Owls

In Ancient Greece the owl was an attribute of the goddess Athena. She was the personification of wisdom, which the owl came to symbolize. In the Middle Ages the owl gained a sinister reputation. Because it is active at night and almost blind by day, the owl became associated with stupidity and shady activities. For medieval Christians the owl could do no right. It became the symbol of Synagogue, the female personification of Judaism. In the 16th and 17th century the bird remained linked to deceit and wickedness. There are images from this period of an owl with spectacles or a burning candle. These attributes underscore its stupidity, for even with them it still cannot see.