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
The specimen represented in fig. 76 is not a spindle-whorl, as shown by
the number and location of the holes. It bears a good representation of a
Swastika the form of which has been noticed several times. The two main
arms cross each other at nearly right angles. The ends of the arms all
bend to the right at a slightly obtuse angle and turn outward with a
flourish somewhat after the style of the Jain Swastika (fig. 34_c_). Fig.
77 represents a spindle-whorl with a Swastika of the ogee style curved to
the right. The center hole of the whorl forms the center of the sign. The
figure is of double lines, and in the interspaces are four dots, similar
to those in figs. 96-98, and others which Dr. Schliemann reports as
common, and to which he attributes some special but unknown meaning.
Swastikas and crosses of irregular shape and style are shown in the field
of fig. 78. Two fairly well formed Swastikas appear, both of the ogee
style, with the ends curved to the right. One is of the style resembling
the figure 8 (see figs. 60 and 64). Two others are crudely and irregularly
formed, and would scarcely be recognized as Swastikas except for their
association. Fig. 79 represents uncertain and malformed Swastikas. The
arms are bent in different directions in the same line. Two of the main
arms are not bent. The inexplicable dots are present, and the field is
more or less covered with unmeaning or, at least, unexplained marks. Fig.
80 also illustrates the indefinite and inchoate style of decoration. One
unfinished Swastika appears which, unlike anything we have yet seen, has a
circle with a dot in the center for the body of the Swastika at the
crossing of the main arms. Fig. 81 shows two Swastikas, both crossing
their main arms at right angles and the ends bending also at right
angles--one to the right, the other to the left. This specimen is inserted
here because of the numerous decorations of apparently unmeaning, or, at
least, unexplained, lines. Fig. 82 shows four segmented circles with an
indefinite Swastika in one of the spaces. The ends are not well turned,
only one being well attached to the main arms. One of the ends is not
joined, one overruns and forms a sort of cross; the other has no bend.
Fig. 83 contains an unmistakable Swastika, the main arms of which cross at
right angles, turning to the left with an ogee curve. The peculiarity of
this specimen is that the center of the sign is inclosed in a circle, thus
showing the indifference of the Swastika sign to other signs, whether
cross or circle. The outer parts of the field are occupied with the
parallel lines of the circle segment, as shown in many other specimens.
The specimen shown in fig. 84 is similar in style to the last. The bodies
of six Swastikas are formed by a circle and dot, while the arms of the
cross start from the outside of the circle, extending themselves in
curves, all of them to the right. (See fig. 13_d_.) It has no other
ornamentation.
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