The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit roots for “symbol of well-being” and has a long history as a most auspicious symbol. In cultures all over the globe, the swastika (and its “broken cross” variants) appeared in art, architecture, on official seals, and on both decorative and religious objects. It is taken to represent all manner of good fortune, from wealth, fertility, and luck, to the circling sun, the cosmos, and eternity. By the late 19th Century, Western infatuation with “The East” led to a fad in the popularity of the swastika, which was seen as a benign good luck symbol and was popular even in commercial advertising.
Laura Miner
|