Anyone who has seen the coat of arms of the Perm Territory at least once wondered why a polar bear is depicted on the emblem of this region. The answer to this question given by heraldry specialists may seem rather unexpected.
Coat of arms of the Perm Territory
In fact, the image on the coat of arms of the Perm Territory, which raises so many questions from uninitiated people, contains the figure of not a white, but a silver bear, which is a symbol that has a double meaning. On the one hand, the figure of the bear itself is intended to reflect the strength and power of the region's population, as well as its belonging to the taiga lands.
In turn, the silver color of the bear is a symbol of the natural resources available in this area. At the same time, in this case, we mean not only a literal understanding of the nature of these riches as an ore containing silver, but also the figurative meaning invested in this symbol, which includes other minerals mined in the Perm Territory, forests, fertile lands and other natural resources. … At the same time, according to experts in the field of heraldry, the Permian silver bear is a unique image: no world coat of arms uses such a color of the skin of a bear, despite the fact that the bear itself is present in many heraldic images.
In addition to the bear itself, the coat of arms of the Perm Territory is equipped with additional symbols. So, this beast carries the Gospel on its back, which, in turn, is decorated with an eight-pointed cross. Of course, these symbols are intended to reflect the Christian character of the religion prevailing in the region.
The origin of the coat of arms
The appearance of a bear on the coat of arms of the Perm Territory goes back to the mythology of an ancient ethnic group that has long inhabited this region - the Permian Komi. According to their beliefs, the bear was a kind of totem animal for them, which they perceived as their patron. It appears in many legends, traditions and songs preserved among the people, and the bear's claws served as an amulet for hunters, protecting from wounds and bringing good luck.
Later, from myths, the image of a bear migrated to one of the first state symbols of this region - the "Perm seal", with which local rulers fastened their decrees and decrees. After, when the city of Perm received the status of a provincial one, which happened during the reign of Empress Catherine in 1783, the described composition of symbols received the status of the coat of arms of this region, which has remained practically unchanged to this day. At the moment, the coat of arms of the Perm Territory is officially approved by the regional law and is part of the State Heraldic Register of the Russian Federation, in which it is entered under number 3718.
