Where did the swastika symbol originate?

Question

Someone told me it was a Native American symbol before the Nazis stole it.

Answer 1

The swastika is an ancient religious symbol of luck and prosperity with a remarkably diverse history. Its name comes from the Sanskrit "svasti," meaning well-being. It dates back over 3,000 years, and has adorned Indian textiles, Buddhist temples, Native American clothing, and coins from the ancient Greek city of Troy.
The ubiquity of the swastika before its appropriation by the Nazis seems jarring today. At the turn of the century, it was used by Coca Cola and the Boy Scouts. During World War I, it could be found on the patches of the American 45th Air Division.

By the time Hitler chose the swastika as the symbol of the Nazi Party in 1935, it was a common symbol that had been already seen in various Germanic and nationalistic contexts. In terms of propaganda, it was a textbook example of appropriating a well-known brand. Many Native American tribes renounced the symbol after it became associated with Hitler.

The swastika's exact origins are difficult to determine. It has been described as a Greek cross with its arms bent at right angles. Others note its symbolism of the four cardinal directions. It's a universal geometric form that symbolizes celestial and terrestrial elements

Answer 2

The swastika is an ancient symbol that has been used for over 3,000 years. (That even predates the ancient Egyptian symbol, the Ankh!) Artifacts such as pottery and coins from ancient Troy show that the swastika was a commonly used symbol as far back as 1000 BCE.

Though it is not known for exactly how long, Native Americans also have long used the symbol of the swastika.

Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck.

Answer 3

The swastika is an extremely powerful symbol. The Nazis used it to murder millions of people, but for centuries it had positive meanings. What is the history of the swastika? Does it now represent good or evil?

The Oldest Known Symbol

The swastika is an ancient symbol that has been used for over 3,000 years. (That even predates the ancient Egyptian symbol, the Ankh!) Artifacts such as pottery and coins from ancient Troy show that the swastika was a commonly used symbol as far back as 1000 BCE.

During the following thousand years, the image of the swastika was used by many cultures around the world, including in China, Japan, India, and southern Europe. By the Middle Ages, the swastika was a well known, if not commonly used, symbol but was called by many different names.

Answer 4

Sanskrit svástika स्वास्तिक ) is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing (卐) or left-facing (卍) forms. The term is derived from Sanskrit svasti, meaning well-being. The Thai greeting sawasdee is from the same root, carrying the same implication.

It is a widely-used symbol in Dharmic religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism). Hindus often decorate the swastika with a dot in each quadrant. In India, it is common enough to be a part of several Devanagari fonts. It is also a symbol in the modern unicode. It is often imprinted on religious texts, marriage invitations, decorations etc. It is used to mark religious flags in Jainism and to mark Buddhist temples in Asia.

Archaeological evidence of swastika shaped ornaments goes back to the Neolithic period. In 1920 the swastika was appropriated as a Nazi symbol, and has since then become a controversial motif as a consequence. In the Western world, it is this usage as a symbol of Nazism that is most familiar, and this political association has largely eclipsed its historical status in the East.

Answer 5

From: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

The swastika (from Sanskrit svástika स्वास्तिक ) is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing (卐) or left-facing (卍) forms. The term is derived from Sanskrit svasti, meaning well-being. The Thai greeting sawasdee is from the same root, carrying the same implication.

It is a widely-used symbol in Dharmic religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism). Hindus often decorate the swastika with a dot in each quadrant. In India, it is common enough to be a part of several Devanagari fonts. It is also a symbol in the modern unicode. It is often imprinted on religious texts, marriage invitations, decorations etc. It is used to mark religious flags in Jainism and to mark Buddhist temples in Asia.

Archaeological evidence of swastika shaped ornaments goes back to the Neolithic period. In 1920 the swastika was appropriated as a Nazi symbol, and has since then become a controversial motif as a consequence. In the Western world, it is this usage as a symbol of Nazism that is most familiar, and this political association has largely eclipsed its historical status in the East.

Answer 6

The swastika symbol originated from a Hindu religious symbol. The difference between the two symbols is in the way that the points face, one faces left, one faces right. Hitler used this symbol because he interpreted it as a symbol for the Aryan race. Thousands of years ago, the first inhabitants of the Indus (Hindu region) were light skinned, with more Anglo like features. Indians today, still have the most facial/feature similarities between white caucassians than any other group.

There is a lot of history involved in the swastika (it goes by another name-i forget) in Hindu civilization, but it is a prominent and well known symbol, much like the OM. I believe, and correct me if I'm wrong, that the Hindu version is a symbol of fortune/auspiciousness.

Hope this helps!

-George

Answer 7

The swastika (from Sanskrit svástika स्वास्तिक ) is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing (卐) or left-facing (卍) forms. The term is derived from Sanskrit svasti, meaning well-being. The Thai greeting sawasdee is from the same root, carrying the same implication.

It is a widely-used symbol in Dharmic religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism). Hindus often decorate the swastika with a dot in each quadrant. In India, it is common enough to be a part of several Devanagari fonts. It is also a symbol in the modern unicode. It is often imprinted on religious texts, marriage invitations, decorations etc. It is used to mark religious flags in Jainism and to mark Buddhist temples in Asia.

Archaeological evidence of swastika shaped ornaments goes back to the Neolithic period. In 1920 the swastika was appropriated as a Nazi symbol, and has since then become a controversial motif as a consequence. In the Western world, it is this usage as a symbol of Nazism that is most familiar, and this political association has largely eclipsed its historical status in the East.

Answer 8

Dictionary
1 : a symbol or ornament in the form of a Greek cross with the ends of the arms extended at right angles all in the same rotary direction
2 : a swastika used as a symbol of anti-Semitism or of Nazism

I heard the the Swastika was used in Germany and meant peace before the Nazis took it

Answer 9

In antiquity, the swastika was used extensively by the Indo-Aryans, Hittites, Celts and Greeks, among others. In particular, the swastika is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism — religions with millions of adherents worldwide, making the swastika ubiquitous in both historical and contemporary society. Recent discoveries have shown that Indus Valley Civilization also used the swastika symbol.

Answer 10

The swastika has been around for thousands of years. (check link below) It was used by lots of cultures before the nazis co-opted it. It was seen as a symbol of good before it became (to our eyes) a symbol of hatred and evil.

In the Starbucks HQ building downtown there is a photo essay of the Sears building (where SB is housed) There is a photograph from around 1921 of the parking lot of Sears. In the background you can see, quite clearly, a billboard for 'Swastika Soda.' Sounds like a sick joke today, but it's really there.