The Three Hares is an enigmatic and ancient symbol, which according to leading expert Dr Tom Greeves 'in so many places was given overtly special status or sacred status, as the centrepiece of Buddhist caves in Dunhuang, or on an Islamic coin, or cast into one of the finest bells in Christian Europe, …almost certainly used on different levels and meanings… Today we are free to interpret [its meaning]' [1]. The symbol features three hares running or crouching in a Strange Loop, with the ears of each hare shared by another. According to fellow Three Hares expert Michel Terrier, 81.3% of Hares in England are turning counterclockwise [while] 80% of Chinese hares turn clockwise [2]. While some believe the rabbits symbolize eternity… [or] fertility, others consider them a representation of the connection between the heavens and the Earth [3]. For William Wotton and Browne Willis in 1716, the meaning of the three hares by then was lost [4].

A Noahic interpretation (2022) of the symbol

On 18 April 2022, WikiNoah contributor המשיח הוא יהדות presented a Noahic interpretation of the Three Hares symbol on the Red Judaism (now Bei Abidan) YouTube channel, alongside פטר חמור and >>Eric the Great<< [5]. Using this interpretation, a higher-level correspondence was identified between occurrences of the symbol and theological continuity across different time zones and locales. Subsequent extrapolation of consistent markers within this isomorphic framework proved fruitful in leading to over one instance of theological and/or symbolic self-reference, thus lending credence to Wotton and Willis’ claim of a potential root meaning behind the Three Hares. Deductive steps below related to the Three Hares work from a Judaic reference point and consider the breadth of modern academic scholarship, with consistent markers and relevant theological (self-)references highlighted blue and orange respectively. Symbological (self-) references to the Auxerre Manuscript [figure 2], first published in the 13th Century and brought to public attention by Michel Terrier, are highlighted green.

References

Footnotes

1. Greeves, T.; Andrews, S.; Chapman, C. (2016) The Three Hares: A Curiosity Worth Regarding p.320