The Symbol of the Deathly Hallows

• Type: Symbol, Glyph
• Owners: Associated with the Peverell family, Gellert Grindelwald, Albus Dumbledore, and believers in the Quest for the Hallows such as Xenophilius Lovegood.
• Maker: Unknown; originates from the legend of the Three Brothers.

The symbol is a simple geometric design composed of three elements. It features a vertical line and a circle enclosed within a triangle. Each component represents one of the three Deathly Hallows.

• The triangle represents the Cloak of Invisibility.
• The circle within the triangle represents the Resurrection Stone.
• The vertical line that bisects the circle and triangle represents the Elder Wand.

Hermione Granger initially describes it as a “triangular eye” when she first sees it in The Tales of Beedle the Bard.

While the symbol itself does not possess active magical properties like the objects it represents, its primary function is as a sigil for recognition. It allows those who believe in and are searching for the Deathly Hallows to identify one another. Xenophilius Lovegood wore a necklace bearing the symbol to the wedding of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour in the hopes of meeting other believers. He explained to Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger that wearing the symbol is a way of “making your allegiance known.” The symbol was also appropriated by the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald, who adopted it as his personal mark during his rise to power. For Grindelwald and his followers, it symbolised their quest for dominance over Muggles “for the greater good.” He carved the symbol into a wall at the Durmstrang Institute. Because of its association with Grindelwald, the symbol is considered a mark of Dark Magic in certain parts of the wizarding world, particularly by those, like Viktor Krum, who suffered under Grindelwald's regime.

The symbol's origins are ancient, stemming from the legend of the Peverell brothers as detailed in The Tale of the Three Brothers by Beedle the Bard. The three brothers—Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus Peverell—were the first owners of the Deathly Hallows, and the symbol was created to represent their legendary artifacts. In their youth, Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald were obsessed with the Hallows and planned to use them to lead a wizarding revolution. They adopted the symbol as the mark of their alliance. After their falling out, Grindelwald continued to use the symbol as his own. His notoriety tainted the symbol's original meaning, causing it to be mistaken for a dark mark by many, including Viktor Krum. Harry Potter first encounters the symbol in the copy of The Tales of Beedle the Bard bequeathed to Hermione Granger by Dumbledore. He later sees it on the gravestone of Ignotus Peverell in Godric's Hollow and worn by Xenophilius Lovegood. This recurring mystery eventually leads the trio to understand the existence and history of the Hallows.

The symbol is a central mystery in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Its gradual reveal provides the narrative framework for introducing the Deathly Hallows into the plot. It serves as a key clue left by Dumbledore, guiding Harry and his friends toward a deeper understanding of his past and the nature of power. The dual meaning of the symbol—a sign for seekers of the Hallows and a mark of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald—creates conflict and misunderstanding, notably at the wedding when Viktor Krum confronts Xenophilius Lovegood about it. Ultimately, understanding the symbol and the legend behind it forces Harry to confront a major choice: whether to pursue the Hallows for power, as Voldemort and Grindelwald did, or to focus on his mission to destroy the Horcruxes. This internal conflict is a crucial part of his character development in the final book.

• In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, the meaning of the symbol is explained by Hermione Granger via a beautifully animated sequence that visually narrates The Tale of the Three Brothers. (film)
• J.K. Rowling has stated that the resemblance of the symbol to the Masonic square and compasses is a coincidence, explaining that she sees it as a depiction of a “human eye” but that she was doodling it for a long time before she attached specific meaning to its components. (J.K. Rowling interview)
• The symbol has become one of the most iconic and recognisable images from the *Harry Potter* franchise, widely adopted by fans for tattoos and merchandise. (Pottermore)