Symbols on the Great Seal of the United States The two sides of the Great Seal are composed of natural and cultural symbols that combine to create a dynamic design whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts. OBVERSE SIDE American Bald Eagle Olive Branch Bundle of 13 Arrows Shield Constellation of 13 Stars Glory breaking through a Cloud Watch America's two sides unite. REVERSE SIDE Pyramid Eye of Providence MDCCLXXVI Read the official 1782 description of the Great Seal and the explanation of its symbolism. Other Pages in the Symbols Section The eagle on the Great Seal has always faced the olive branch, but not the eagle on the Seal of the President. The 13 stars on the first American flag may have influenced the traditional hexagram shape of the Great Seal's constellation of stars. Ben Franklin suggests other symbols of America: The Rattlesnake and the Wild Turkey. Thirteen – America's number The Great Pyramid symbolizes strength and duration. Walt Whitman muses about America unfinished. Other Sections of GreatSeal.com Preliminary Designs suggested by three committees Myth and Misinformation about the Great Seal Mottoes on the Seal's two sides Front page overview