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 same remark is to be made about the indifferent use of
the Swastika in association with cross or circle. We have seen many
Swastikas composed of the crossed ogee lines or curves. Figs. 85 and 86
show the same ogee lines and curves not crossed; and thus, while it may be
that neither of them are Swastikas, yet they show a relationship of form
from which the derivation of a Swastika would be easy.
[Illustration: Fig. 83. BICONICAL SPINDLE-WHORL, FLATTENED. Ogee Swastika
with central circle. Third city. Depth, 23 feet. Schliemann, "Ilios," fig.
1987.]
[Illustration: Fig. 84. BICONICAL SPINDLE-WHORL WITH SIX OGEE SWASTIKAS
HAVING CENTRAL CIRCLE AND DOT. Third city. Depth, 23 feet. Schliemann,
"Ilios," fig. 1862.]
[Illustration: Fig. 85. SPHERICAL SPINDLE-WHORL WITH FLATTENED TOP AND
OGEE LINES WHICH DO NOT FORM SWASTIKAS. Schliemann, "Ilios," fig. 1890.]
[Illustration: Fig. 86. BICONICAL SPINDLE-WHORL WITH OGEE CURVES WHICH ARE
NOT CROSSED TO FORM SWASTIKAS. Schliemann, "Ilios," fig. 1889.]
Attention has been called to decorations comprising segments of the
circles incised in these whorls, the periphery of which is toward their
centers (figs. 60, 64, 65, 69, 70, 82 and 83). Also to the mysterious dots
(figs. 46, 56, 75, 76, 77, 79, 84, 92, 96 and 97). Fig. 87 shows a
combination of the segments of three circles, the dots within each, and
two Swastikas. Of the Swastikas, one is normal, turning to the right; the
other turns to the right, but at an obtuse angle, with one end straight
and the other irregularly curved. Fig. 88 represents two sections of a
terra-cotta sphere divided similar to fig. 49. Each of these sections
contains a figure like unto a Swastika and which may be related to it. It
is a circle with arms springing from the periphery, which arms turn all to
the left, as they do in the ogee Swastika. One has seven, the other nine,
arms. One has regular, the other irregular, lines and intervals. Fig. 89
represents a spindle-whorl of terra cotta nearly spherical, with
decoration of a large central dot and lines springing thereout, almost
like the spokes of a wheel, then all turning to the left as volutes. In
some countries this has been called the sun symbol, but there is nothing
to indicate that it had any signification at Hissarlik. One of the marks
resembles the long-backed, four-legged animal (figs. 99 and 100).[148]
Figs. 90, 91, 92, and 93 show a further adaptation of the ogee curve
developed into a Swastika, in which many arms start from the center circle
around the central hole in the whorl, finally taking a spiral form. The
relation of this to a sun symbol is only mentioned and not specified or
declared. The inexplicable and constantly recurring dots are seen in fig.
90.
[Illustration: Fig. 87. SPHERICAL SPINDLE-WHORL, FLATTENED. Two Swastikas
combined with segments and dots. Schliemann, "Ilios," fig. 1988.]
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