The Symbolism of Rabbits and Hares, by Terri Windling: Summer 2005, Journal of Mythic Arts, Endicott Studio. A medieval church stands at the center of my small village in England’s West Country, and in that church is a strange little carving that has come to be known as the symbol of our town: three hares in a circle, their interlinked ears forming a perfect triangle.
Known locally as the Tinner Rabbits, the design was widely believed to be based on an old alchemical symbol for tin, representing the historic importance of tin mining on Dartmoor nearby. Recently, however, a group of local artists and historians created the Three Hares Project to investigate the symbol’s history. To their surprise, they discovered that the design’s famous tin association is actually a dubious one, deriving from a misunderstanding of an alchemical illustration published in the early 17th century.
In fact, the symbol is much older and farther ranging than early folklorists suspected. Jefferson Airplane - White Rabbit. Pinterest.