hammer and sickle

Definition

A depiction of a sickle crossed with a hammer, used as a symbol of communism and the Soviet Union.

Etymology

The symbol was developed by Yevgeny Kamzolkin in 1917, based on antetypes like hammer and pick (symbol of mining). The hammer represents workers, while the sickle represents farmers.

Example Sentences

• "He remembers the [train] journeys fondly—the vast expanses of the Soviet empire rolling by, the glasses of tea served in metal cup holders embossed with the hammer and sickle."