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
[Illustration: Fig. 190. BRONZE FIBULA WITH TWO SWASTIKAS AND SUPPOSED
RAYS Of SUN.[198] Etruria. Copenhagen Museum. Goblet d'Alviella, fig.
19_a_, De Mortillet, "Musée Préhistorique," fig. 1263. 1/4 natural size.]
Bologna was the site of the Roman city Bononia, and is supposed to have
been that of Etruscan Felsina. Its Etruscan cemetery is extensive.
Different names have been given to the excavations, sometimes from the
owner of the land and at other times from the names of excavators. The
first cemetery opened was called Villanova. The culture was different from
that of the other parts of Etruria. By some it is believed to be older, by
others younger, than the rest of Etruria. The Swastika is found throughout
the entire Villanova epoch. Fig. 191 shows a pottery vase from the
excavation Arnoaldi. It is peculiar in shape and decoration, but is
typical of that epoch. The decoration was by stamps in the clay (intaglio)
of a given subject repeated in the narrow bands around the body of the
vase. Two of these bands were of small Swastikas with the ends all turned
to the right. Fig. 192 shows a fragment of pottery from the Felsina
necropolis, Bologna, ornamented with a row of Swastikas stamped into the
clay in a manner peculiar to the locality.
[Illustration: Fig. 191. POTTERY URN ORNAMENTED WITH SUCCESSIVE BANDS IN
INTAGLIO, TWO OF WHICH ARE COMPOSED OF SWASTIKAS. Necropolis Arnoaldi,
Bologna. Museum of Bologna. Gozzadini, "Scavi Archæologici," etc., pl. 4,
fig. 8.]
[Illustration: Fig. 192. FRAGMENT OF POTTERY WITH ROW OF SWASTIKAS IN
INTAGLIO. Necropole Felsinea, Italy. Museo Bologna. Gozzadini, "Due
Sepolcri," etc., p. 7. 1/2 natural size.]
[Illustration: Fig. 193. SWASTIKA SIGN ON CLAY BOBBIN. Type Villanova,
Bologna. De Mortillet, "Musée Préhistorique," fig. 1239.]
Fig. 193 shows the end view of one of the bobbins from Bologna, Italy, in
the possession of Count Gozzadini by whom it was collected. The decoration
on the end, as shown by the figure, is the Swastika. The main arms are
made up of three parallel lines, which intersect each other at right
angles, and which all turn to the right at right angles. The lines are not
incised, as is usual, but, like much of the decoration belonging to this
culture, are made by little points consecutively placed, so as to give the
appearance of a continuous line.
Swastikas turning both ways are on one or both extremities of many
terra-cotta cylinders found in the terramare at Coazze, province of
Verona, deposited in the National (Kircheriano) Museum at Rome. (See figs.
380 and 381 for similar bobbins.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account