Is this a swastika-style logo?

[Gamerprinter]

I've read where the swastika design may have been derived from the visual in the sky of a particular comet passing overhead - fifteen hundred years ago (roughly) a comet with four points ejecting gas and debris as it spun over the sky and looked very much like a swastika. Ancient Chinese astronomic records show a drawing of this swastika-like comet. I'm not saying that all swastika designs are from this, but it's very likely as it was witnessed all over the world by ancient peoples at the time - and subsequently remembered as an iconic symbol.

[zaphodeist]

It would explain why the symbol seems to be known planet wide, though why a spectacular visitation like that would be remembered for peace and balance is a puzzle. Later comets - 1066 for instance - were harbingers of war. Fascinating though, isn't it :-)

[pauland]

Ironically, the BBC is showing at this moment, a programme about the history of the Swastika - particularly the Hindu relationship to the Swastika. Excellent programme.

[zaphodeist]

Thanks for that Pauland, I'll watch it on iPlayer

[Rik]

I had always thought that the Indian symbol went in one direction (representing peace).
And I thought that Hitler had turned it round the other way (some thinking that it then represented evil).

But, from what I can find out, the German Swastika was pointing one way on one arm, and pointing the other way, on the other arm.

Maybe some expert can give me more information on this?

[zaphodeist]

They are all pointing clockwise, or less frequently all anti-clockwise, that's one of the main concepts about it ... it's wheeling for eternity [that's one interpretation anyway]

[Gare]

I've seen inadvertent symbolism that resembles a swastika a lot more closely than the Manchester piece, and I personally/professionally shudder every time I create a kaleidoscopic image (with a texture maker) that even comes close to the symbol Hitler lifted from our Native Americans.

As I try to err on the side of caution, I also feel a little constrained when I swing to the opposite extreme of being PC and having sensitivity to any people on this planet, because there are those who will read the worst into everything.

-g

[Cloud]

When you look into this and then look at all the unconnected places which have this symbol going back thousands of years there has to be a progenitor (if you can use that word for a symbol) for such a symbol to be independently create by so many unconnected cultures is not a coincidence, If we look at the biological history of the world:

Around 70-80,000 years ago a group of around 200 individuals left the horn of africa, crossed the red sea (when the sea level was far lower and much like a marsh) into the area of yemen and then spread throughout the middle east, europe, south east asia, siberia, australia and the americas. This is a biological fact and more and more archaeological evidence is turning up every year to support this.

It could be that this symbol has existed since the time of the early migrations, perhaps it was the symbol of the tribe which left africa.

[Gare]

Thanks for the info, skech, and the insights.

Although tribes crossing continents and thus "pollinating" culture to other global areas, independent invention can certainly be documented, too: I read of a story that a fellow was rescued after a decade on an island, and in that time he'd invented the U.S. Postal Zip Code, although it had been in-place while he was marooned.

As Gary P. mentioned, the earliest clear, and valid documentation that the Nazi Swastika was appropriated by Hitler and simple mirrored horizontally.

Albert Einstein said, "Creativity is knowing how to hide your source."

With the web, every day that gets harder, eh?

My Best,

Gary

[a4hire]

It's a Buddhist symbol.