Mēness krusts, the "Moon cross", is a Latvian folk sign associated with Mēness, the Moon. In Latvian folklore Mēness is a male figure, not a goddess, and he is linked in the folksongs with the night, with the measuring of time and with soldiers and warriors.
Mēness in Latvian folklore
The Moon appears throughout the dainas, Latvian folksongs, as a figure in the sky alongside the Sun (Saule). Several songs connect him with warriors, which is why modern writers sometimes call him a protector of soldiers.
The sign
Modern charts give the Moon cross as a cross-based figure associated with Mēness. As with many named Latvian signs, the pattern is found in folk ornament, while its name and interpretation owe much to twentieth-century readings of that ornament.
Wearing the Moon cross
Today the sign is worn as a Latvian emblem connected with the night sky, with the rhythm of time and, for some, with protection.
See the AURYN design, or read our guide to Latvian symbols.
