Helvetia
is the female national personification of Switzerland, officially Confœderatio Helvetica, the Swiss Confederation.
Helvetia on the right with Geneva; National monument in Geneva Switzerland.
The allegory is typically pictured in a flowing gown, with a spear and a shield emblazoned with the Swiss flag, and commonly with braided hair, commonly with a wreath as a symbol of confederation. The name is a derivation of the ethnonym Helvetii, the name of the Gaulish tribe inhabiting the Swiss Plateau prior to the Roman conquest.
Old stamp;
Swiss money;
The Swiss Confederation continues to use the name in its Latin form. The name Helvetia appears on postage stamps, coins and other uses; the full name, Confœderatio Helvetica, is abbreviated for uses such as on vehicle registration codes, CH.
Switzerland = CH
A modern Helvetia!
Please visit sepia Saturday 186
A very good post for the theme and interesting for me to know her history.
ReplyDeleteDiane, I am sure you passed her many times, when you spend time in Switzerland.
ReplyDeleteThose Romans were everywhere.
ReplyDeleteIsn't that funny...when you say Helvetica - all I can think of is a kind of lino-type or font.
ReplyDeleteLove the modern Helvetia!
ReplyDeleteA fascinating post with great images. I knew the name Helvetia for Switzerland from stamp collecting days, but knew nothing of its origin, so I learnt something too!
ReplyDeleteLike Sue, I know the name from stamp collecting days, but I'm struck by the similarity with Britannia.
ReplyDeleteHelvetia (in her statue) seems to be wearing an innovative undergarment made from seashells...or something. Looks uncomfortable. Was the typeface (helvetica)named for her?
ReplyDeleteThe names remind me of the font types we have.
ReplyDeleteStunning statue! Quite interesting, and I've again learned new things.
ReplyDeleteI have to say the same as Little Nell - Helvetia, Britannia, Boudica, Marianne .. they all seem very similar traditions
ReplyDeleteI am discovering so much this weekend about female personifications of states. What a good theme it was.
ReplyDeleteA really interesting turn on the iconic woman. It made me look up "National personification" on Wikipedia where I was surprised at how many nations have a female figure to represent the concept of nation,
ReplyDeleteThe subject of female personifications of "nation" is more interesting than I would have thought it could be. And whoever created all these statues around the world must have used the same model.
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