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One of the earliest surviving records of the Three Legs symbol is to be found on the Manx Sword of State which was thought to have been made in the year 1300 AD. The symbol does, however, seem to have been adopted as the armorial bearings of the Kings of Mann around a century earlier.
No one is quite sure why the Three Legs were adopted as the royal arms of the Kingdom of Mann, but the emblem in its primitive form has a history reaching back into pagan times. It was originally a symbol of the sun, which represented Power and Life. The simplified Three Legs or "triskele" was found on tenth century coins when the Norse King Analaf Curan reigned over Dublin and the Isle of Man. As there were close links between Dublin and Mann it is highly likely that the Kings of Mann were a branch of King Curan's family. Some folk tales associate the triskele with Manannan, the Celtic Sea God, whose home in the Isle of Man was supposed to be within the Three Legs or a fiery wheel.
Whatever the explanation the Three Legs has been the emblem of the Isle of Man for a very long time. The correct way for the legs to run is clockwise from East to West following the course of the sun across the sky. This again links it to pagan times.
If in doubt as to which was the legs should run,
have a look at the official Isle of Man Government
Coat of Arms.
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