The anchor on the university's seal highlights the university's close connection to the city of Aarhus, in that it is the symbol of St. Clement, the patron saint of the town. The dolphins symbolise swiftness and proficiency. The seal is ringed by the university's motto: Solidum petit in profundis ("Seek a firm footing in the depths"). The seal, which may very well have been inspired by the bookmark used by Italian printer Aldus Manutius from 1502, where a single dolphin is entwined with an anchor, was designed by Gudmund Holme in 1934 and has since been updated on a number of occasions, although there have been no alterations to the fundamental features and composition.
 The seal of the University of Aarhus - the original together with the modified versions from 1950, 1988 and 1996, respectively. The 1950 modification of Gudmund Holme's original 1934 seal is presumed to be the work of Professor Franz Blatt while Thora Fisker was responsible for the 1988 version and Teit Weylandt for the most recent in 1997. |
