Where Did the Swastika First Originate (ancient, 1920s, Hitler, European)

[Six Foot Three]

I'm curious as to where the Swastika originated from. I always hear the Nazi's took it from an ancient religion or peoples. Who were they. The Celts or the Druids?? Is it even European or is ir from the East or Africa.

And why that symbol that the Nazi's chose.

6/3

[Thyra]

It is a very ancient symbol...I saw an old blanket from a North American Indian Tribe with the swastika design on it. Something to look into in more depth. Funny how old symbols etc. are sometimes used for evil purposes...

[Thyra]

history1900s.about.com/cs/swastika/ Very informative...

[Haargar]

Originally Posted by 6/3

I'm curious as to where the Swastika originated from. I always hear the Nazi's took it from an ancient religion or peoples. Who were they. The Celts or the Druids?? Is it even European or is ir from the East or Africa.
3

The Swastika originated in Iran (Iran is known as 'home of the Aryans'). The name was changed from Persia to Iran

There is some belief that there was a tribe of Aryans who migrated to both Europe and India and that Hinduism is actually the ancient Aryan religion that was lost in Europe.

Interesting enough both Sanskrit (a language in India) and some European languages share a common ancestor meaning that both regions were settled thousands of years ago by the same peoples (whoever founded the Indo-European language group).

The Swastika is one of the earliest known symbols of the Indo-European peoples.. which is probably why it was used by Hitler as a symbol of the 'Aryan race' and their historic/mythical/whatever symbol.

[fjtee]

The symbol has been used in many cultures and religions. It's a fairly simple symbol and so I don't believe any one culture can claim to have spawned the symbol. Someone surely came up with it first, but it was developed in parallel - I'm basing this on it having shown up in the Americas before "contact."

[nitokenshi]

When I went to japan there were swastikas every where at the temples

[HighlandLady]

Virtually all pagan religions used a swastika of some sort in their symbolism - in relation to the sun.
This site is one of many that explains more, essential most sites I've come across mentioned nearly the same thing:
A History of the Swastika

[Six Foot Three]

Originally Posted by HighlandLady

Virtually all pagan religions used a swastika of some sort in their symbolism - in relation to the sun.
This site is one of many that explains more, essential most sites I've come across mentioned nearly the same thing:
A History of the Swastika

That was a good site HighlandLady......as i see it has been found all around the world including Asia and Africa and even some Native American tribes. Thanks again to all who answered !!!

6/3

[OrionsAngel]

I found a swastika on a Fremont culture rock art panel in Colorado. Those people dissappeared in 1390's , so do you suppose they were Aryan?

[prettybunny]

i read this really old book about the swastika and it said that the symbol origonated from the celts and other religions and tribs saw this symbol and they all used it for good things until hitler got ahold of it in the 1920s and he used it for a sighn of hate kill and murder..... alot of people dont realize where the swastika origonated but i wish everyone would learn because i hate it when i draw a swastika and someone calls me a nazis...