Many cultures have used symbols to represent ideas through art. Used by many cultures, the eagle represents three specific concepts. The eagle is originally a representation of gods or objects of divine power, which many cultures would adopt. However, it would become a symbol of power and victory that many cultures have incorporated into their art. Many cultures are said to use the eagle to represent an omen and prophecy. A common use of the eagle as a symbol is to represent gods or divine figures. Seen in Mesopotamian religion and art, the eagle represents an animal with the ability to carry someone to heaven and meet the gods1. A cylinder seal (Fig. 1) shows this by describing the story of a king, Etana, who rides an eagle to the land of the gods to obtain the Birth Plant. The Mesopotamians also considered the eagle a storm bird. The Greeks and Romans also used the eagle to represent divine figures. For the Greeks and Romans, the eagle represented Zeus or Jupiter while also being its armor bearer2. The Roman copy of a Greek statue called ZEUS shows Zeus seated next to an eagle, thus showing the connection between the bird and the king of the gods. (Fig. 2) Much like the Mesopotamians, the Romans believed that eagles could fly to the sky. However, the Romans believed that eagles would carry the souls of dead emperors3. A scene depicted on the Arch of Titus (Fig. 3) which included a sculpture of Titus riding an eagle representing the journey of Titus' soul to heaven. Additionally, in the Middle Ages, in Judeo-Christian art, the eagle represented Saint John, as shown in the Book of Kells. (Fig.4)1. Leick, Gwendolyn. A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology. London: Routledge, 1991. Print page 612. Cirlot, Juan Eduardo. "E...... middle of paper ......, symbol of the gods or as being able to travel between the spiritual world and the mortal world. Additionally, cultures used the eagle as a symbol of their power as an empire and to represent their conquests over their enemies Finally, many cultures used the eagle as an omen of an upcoming victory or as an omen of a good king. For many years after the medieval period, the eagle symbol has endured to be a symbol of these ideas and countries still use the eagle to represent them. Works Cilot, Juan Eduardo "A Dictionary of Symbols New York: Philosophical Library, 1962. PrintKarlson, William R., Jr. Syncretism: The Presence of Roman Augury in the Consecration of English Monarchs, 2007. Np: np, nd Print.Leick, A Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology London: Routledge, 1991..