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A laurel wreath decorating a memorial at the Folketing, the national parliament of Denmark.

A graphic interpretation of a laurel wreath as seen on the United Nations flag.

A laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis, Lauraceae), an aromatic deciduous evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head. In ancient Greece wreaths were awarded to victors, both in athletic competitions, including the ancient Olympics, and in poetic meets; in Rome they were symbols of military victory, crowning a successful commander during his triumph. Whereas ancient laurel wreaths are depicted as a horseshoe shape, modern versions are usually complete rings.

In common modern idiomatic usage it refers to a victory. The expression "resting on one's laurels" refers to someone relying on their past success to cover up their current shoddy efforts.

In some countries the laurel wreath is used as symbol of the master's degree. The wreath is given to young masters in the graduation ceremony of the university. The medieval Florentine poet and philosopher Dante Alighieri, a graduate of the Sicilian School, is often represented in paintings and sculpture wearing a laurel wreath.

At Connecticut College members of the junior class carry a laurel chain, which the seniors pass through during Commencement. It represents nature and the continuation of life from year to year. Immediately following commencement, the junior girls write out with the laurels their class year, symbolizing they have officially become seniors and the cycle will repeat itself the following spring.

The laurel wreath is a common motif in architecture, furniture, and textiles. The laurel wreath is seen carved in stone and decorative plaster work of Robert Adam, Federal, Recency, Directoire, and Beaux-Arts periods of architecture. In decorative arts, especially during the Empire period, the laurel wreath is seen woven in textiles, inlaid in marquetry, and applied to furniture in the form of gilded brass mounts. Alfa Romeo added a laurel wreath to their logo after they won the inaugural Automobile World Championship in 1925 with the P2 racing car.

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• The History of Laurel Wreath - By Liza Kliko