:* Arbor vitae , white matter of the cerebellum* arbor vitæ uteri, a part of the canal of the cervix* Victorian slang for penis-Places:* Arbor Vitae, Wisconsin, a town, United States...
can be seen in an ancient Roman carved stone built into the church of Maria Saal
Maria Saal
Maria Saal is a market town in the district of Klagenfurt-Land in the Austrian state of Carinthia. It is located in the east of the historic Zollfeld plain , the wide valley of the Glan river. The municipality includes the cadastral communes of Kading, Karnburg, Möderndorf, Possau and St...
, which was the religious and administrative center of the old Carantanian principality. Furthermore, the figure of the black panther was very popular in medieval legends: since ancient times, the panther was regarded to be the deadly enemy of the dragon
Dragon
A dragon is a legendary creature, typically with serpentine or reptilian traits, that feature in the myths of many cultures. There are two distinct cultural traditions of dragons: the European dragon, derived from European folk traditions and ultimately related to Greek and Middle Eastern...
, thus symbolizing the archetypal narrative about the struggle between forces of light and darkness. In early medieval symbolism, the panther was often depicted as a symbol of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
.
Since 1991, there have been several proposals to replace the Slovenian coat of arms
Coat of arms of Slovenia
The Slovenian coat of arms consists of a red bordered blue shield on which there is a stylised white mount Triglav. Under Triglav there are two bending lines that represent the sea and rivers, and above Triglav there are three golden, six-pointed stars, forming a triangle...
with the black panther.
Sources
- Andrej Pleterski, "Karantanski Rašamon ali mit pred mitom" in DeloDeloDelo is the largest national daily newspaper in Slovenia. It was established on May 1st, 1959, when two newspapers Ljudska pravica and Slovenski poročevalec merged. Nowadays, it is the most influential and credible daily newspaper in Slovenia...
, y. 39, n. 118 (May 24, 1997). - Peter Štih, "Brskanje po zgodovini in iskanje slovenskih simbolov" in Delo, y. 30, n. 130 (June 6, 1990).
- Jožko Šavli, Slovenski simboli (Bilje: Založba Humar, 1995).