From the Nordic vikings in Scandinavia to the far South Eastern aborginals in Australia and from the eastern peoples of Asia to the pharaohs of Egypt. And through the Greeks and Romans in the mediteranean sea to the African tribes from the North to the South, and from the North native tribes in America to the South western tribes in south America, worldwide, they all believed that everything in nature possesses a spirit or a soul.
The spirits of the trees, mountains, rivers, rocks, winds, thunders, volcanoes, earthquakes..or the sun and the moon were all personified.
A human personification of these natural elements. In many cultures, the sun for eg: is a masculine entity and the moon is feminine.
From that point, deities, gods and goddesses came into folks' existence.
Because nature provides a rich amalgam of symbols to all people; the sun and moon and the stars are still seen as highly symbolic, because of their particular nature and by how they affect every aspect of human lives.
The moon's gravity for example influences the waters, controlling the flow of tides, and it even controls human mood or blood pressure when they used to believe in ancient Rome that its gravity controls madness of their citizens.
Greek and Roman, or Persian and Mesopotamian or Mayan and Aztec civilizations and else used their own calendar and gone further by giving names and attributes to planetes and stars according to their pagan beliefs and superstitions.
In all cultures confounded, symbols grow in meaning and complexity throughout ages, but the mainly worldwide matter that have remained constant, is fertility, both of the human race and of the soil, like birth, life, and death.
Associated with life, the pine tree symbolizes immortality. In Japan
it has come to signify strength of character and vital energy, due to its ability to withstand with strong winds. Either to the Greeks or to the Romans, it symbolize fertility.
Associated with death, the beech tree is sacred in the Roman mythology. It represents prosperity, divination, and immortality. Because of its leathery leaves, the beech symbolizes endurance. It's the emblem of Denmark.
#Side note: Roman empire took everything from the people he conquered. Their architecture, their way of life, their gods and goddesses except foods, clothing, gladiator and joust.#
Although the symbolism of a particular image may vary from place to place. The forest, for eg: is symbolic of retreat and meditation to many Asians. However, in the West, the forest tends to be a sinister place, gathering dangerous animals and robbers, and shadows representing the dark places of the unconscious.
Other example, the cat, to many, has always been a domesticated animal, used to kill rats and mice, however something in the cat's nature and appearance has given it associations with the night, mystery, and mysticism. Now considered luck in many places, black cats were once associated with witchcraft. In ancient Egypt cats were worshipped and mummified like people.
