I’ve been a strong fan of Led Zeppelin’s music since I was a teenager. Furthermore, for quite some time in the past, meaning years and years, I was wondering what’s the meaning behind the symbols of the band. This motivated me to search and find it not such a long time ago, more specifically during the late 2010s to early 2020s (which, historically speaking as a side note, wasn’t the most cheerful historical period I went through and not only I, unfortunately). So it is that I managed to find out the meaning behind the four symbols of each band member in Led Zeppelin after some basic internet-based research. It was no surprise to me that occultism, the supernatural, and various mythologies and forms of spiritualities around the world represented sources of inspiration for their music (I already knew that a long while back ago). What I did find interesting enough this time was the fascinating symbolism. Consequently, this brief article will cover the meaning behind these four symbols of the legendary British classic rock supergroup, each of them ascribed as the visual identity of a constituent member.
Image depicting the four esoteric symbols of each Led Zeppelin band member. These symbols were included on the inner sleeve of the Led Zeppelin IV studio album (also known as Untitled) which was released in 1971. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
I’ll start off with one of the two of my favourite symbols from the band’s visual identity, more specifically Robert Plant’s symbol (that is, the ostrich feather of Ma’at or Maat). This is an ancient Egyptian sacred symbol denoting truth, justice, and divine order and is associated with the ancient Egyptian symbol (and goddess) Ma’at. This is by far my most favourite symbol from all the four associated with the band. Robert Plant found it a fascinating book (which I’ve also been reading for quite a while) entitled The Sacred Symbols of Mu (published in 1933) by British author James Churchward. The book narrates the history of the alleged sunken continent of Mu in the Pacific Ocean, described therein as the cradle of humanity and human civilisation respectively.
The symbol of Led Zeppelin singer and frontman Robert Plant which represents the feather of Ma’at. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The second most favourite symbol of mine from all the four associated with the band is none other than John Paul Jones’ sigil which is represented by a triquetra, an ancient Celtic or Gaelic symbol. It is essentially a trinity knot representing the interconnectedness of all things as well as eternity and unity. It has a strong spiritual connotation, denoting various trios such as: mind-body-spirit, life-death-resurrection (or rebirth), past-present-future, or the natural elements earth-air-water. Interestingly enough, the triquetra was also found on various Norse and Germanic artefacts discovered in Northern Europe. All in all, it represents the rhythm of life (or the rhythm of love which is the title of a great song by English progressive rock band Yes, by the way). John Paul Jones selected this symbol from Rudolf Koch’s The Book of Signs (published in 1930). The personal meaning for John Paul Jones, the bassist and keyboardist of the legendary British classic rock group, was represented by the concepts of confidence and competence (and, indeed, he was very skilled; it goes without saying since, after all, he was a multi-instrumentalist). Additionally, this particular symbol is also depicted on the frontal cover artwork of John Paul Jones’ 1999 studio album Zooma.
The symbol (or sigil) of Led Zeppelin bassist and keyboardist/organist John Paul Jones, namely a triquetra (found in both Celtic and Germanic folklores). Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The third symbol which I am briefly going to describe in this article is John Bonham’s sigil or the Borromean rings. This is a set of three interlinked circles representing the Christian holy trinity, but also the unity of a family and a hint towards the logo of the beer brand Ballantine (if inverted or turned upside down). John Bonham had likely taken this symbol from the same book as John Paul Jones (i.e. The Book of Signs by Rudolf Koch which was published in 1930). The Borromean rings are also used in heraldry, as you can see here.
The symbol (or sigil) of the great drummer John Bonham of Led Zeppelin. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
The 3D optical illusion of the Borromean rings (that is, three flat circles cannot truly be connected in this manner). Image source: Wikimedia Commons
And now to the most controversial of them all, more specifically the so-called ZoSo or Zoso symbol associated with the band’s guitarist (who also played on the theremin), Jimmy Page. This particular symbol has sparked quite some controversy throughout the passage of time. It symbolises an alchemical sigil for the planet Saturn but at the same time it can have other meanings and has been featured in several occult books (i.e. several old alchemical texts and grimoires). The intrinsic or personal meaning of the symbol to Page himself hasn’t been fully revealed up until this day, making it even more mysterious.
The mysterious symbol (or sigil) associated with the legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Well, that was all folks (as in the famous Looney Tunes ending). I truly hope you liked reading this article and found it interesting as well as well worth your time. Thank you very much for your time, attention, and readership! All the best, take care, stay safe, and rock on!
Documentation sources and external links:
- Isis-Ma’at, Lady of Truth on www.isiopolis.com
- The Significance of the Celtic Triquetra on www.celticdesignscotland.com
- Why Led Zeppelin Used Symbols Instead Of Their Names On IV on www.ultimateclassicrock.com
- What do the ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ symbols really mean? on www.faroutmagazine.co.uk
- Borromean rings on www.wikipedia.org (in English)