Virgo is one of the three zodiac signs that are not represented by an animal figure. In many cultures, the sign is usually depicted as a woman carrying wheat in her hand, and in others, it is portrayed by a bunch of wheat alone. Like every other sign, Virgo is a Latin word and is translated to English as “virgin” or “maiden”. There are many things inherent in the Virgo symbol that shape the personality of a Virgo. As you would guess by the meaning of Virgo, the most popular one is purity.
On this page, we’re going to explore the origins and the symbols of the Virgo zodiac sign, as well as explain the relation between the symbol and the personality traits of Virgos. If you want to know even more, you can visit our Virgo sign page.
Virgo symbol meaning
The maiden carrying a sheaf of wheat symbolizes the innocence of Virgos. The Virgo symbol portrays a woman with a task, which can indicate the task-oriented side of the sign. When it comes to making plans and sticking to them, Virgos are absolutely the best.
Another representation of Virgo, the Virgo glyph, is an “M” shape, which, again, stands for the innocence of the sign. We’re not talking about sexual innocence here; it’s more like their pure and easily-affected souls; their naiveness, if you may. That is one of the reasons they want things to be perfect and seem a little critical sometimes. But it all comes from a desire for a flawless world.
Virgo symbol origins
We see the symbol of Virgo in many of the ancient beliefs and myths. The Virgo sign is usually associated with the goddesses of fertility like Isis, Ceres, Demeter, or Ishtar. However there’s one myth that stands out among all, and that’s the story of Astraea.
Astraea, daughter of Astraeus and Eos, is the virgin goddess of justice in Ancient Greek mythology. Like the Virgo sign, Astraea, too, signifies purity and innocence. After her task on Earth is completed, she is placed up in the sky, and the Virgo constellation we see today is her silhouette.
Other representations of Virgo symbol
As the main element of the Virgo symbol is a woman, it’s one of the most liberating signs to portray creatively. Most of the Virgo symbol ideas are based on the Maiden, but if you want to go minimal, you can just go with a bundle/stalk of wheat or the highly-aesthetic Virgo glyph. We’ve listed some of the best Virgo symbol tattoo ideas below, including the ruling planet of Virgo, Mercury and the element of the sign, Earth.