A new stamp issue today will celebrate the Island's national symbol - the Three Legs of Man.
Isle of Man Post says the series of stamps .. with values from 5p to ?2 . . . will reveal a pictorial history of the unusual emblem which is to be seen everywhere around the Island.
According to the Post Office, for upwards of a thousand years and probably more, the Three Legs of Man has been the symbol of Manxness yet the origin remains uncertain.
In Ireland, stylistic spiral three legs were carved in stone in Neolithic times and throughout the world the mythology of threes has played a significant role, notably in India, China, Korea, ancient Greece and Rome – and among native North Americans.
Perhaps its not surprising then that the Manx Parliament consists of three divisions – the House of Keys, Legislative Council and Tynwald.
A Latin motto accompanies the Island’s Three Legs of Man ‘Quocunque Jeceris Stabit’ which emphasises the Island’s resilience. Translations have varied – Wheresoever you cast it, it will find its feet or Whithersoever you throw it, it will stand, but the meaning has remained clear: no matter how ‘storm-tossed’ the Island might be, it can survive.
Researching your Manx family history can be a very interesting and rewarding hobby. Trace your roots in the Isle of Man with our helpful of guide.
