The Swastika, the Earliest Known Symbol, and Its Migration: With Observations on the Migration of Certain Industries in Prehistoric TimesWilson, Thomas
Religion
The Swastika, the Earliest Known Symbol, and Its Migration: With Observations on the Migration of Certain Industries in Prehistoric Times
Wilson, Thomas
Industries, Primitive; Swastikas; Symbolism
arranged in a square; outside of this, still at the top, are two
triangular pieces, and outside of them are two more circles and dots;
while the lower part of the triangle, with certain decorations of incised
lines, completes the garment. This decoration is the same on both figures,
and corresponds exactly with the Buddha figure. An ornament is suspended
on the breast which shows three more of the circles and dots. The earring
is still another. The right-hand figure, so far as it can be seen, is a
duplicate of the left, and in the drawing it has, where destroyed, been
indicated by dotted lines. It is remarkable that the peculiar clothing or
decoration of these two figures should be almost an exact reproduction of
the Buddha figure (pl. 10). Another interesting feature of the design is
the highly conventionalized wing which fills the space beneath the
uplifted arm. This wing is unlike the usual specimens of aboriginal art
which have been found in such profusion in that neighborhood. But it is
again remarkable that this conventionalized wing and the bracelets,
anklets, and garters should correspond in all their peculiarities of
construction and design with the wings on the copper and shell figures
from the Etowah mound, Georgia (figs. 240, 241, and 242)[253]. Behind the
left-hand figure is an ornament resembling the spreading tail of an eagle
which, with its feather arrangement and the detail of their mechanism,
correspond to a high degree with the eagle effigies in repoussé copper
(fig. 243) from the mound in Union County, Ill., shown in the Fifth
Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology (p. 105) and in the Twelfth
Annual Report (p. 309).
[Illustration: Fig. 240. COPPER PLATE. Entowah Mound, Georgia. Fifth
Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, fig. 42. Cat. No. 91113, U. S.
N. M.]
[Illustration: Fig. 241. COPPER PLATE. Repoussé work. Entowah Mound,
Georgia. Cat. No. 91117, U. S. N. M.]
[Illustration: Fig. 242. ENGRAVED SHELL. Triangular breech-clout with dots
and circles. Entowah Mound, Georgia. Cat. No. 91443, U. S. N. M.]
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