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:
Though it is not known for exactly how long, Native Americans also have long used the symbol of the swastika.
The Original Meaning
The word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit
svastika - "su" meaning "good," "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix.
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.
Even in the early twentieth century, the swastika was still a symbol
with positive connotations. For instance, the swastika was a common
decoration that often adorned cigarette cases, postcards,
coins, and buildings. During
World War I,
the swastika could even be found on the shoulder patches of the
American 45th Division and on the Finnish air force until after World
War II.
