Chasing Hares

The three hares is a circular motif which appears in sacred sites from the Far East to the churches of south west England (where it is often referred to as the Tinners’ Rabbits).

The symbol features three hares chasing each other in a circle. Each of the ears is shared by two animals so that only three ears are shown. It has a number of mystical associations and is often associated with fertility and the lunar cycle. However, its precise origins and significance are uncertain, as are the reasons why it appears in such diverse locations.

The earliest occurrences appear to be in cave temples in China, which have been dated to the Sui dynasty (sixth to seventh centuries). The Three Hares also feature in ‘roof bosses’ (carved wooden fixtures) in the ceilings in almost 30 medieval churches in Devon, England (particularly Dartmoor), as well as churches in France and Germany, in 13th century Mongol metal work, and on a copper coin, found in Iran, dated to 1281.
The spread of the Three Hares symbol between 600 and 1500

One theory is that it was brought across Asia as far as the south west of England by merchants travelling the silk road. This view is supported by the early date of the surviving occurrences in China. However the majority of representations of the three hares occur in England and northern Germany. This supports a contrary view that the Three Hares are English or early German symbols.

from Wikipedia