What are the symbols of home?

The carpet sometimes sports a ‘welcome’ word on it for guests to see just as they are about to enter the house.

The hearth represents home and community, warmth, safety and family life. It is a source of light, heat and food.

A broom is a piece of household equipment and thus symbolizes the home and new beginnings. In ancient Rome, houses were swept after funerals to remove bad spirits and bad luck.

The freestanding cooking pot, or cauldron, is a cross-cultural symbol of home. It also symbolizes transformation, mystical and magical power.

Vases, jars, boxes, baskets and chests are also popular symbols of a home. They are also tied to the feminine principle due to the tendency of women to collect and store various things in them.

The mirror has many meanings, one of them being a symbol of home. In China, a mirror is a sign of harmony and happy marriage, with a broken mirror suggesting separation. (See What is the meaning of ‘Home is Where the Heart is’?)

Curtains symbolize separation between different realms, either opening them up or concealing them.

The carpets of Arabia are associated with home, and the colors and patterns used in their weaving are rich in symbolism. Every carpet has a deliberate mistake to illustrate the Islamic belief that only Allah can create perfection.

Stools, chairs and tables are symbols of home too. A table is a focal point, a meeting place where people gather together to eat or talk.

Comfortable slippers are a symbol of home, associated with relaxation and comfort the home provides.

Domestic cats and dogs are symbols of home, being the most popular household pets. (See Why do people like cats so much?)

A fireplace is a symbol of home, being associated with light and warmth on cold nights.