Everyone is familiar with it. Recently it's being used to roast Elon Musk.
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In the present day most Americans, along with much of the Western world, associate the swastika with Adolph Hitler and Nazism. It appears on clothing, in tattoos, and flags flown by the far right.
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For many of us it is the most immediately recognizable symbol of hate, evil, and mass murder.
It didn't used to be that way.
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The swastika may be humanity's oldest symbol, seen around the world and across millennia and cultures. Known by various names and created in varying styles, used for purposes sacred and secular in everything from the holiest of sacred sites to advertising and good luck charms.
There are many different names for it, and different meanings attached to whether the symbol is turned clockwise or counterclockwise. For the purposes of this story, and for simplicity, I'll refer to it as swastika. Overall it was a powerful, positive, and Life-affirming symbol. It remains so for many people around the world.
The earliest known depiction of a swastika was carved on a mammoth ivory bird-woman figurine in what is now Ukraine approximately 15,000 years ago. Such figurines have been found at Paleolithic sites throughout the region; they may have been objects of shamanic/spiritual significance.
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The word "swastika" derives from Sanskrit svastika, "well-being"; the symbol itself being auspicious of health, success, good luck, victory, protection, and prosperity. The swastika has ancient significance in Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist worship. Depictions of the swastika have adorned temples and the homes of the devout for many centuries.
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Swastika imagery appears in older Christian churches and tombs in the form of mosaics, stained glass windows, and other decorations.
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Around the globe the swastika has appeared in jewelry, heraldry, military emblems, clothing, and other items. Its popularity in the Western world as a good luck charm peaked in the early 20th century.
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The swastika was known to Native American tribes. The symbol was especially popular in items made for sale to tourists visiting the American southwest, beginning in the late 1890s.
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I've been collecting Native American jewelry and other arts for decades, and have never seen one of these items in person. They're rare, sought after by serious collectors, and can fetch very high prices at galleries and auctions.
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With the rise of Hitler and the start of World War Two the popularity of the swastika in the Western world declined dramatically. To this day the symbol is illegal outside of artistic and educational contexts in Germany, while restricted or illegal in many other countries. Companies attempting to sell swastika items can face severe backlash, as Shein did in 2020 when they offered a gold tone swastika pendant necklace for $2.50. The listing was quickly removed and an apology issued stating that the item was intended to portray a Buddhist swastika.
There is very much more that could be said about the historical and current use of the swastika, the different meanings attached to it, as well as how and why it was hijacked by Hitler and the Nazis.
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Thank you for reading. This is an open thread, all topics are welcome.