Wreath

A wreath (/riːθ/) is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs, or various materials that is constructed to form a ring shape.

The plants shown making the wreaths in Etruscan jewelry include ivy, oak, olive leaves, myrtle, laurel, wheat and vines.

Roman magistrates also wore golden wreaths as crowns, as a symbolic testament to their lineage back to Rome's early Etruscan rulers.

Roman magistrates also used several other prominent Etruscan symbols in addition to a golden wreath crown: fasces, a curule chair, a purple toga, and an ivory rod.

The use of this wreath comes from the Greek myth involving Apollo, Zeus' son and the god of life and light, who fell in love with the nymph Daphne.

Laurel wreaths were used to crown victorious athletes at the original Olympic Games[5] and are still worn in Italy by university students who just graduated.

In recent years, wreaths have experienced a significant surge in popularity as versatile home decor items.

[28] No longer confined to seasonal displays or special occasions, wreaths are now commonly used year-round to enhance interior and exterior spaces.

The rise of do-it-yourself crafting and online marketplaces has also contributed to the accessibility of wreath-making materials and designs, allowing individuals to express their creativity and personalize their living spaces with these charming and visually appealing accents.

[29] Wreaths and bouquets are often "attached to flags and banners, to houses, and to the arches of green boughs that span the streets.

[29] Corpus Christi wreaths are also "put up in gardens, fields, and pastures, with a prayer for protection and blessing upon the growing harvest.

A young woman of the same age as the one being mourned would lead the funeral procession, carrying a wreath of white flowers to represent the purity of the deceased, and "that eternal crown of glory reserved for her in heaven".

This practice is still in place today, and wreath sashes now commonly adorn doors of homes to celebrate numerous holidays.

The creation of harvest wreaths in Europe can be traced back to ancient times, and is associated with animistic spiritual beliefs.

Plants traditionally used to make Midsummer wreaths and garlands include white lilies, green birch, fennel, St. John's Wort, wormwood,[35] vervain and flax.

[36] Midsummer celebrations are still observed in Germany and Scandinavia as well, with Maypoles and wreaths playing a prominent role, similar to England.

Protestant reformers such as the Puritans saw wreaths and the holidays they were associated with, such as May Day, as being pagan corrupting influences that destroyed healthy Christian morality.

"St. Lucia's crowns", made of a brass wreath holding candles, are part of the customs associated with this holiday.

During wreath laying ceremonies of a military nature, bugle calls such as "Last Post", "Taps", or "Sunset" are played.

One of the more notable laying of wreaths takes place at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow's Alexander Garden, where the President of Russia, the Prime Minister of Russia, members of the Federal Assembly, military officers, religious leaders in the Russian Orthodox Church and other dignitaries are led to lay a funeral wreath close to the eternal flame.