Editing Eagle (section)

==In culture==

[[File:Lin Liang-Eagles.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|''Eagles'', a Chinese Ming period painting; Located at the [[National Palace Museum]]]]

===Etymology===
The modern English term for the bird is derived from {{langx|la|[[wikt:aquila#Latin|aquila]]}} by way of {{langx|fr|[[wikt:aigle#French|aigle]]}}. The origin of {{lang|la|aquila}} is unknown, but it is believed to possibly derive from {{lang|la|[[wikt:aquilus#Latin|aquilus]]}} (meaning dark-colored, swarthy, or blackish) as a reference to the plumage of eagles.

[[Old English]] used the term {{lang|ang|[[wikt:earn#Old English|earn]]}}, related to Scandinavia's ''[[wikt:ørn|ørn]]/[[wikt:örn|örn]]''. It is similar to other [[Indo-European languages|Indo-European]] terms for "bird" or "eagle", including {{langx|el|[[wikt:ὄρνις#Ancient Greek|ὄρνις]]}} ({{transliteration|el|''ornís''}}), {{langx|ru|[[wikt:орёл#Russian|орёл]]}} ({{transliteration|ru|''orël''}}), and {{langx|cy|eryr}}.

In the southern part of [[Finland]], near the [[Gulf of Finland]], is the town of [[Kotka]], which literally means "eagle", while the town of [[L'Aquila]] in the central part of [[Italy]] literally means "the eagle".

[[File: Fountain top.JPG|thumb|left|The sculpture of eagle at the top of the fountain at ''Plac Orła Białego'' in [[Szczecin]], Poland]]
In Britain before 1678, ''eagle'' referred specifically to the [[golden eagle]], with the other native species, the [[white-tailed eagle]], being known as [[wikt:erne#English|''erne'']]. The modern name "golden eagle" for ''aquila chrysaetos'' was introduced by the naturalist [[John Ray]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=TrekNature {{!}} Whitehead eagle Photo |url=https://www.treknature.com/gallery/photo181166.htm |access-date=2022-03-25 |website=www.treknature.com}}</ref>

The village of [[Eagle, Lincolnshire|Eagle]] in [[Lincolnshire]], [[England]], has nothing to do with the bird; its name is derived from the Old English words for "oak" and "wood" (compare ''Oakley'').<ref>{{cite book|last=Reaney|first=P.H.|title=The Origin of English Place Names|edition=1964|publisher=Routledge and Kegan Paul|page=166}}</ref>

===Religion and spirituality===

[[File:Desfile Portela 2014 (906185).jpg|thumb|left|Representation of an eagle at [[Rio Carnival]], 2014]]

[[File: Garuda by Hyougushi in Delhi.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Garuda]], the ''[[vahana]]'' (mount) of [[Vishnu]], depicted with an eagle's beak and wings]]

In the ancient [[Sumerian religion|Sumerian mythology]], the mythical king [[Etana]] was said to have been carried into [[heaven]] by an eagle.<ref name="Horowitz1998">{{cite book|last1=Horowitz|first1=Wayne|title=Mesopotamian Cosmic Geography|date=1998|publisher=Eisenbrauns|location=Winona Lake, Indiana|isbn=0-931464-99-4|pages=43–59|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=P8fl8BXpR0MC&q=Etana+eagle&pg=PA44|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171206144500/https://books.google.com/books?id=P8fl8BXpR0MC&pg=PA44&dq=Etana+eagle&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi55daPqrXXAhVI5YMKHbFHD88Q6AEILzAC#v=onepage&q=Etana%20eagle&f=false|archive-date=6 December 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Classical writers such as [[Lucan]] and [[Pliny the Elder]] claimed that the eagle was able to look directly at the sun, and that they forced their fledglings to do the same. Those that blinked would be cast from the nest. This belief persisted until the [[Medieval era]].<ref>Badke, David. ''[http://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast232.htm The Medieval Bestiary] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122175138/http://bestiary.ca/beasts/beast232.htm |date=22 November 2016 }}''</ref>

The eagle is the patron animal of the [[Ancient Greek religion|ancient Greek god]] [[Zeus]]. In particular, Zeus was said to have taken the form of an eagle in order to abduct [[Ganymede (mythology)|Ganymede]], and there are numerous artistic depictions of the eagle Zeus bearing Ganymede aloft, from Classical times up to the present (see illustrations in the [[Ganymede (mythology)]] page.)<ref>{{cite book |first=John |last=Hutchinson |title=Philosophical and Theological Works of the Late Truly Learned John Hutchinson |author-link=John Hutchinson (writer) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=14tPAAAAYAAJ |year=1749 |publisher=James Hedges |location=London, UK |page=402 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160425203217/https://books.google.com/books?id=14tPAAAAYAAJ |archive-date=25 April 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Eagles appear metaphorically in many translations of the [[Old Testament]]. God is spoken of as carrying Israel on "eagles' wings" in [[Book of Exodus|Exodus]] 19:4, [[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 40:31 compares those who wait on the Lord to flying eagles, and [[Psalm 103]] mentions renewing one's youth "as the eagle". In explaining this rejuvenation, [[Augustine of Hippo]] says in his commentary on the [[Psalms]] that eagles' beaks overgrow as they age and that they break them against rocks to restore them.<ref>[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf108.ii.CIII.html Psalm 103] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150508120622/http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf108.ii.CIII.html |date=8 May 2015 }} in Augustine's commentary.</ref> The translation, however, is uncertain: the word in the Hebrew, [[wiktionary:נשר|נשר]], can also be translated [[vulture]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 11, 2023 |title=Lexicon: Strong's H5404 - nešer |url=https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/h5404/wlc/wlc/0-1/ |website=Blue Letter Bible}}</ref> and is listed alongside specific kinds of vulture in [[Book of Leviticus|Leviticus]]' discussion of [[Kosher animals|unclean animals]].

