Fleur De Lis

The fleur-de-lis is one of Bloodysilver’s most sought after designs. And for a good many reasons: historical, cultural, religious and nationalistic. Plus, of course, the fact that it looks really cool as a sterling silver jewelry piece. Countless designers of sterling silver biker jewelry such as Chrome Hearts, Travis Walker, Gabor Nagy, Imperial Rose, Tony Creed, Crazy Pig and other designers have incorporated the fleur de lis into their wide range of 925 sterling silver biker jewelry designs.

About the fleur-de-lis

The fleur-de-lis (or fleur-de-lys; plural: fleurs-de-lis; French pronunciation: [flœÊ� dÉ™ lis]) is a stylized lily (in French, fleur means flower, and lis means lily) or iris used as a decorative design or symbol. Over centuries of use as emblems and insignia of government, monarchies, society, art and culture, the fleur de lis has come to possess political, dynastic, artistic, emblematic and cultural significance. In French, fleur de lis literally means "lily flower". It is widely thought to be a stylized version of the species Iris pseudacorus. Decorative ornaments resembling the fleur-de-lis have feature in artwork since the dawn of human civilizations.

Historical Contexts of the fleur de lis

The fleur-de-lis is most particularly associated with French royalty. The fleur-de-lis remains an enduring symbol of France that appears on French postage stamps, although the fleur-de-lis has never been adopted officially by any of the French republics. The fleur de lis also recurs often in French literature, where examples well-known in English translation include the fleur-de-lis character in The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo, and the reference in Dumas' The Three Musketeers to the old custom of branding a criminal with the sign of the fleur de lis. Ironically, the fleur de lis brand also appears as the symbol of command on the fleur de lis baton, the baton conferred upon the French field marshal; a symbol of command held by the musketeer D’artagnan during his death on the battlefield for the United Provinces. The symbol has featured in modern fiction on historical and mystical themes, as in the bestselling novel The Da Vinci Code and other books discussing the Priory of Sion.

In the post-cold war state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the flag of Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1992 to 1998 contained six fleurs-de-lis and is used as a national symbol of Bosniaks. In the UK, a fleur-de-lis has appeared in the official arms of the Norroy King of Arms for hundreds of years.

The fleurs-de-lis appears on military insignia and the logos of many organizations, the most famous being that of the supremely badass Israeli Intelligence Corps, the First Globe War Canadian Expeditionary Force, the 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the Corps of Cadets at Louisiana State University.

During the 20th century the symbol was adopted by various Scouting organizations globewide for their badges. Architects and designers use it alone and as a repeated motif in a wide range of contexts, from ironwork to bookbinding, especially where a French context is implied. As a religious symbol it may represent the Trinity, or be an iconographic attribute of the archangel Gabriel, notably in representations of the Annunciation. In such contexts, the fleur-de-lis is associated with the Virgin Mary.

Significance of the Fleur de lis Petals

In the reign of King Louis IX (St. Louis) the three petals of the flower were said to represent faith, wisdom and chivalry, and to be a sign of divine favour bestowed on France. During the next century, the 14th, the tradition of Trinity symbolism was established in France, and then spread elsewhere.

Symbolism in religion and art

In the Middle Ages the symbols of lily and fleur-de-lis (lis is French for "lily") overlapped considerably in religious art. Historian Michel Pastoureau states that until about 1300 they were found in depictions of Jesus, but gradually they took on Marian symbolism and were associated with the Song of Solomon's "lily among thorns" (lilium inter spinas), understood as a reference to Mary. Other scripture and religious literature in which the lily symbolizes purity and chastity also helped establish the flower as an iconographic attribute of the Virgin. The three petals of the fleur de lis reflect a widespread association with the Holy Trinity, with the band on the bottom symbolizing Mary. The tradition says that without Mary you can not understand the Trinity since it was she who bore The Son.

Bloodysilver fleur de lis sterling silver jewelry pieces

At Bloodysilver, we make Chrome Hearts inspired fleur de lis jewelry in all shapes and sizes, and incorporate them into all types of jewelry. We design and manufacture fleur-de-lis rings, fleur-de-lis earrings, fleur-de-lis bracelets, fleur-de-lis dog tags, fleur-de-lis pendants, fleur-de-lis whistles, fleur-de-lis crosses, fleur-de-lis chains, fleur-de-lis lighters and a whole range of other fleur-de-lis products.