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Information about symbols used in The Lord of the Rings starting with the letter S.

Star

A five-pointed star is the most widely used military symbol. It is also used in relation to Venus, the morning star and the goddess of war. The gold star is often used to denote rank. The more stars you have, the higher rank you are, etc.

With the influence of war and battle on The Lord of the Rings, it's not suprising to see the star symbolism appear. Although I'm certain this was inadvertent, and I don't believe stars were used in military ranks in the story, I found it funny when I learned this. Elves love the stars more then anything else, and they participated in battle quite a lot, including the first defeat of Sauron with the Last Alliance.

Swan

Swan are commonly used throughout mythology, fables, and the like. Some famous swan-related stories, myths, and fables would be The Ugly Duckling, The Children of Lir, the constellation Cygnus, as well as the operas Parsifal and Lohengrin.

Swans are often seen as a representation of love or fidelity, because of their long-lasting monogamist relationships. It could also come from the heart shape commonly seen when two swans are beak-to-beak.

It was believed that upon death, a Mute swan would sing beautifully, which is where the term "swan song" comes from. It has also been said that if one was to shoot a swan, the shooter would die as well.

Another common folktale involves swan maidens, who are female shapeshifters that can switch between swan and human form. The common story is of a swan maiden who loses her powers and is forced to marry a human man.

Swans are feautred prominently in places such as Lothlórien, where Galadriel's boat is in a swan shape. This possibly relates to her long life, tying in to those long-lasting relationships. Alternatively, it could relate to the fading of the Elves, and Galadriel's long exile from Valinor (like a swan maiden losing her power). In the books, a black swan flies overhead while the Fellowship is traveling down the Anduin, which possibly relates to the danger facing Middle-earth: black for danger, and a swan due to the fading among so many things in the world (Elves, Ents, etc.).