The eagle is also often used in [[Christianity|Christian]] iconography to represent the [[Gospel of John]],<ref name="CathEnc">Fonck, L. (1910). [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08492a.htm St. John the Evangelist]. In ''The Catholic Encyclopedia'' (New York: Robert Appleton Company). Retrieved 14 August 2017 from New Advent.</ref> and [[Eagle lectern|eagle-shaped lecterns]] are common in [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] and some [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic churches]].<ref name="Delderfield">{{cite book |last=Delderfield |first=Eric R. |title=A Guide to Church Furniture |publisher=David & Charles |year=1966 |location=Newton Abbot}}</ref> The eagle was believed to be able to look directly into the sun in the same way that the Gospel of John looks directly at Jesus' divinity, and the great distances the eagle flies represent the spread of the gospel to the ends of the earth.

The United States [[eagle feather law]] stipulates that only individuals of certifiable [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] ancestry enrolled in a federally recognized tribe are legally authorized to obtain eagle feathers for [[religion|religious]] or [[Spirituality|spiritual]] reasons.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/law/le65.html|title=National Eagle Repository|access-date=20 November 2007|author=Office of Law Enforcement|work= Mountain-Prairie Region|publisher=[[United States Fish and Wildlife Service]] |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071010032432/http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/law/le65.html |archive-date = 10 October 2007}}</ref> In Canada, the [[poaching]] of eagle feathers for the booming U.S. market has sometimes resulted in the arrests of First Nations person for the crime.<ref>{{cite news|first=Lena|last=Sin|title=Charges laid in eagle-poaching case|url=http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=7037508c-70c7-4c47-9d3e-713a118e6b66&k=55151|work=The Province|publisher=CanWest MediaWorks Publications Inc.|date=30 April 2006|access-date=20 November 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090531090255/http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/news/story.html?id=7037508c-70c7-4c47-9d3e-713a118e6b66&k=55151|archive-date=31 May 2009|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The [[Moche (culture)|Moche]] people of ancient [[Peru]] worshiped the eagle and often depicted eagles in their art.<ref>Larco Herrera, Rafael, and Berrin, Kathleen (1997) ''The Spirit of Ancient Peru'' [[Thames and Hudson]], New York, {{ISBN|0500018022}}</ref> The golden eagle was sacred to the [[Aztec mythology|Aztec]] god [[Huitzilopochtli]] while the harpy eagle was sacred to [[Quetzalcoatl]].<ref>de Borhegyi, Carl (30 October 2012). "Evidence of Mushroom Worship in Mesoamerica". The Yucatan Times. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.</ref>

===Heraldry===
{{Main|Eagle (heraldry)}}
{{unreferenced section|date=July 2016}}
[[File:Austria Bundesadler.svg|thumb|left|upright|[[Coat of arms of Austria]].]]
{{multiple image |perrow=1 |image1=Kotka.vaakuna.svg|caption1=Coat of arms of [[Kotka]], [[Finland]]|image2=Greater coat of arms of the United States.svg|caption2=Coat of arms of the United States}}

Eagles are an exceptionally common symbol in heraldry, being considered the "King of Birds" in contrast to the [[lion]], the "King of Beasts".  Whereas the lion (e.g. England) usually represents authority, the eagle is the symbol of power. They are particularly popular in Germanic countries such as Austria, due to their association with the [[Holy Roman Empire]]. The eagle of the Holy Roman Empire was two-headed, supposedly representing the two divisions, [[Eastern Roman Empire|East]] and [[Western Roman Empire|West]], of the old Roman Empire.  This motif, derived from the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) Empire was also adopted by the [[Russian Empire]] and is still featured in the [[Flag of Albania]]. The Roman eagle was preceded by the eagle of [[Ptolemaic Kingdom|Ptolemaic Egypt]] and the [[Achaemenid Empire]]. In the coat of arms of [[Kotka]], Finland, the eagle is depicted carrying an [[anchor]] and the [[caduceus]] on its feet.

Heraldic eagles are most often found ''displayed'', i.e. with their wings and legs extended. They can also occur ''close'', i.e. with their wings folded, or ''rising'', i.e. about to take flight. The heads, wings, and legs of eagles can also be found independently.

Eagles symbolize strength, courage, and independence and are commonly found in the heraldry of many nations across the world. Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Dagestan, Egypt, Germany, Ghana, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Montenegro, Nigeria, Philippines, Poland, Palestine, Panama, Russia, Romania, Serbia, South Sudan, Somaliland, the United States of America, Yemen, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are the nations whose coats of arms feature an eagle. The eagle's continuing significance and worldwide appeal as a forceful symbol in national identity and imagery is demonstrated by its widespread usage.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Noor |first1=Naeem |title=Coat of Arms of the World |url=https://symbolhunt.com/coat-of-arms-world/ |website=symbolhunt.com |date=14 April 2024 |access-date=26 April 2024}}</ref>