The Tree of Vices is a visual metaphor that illustrates the hierarchy and interconnectedness of sins. Without a single originator, it emerged from early Christian theology and the visual culture of the High Middle Ages. Its roots often represent the seven deadly sins, while its branches depict their various manifestations. This particular diagram appears in the Speculum Virginum (Mirror for Virgins), a 12th-century didactic text for nuns attributed to Conrad of Hirsau. It is often paired with a Tree of Virtues. Together they served as tools for moral instruction.