Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-07
WORLDS OLDEST SYMBOL IS LATEST FAD.
MODERN USE OF THIS ANCIENT GOODLUCK SIGN.
SWASTIKA,

Copyright 1907, by John Elfreth watkins)
yHE "swastika" fad which lately
started In France, Is now sweep
ing over America from the At
lantio to the Pacific Everywhere
we are seeing this oldest OF known
symbols on scarfpins, hatpins, belt buckles
pocketbooks, embroideries, pottery ana
what not In the revival OF this myster1-
Gus design history is oddly repeating itself.
II was the fad of the primitive decorators
of the bronze and iron ages In Europe,
Asia, Africa and America long before MS
tory dawned, and now. after q hiatus OF
countless millenniums. 1t again takes the
lead in human preference.
Although this prehistoric symbol is now
seen everywhere in the land and Is being
worn by hundreds of thousands of people,
only a small percentage of its beholders
or of its wearers. even. can 80 much as
name It. AS to its origin, no one KNOWS
that-not even OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES who nave
spent lifetimes in endeavoring to fathom
it's mysteries. II was invented long before
history dawned and had reached the new
world long before Columbus, or even Lief
Ericsson. had put foot upon American soil.
The swastika is cross whose four
arms, of equal length, are bent at right
left. Although the symbol has been called
by many names In many lands, nearly all
countries have now accepted for 1t the
ancient Sanskrit name "swastika.' a
word which illustrated the sounds of the
letter A in Sanskrit grammar. In the esti-
nation OF various writers 1t has been re-
speCtively the emblem of the sun, rain, sky
and fire gods of various primitive peoples;
of zeus. the ruling god of the Greeks, and,
In some primitive religions, of the great
God. the Maker and Ruler of the universe
II has also been variously held to SymboliZe
light. the forked lightning and water. 1t
is believed by some to be the oldest symbol
of the Aryan peoples, while in the eSuna-
ton of others 1t represents Brahma. 1t
appears IN the footprints of Buddha, en-
graved upon the solid rock on the noun
tans of India. It was also used in con-
nection with Jupiter. the ruling god of the
Romans. and with the Scandinavian diety.
Thor. But at all times the swastika ap-
pears to have been a charm or amulet,
sign of benedictien. blessing, long life,
good fortune or good luck.
For what Is known about the swastika to-
day the world Is chiefly indebted to DR..
Thomas Wilson of Washington, who until
his recent death was curator of prehistoric
anthropology in the United States National
Museum. He made an exhaustive study OF
its migrations. and before he announced his
results not even the word "Swastika' ap-
peared In either Webster's or Worcester's
dictionaries. while but one OF our popular
encyclopedias had a reference to it, and
that was erroneous. DR.. Wilson found the
insignia in the antiquities of Persia and
Egypt. of the prehistoric bronze age in
Europe and of all the countries of the ex-
IRENE orient From these most ancient
habitations OF man he traced it into Africa
and America.
Was on the Breast Of Buddha.
In Japan 1t was found on statues Of
Buddha one of which had eight such en-
blems upon its bronze pedestal He also
found that the Japanese employed 1t on
their porcelains and bronzes. He discovered
It on articles from Korea, China. Thibet and
India. During a visit to the Chinese lega-
ton in Washington he found 1t on the state
robes of one of the attaches and was told
that in the Chinese language 1t indicated
many" "a great number'-fguratively
long life many years" Through the
Chinese minister he received abstracts from
historical Chinese works the origin Of
the emblem In China. Among these was the
work of an ancient Buddhist priest descrtb-
ing the original Buddha as having the
Swastika mark on his breast. He received
through the legation series Of India ink
drawings illustrating the symbol used in
this way, also a sign for the sun, etc.
According to this data 1t was the practice