Ancient Symbols: The Swastika
We are all painfully aware of the negative Nazi association with this symbol, BUT, we should not forget that this symbol is ancient, it did not start with the Nazi’s and it would be a shame to let it end there, when potentially, analysis could provide a startling insight into human history.
The Swastika is an ancient sacred symbol – upon first glance, the words “Sacred” and “Swastika” seem to contradict each other……we are all painfully aware of the negative Nazi association with this symbol, BUT, we should not forget that this symbol is ancient, it did not start with the Nazi’s and it would be a shame to let it end there, when potentially, analysis could provide a startling insight into human history.
The swastika has been used by many cultures and religions
The Swastika has been attributed with many meanings over time.
Many believe that the symbol originated in the ancient Sumerian civilisation (the cradle of civilisation) 5300 – 1940BC located in modern Southern Iraq – the Swastika symbol has been found on some of the earliest Sumerian pottery ……. but, the earliest discovered use of the Swastika was in and around India during the Neolithic era – the new stone age – 9500 years ago!
The word Swastika is derived from the Sanskrit language – svastika – meaning well being or lucky
In 1925, Coca Cola launched a brass Swastika shaped lucky watch fob promotion
A town in Ontario was named Swastika in 1911 because of a lucky gold strike
In Great Britain the common name given to the Swastika from Anglo-Saxon times … was Fylfot, said to have been derived from the Anglo-Saxon “fower fot”, meaning four-footed, or many-footed.
image source – SWASTIKA STONE ILKLEY – YORKSHIRE
This carved stone on Woodhouse Crag, Ilkley Moor, Yorkshire, England – the carving is thought to date back to the bronze age (2700 – 700 BC).
You may see the swastika symbol regularly – hidden in plain sight – The Microsoft Swastika
The US Navy base in San Diego was required to spend $ 600,000.00 to alter the design of their building in the wake of numerous complaints following the launch of the aerial visualisation tool – Google Earth.
Buddha in Tanzhe Temple in Bejing, China has a swastika on his chest – “A seal on Buddha’s heart”.
In the Buddhist tradition, the Swastika was used to mark the beginning of sacred texts.
Swastika temple image by weinerme on Photobucket
Tangumdae Temple’s shrine in Korea.
Essentially, the Swastika depicts a spinning cross, with the angles at the end of each arm suggesting streaming light as it turns.
Spinning in a clockwise direction is said to represent the male – anticlockwise the female…opposite counterparts of the same entity.
Many scholars have attributed the symbol to be a representation of the sun – However, every time I look at a swastika – I see a spinning spiral armed galaxy – but given the history of this symbol – how could our ancient ancestors know of or have seen a distant galaxy?
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User Comments
Lucas Dié
On May 31, 2009 at 3:38 am
very thorough article, and a very important one!
it is often forgotten that the Nazis perverted many old an ancient things to their use, like the music of Wagner, the old German gods, the use of runes etc.
keep your good work up!
R J Evans
On May 31, 2009 at 10:57 am
Cool article. Hopefully it will help convince people that the symbol is not evil!
Blogged at http://www.webphemera.com2
Sharazad
On May 31, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Fascinating! It’s interesting how a negative connotation can become so strongly attached to something.
Sigh. Nazis ruin everything…
Dreyan
On June 1, 2009 at 11:52 am
I like. Especially the Windows joke.
But some of the images are stretching the screen.
Ha, I almost didn’t see the submit button.
C Jordan
On June 8, 2009 at 10:13 pm
Well researched S. Made fascinating reading,and well done finding all those illustrations. Su’d.
Genius
On July 8, 2009 at 9:29 am
Recently discovered Cypriot swastikas on the base of a rather plain and cheap bowl dating from 400bc surprised? I nearly heiled!!
theSVK
On September 20, 2009 at 6:45 am
good work. was myself thinking about writing an article on this ancient symbol. the negative publicity that this symbol of peace and goodluck received because of the Nazis should be done away with, otherwise its an insult of human traditions and history….
StJohn
On November 19, 2009 at 11:58 pm
The symbol is old indeed but some of these “findings” are
somewhat debatable imo. Especially the photoshopped version of the Microsoft logo.
Sometimes things don’t evolve well. That’s the perfect case of that ancient symbol but why continue using something that evoke negative feelings… just change it.
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