Arab beliefsĪccording to certain Arab beliefs, owls were bad omens and evil spirits. This is because they were believed to be connected to death and darkness – but they were also related to the afterlife. In Ancient Egypt, owls were feared but also worshipped. Once, the city of Rome even had to undergo a lustration, a kind of purification ritual, because an owl was observed in the Capitolium. It was often seen as predicting poor weather or death – and owls are known to have appeared before the deaths of important Romans such as Julius Caesar, Augustus, Marcus Aurelius and Agrippa. Unlike in Greece, in Ancient Rome, the owl was seen in a much more negative light. Therefore, police departments, usually give them owl related items such as custom police challenge coins, custom patches, etc. For police officers, the owl is the patron saint of the night. They carry owls in their related merchandise designed to be given to police officers who are on duty at night. Law enforcement agencies usually had officers on night duty. And it can also bring guardianship and peace to the troops, so law enforcement departments also like to use the owl as a symbol. In ancient Greece, hearing the hoot of an owl was a sign of good luck. The owl was seen as a symbol of wisdom, and it was also a guardian for troops, representing victory over enemies on the battlefield. Athena was the goddess of knowledge, so seeing or hearing owls was considered a good omen that foretold good luck or wealth. In Ancient Greece, the goddess Athena was associated with owls and was often depicted with them.

So in short, in Native American culture, owls are feared and revered in equal measure. In some tribes, children are told that owls can hunt humans and that they can steal people’s souls – this is a traditional kind of lesson for children in some Native American societies that teach them to behave properly.įinally, some tribes see owls as what’s known as a “psychopomp”, a guide that accompanies the souls of the departed to the other side. Others see owls as foretelling important spiritual events – this can mean death, but in the metaphorical sense, which also leads to spiritual transformation and rebirth. For example, the Cherokee have beliefs of this kind, associating owls with death, witchcraft and misfortune. Some tribes see owls as an evil omen that heralds bad luck, misfortune, bad weather or even death. Native American beliefsĪlthough different Native American tribes have a range of varying beliefs, animals and the wider natural world are almost universally seen as having deep spiritual and symbolic meaning.įor this reason, it is no surprise that an animal as mystic and mysterious as the owl features in the beliefs of several tribes – although the beliefs can differ significantly from tribe to tribe. Owl symbolism according to different culturesīefore we look at what it means if you hear an owl hooting, it will be useful to take a moment to think about the symbolism owls have had according to various cultures around the world. How to interpret hearing an owl hooting.What does it mean if you hear an owl hooting?.

Owl symbolism according to different cultures.

Hoot owl call