Big Dipper - Cultural Associations

Cultural Associations

The Bible refers to it as "the seven stars" (Amos 5:8).

Book XVIII of Homer's Iliad mentions it as "the Bear, which men also call the Wain."

In Tolkien's Middle-earth mythos, it is called the Valacirca (Sickle of the Valar), the sign of Hope signifying doom for Evil, while in T.A. Barron's Great Tree of Avalon series, it is called the Wizard's Staff, symbolizing Merlin's staff.

It is a prominent symbol in the Fist of the North Star manga/anime series; Kenshiro, has scars on his chest in the Big Dipper's configuration. It is identified as an omen: "When the great bear appears, violence will follow."

In the video game Devil Survivor 2, the seven stars of the Big Dipper (known as Septentriones) appear as the primary antagonists of the game, while Polaris serves as the game's final boss.

In the video game Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, the player has to find the big dipper in the sky.

In addition to appearing on the flags of political entities, the Dipper has also been used in corporate logos.

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