Swastika(Sanskrit. स्वस्तिक from Sanskrit. स्वस्ति, svasti, greeting, wish of good luck) - a cross with curved ends (“rotating”), directed either clockwise (this is the movement of the earth around the sun) or counterclockwise.

(Old Indian svastika, from su, lit. “connected with good”), one of the most archaic symbols, found already in images of the Upper Paleolithic, in the ornaments of many peoples in different parts of the world.

The swastika is one of the most ancient and widespread graphic symbols. “The swastika symbol crystallizes from the diamond-meander design that first appeared in Upper Paleolithic, and then inherited by almost all peoples of the world." The oldest archaeological finds depicting a swastika date back to approximately 25-23 millennium BC (Mezin, Kostenki, Russia).

The swastika was used by many peoples of the world - it was present on weapons, everyday items, clothing, banners and coats of arms, and was used in the decoration of churches and houses.
The swastika as a symbol has many meanings, for most peoples they are positive. For most ancient peoples, the swastika was a symbol of the movement of life, the Sun, light, and prosperity.

Celtic Stone of Kermaria, 4th century BC

In the 20th century, the swastika (German: Hakenkreuz) became famous as a symbol of Nazism and Hitler’s Germany, and in Western culture strongly associated with the Hitlerite regime and ideology.

History and significance

The word "swastika" is a composite of two Sanskrit roots: सु, su, "good, good" and अस्ति, asti, "life, existence", that is, "well-being" or "well-being". There is another name for the swastika - “gammadion” (Greek γαμμάδιον), consisting of four Greek letters “gamma”. The swastika is considered not only as a solar symbol, but also as a symbol of the fertility of the earth. This is one of the ancient and archaic solar signs - an indicator of the visible movement of the Sun around the Earth and the division of the year into four parts - four seasons. The sign records two solstices: summer and winter - and the annual movement of the Sun. Has the idea of ​​four cardinal directions, centered around an axis. The swastika also implies the idea of ​​​​moving in two directions: clockwise and counterclockwise. Like “Yin” and “Yang”, a dual sign: rotating clockwise symbolizes male energy, counterclockwise - female. In ancient Indian scriptures, a distinction is made between male and female swastikas, which depict two female and also two male deities.

White glazed mesh covered eagle nut, Yi Dynasty

The swastika is found in the culture of the peoples of many countries around the world: in the symbolism of Ancient Egypt, in Iran, in Russia, in the ornaments of different communities. One of the oldest forms of the swastika is Asia Minor and is an ideogram of the four cardinal directions in the form of a figure with four cross-shaped curls. Even in the 7th century BC, images similar to the swastika were known in Asia Minor, consisting of four cross-shaped curls - the rounded ends are signs of cyclic movement. There are interesting coincidences in the image of Indian and Asia Minor swastikas (points between the branches of the swastika, jagged thickenings at the ends). Other early forms of the swastika - a square with four plant-like curves at the edges - are a sign of earth, also of Asia Minor origin. The swastika was understood as a symbol of the four main forces, the four cardinal directions, the elements, the seasons and the alchemical idea of ​​the transformation of elements.

In the cultures of countries

The swastika is one of the most archaic sacred symbols, found already in the Upper Paleolithic among many peoples of the world. India, ancient Rus', China, Ancient Egypt, the Mayan state in Central America - this is the incomplete geography of this symbol. Swastika symbols were used to designate calendar signs back in the days of the Scythian kingdom. The swastika can be seen on old Orthodox icons. The swastika is a symbol of the Sun, good luck, happiness, and creation (“correct” swastika). And, accordingly, the swastika in the opposite direction symbolizes darkness, destruction, the “night Sun” among the ancient Russians. As can be seen from ancient ornaments, in particular on jugs found in the vicinity of Arkaim, both swastikas were used. It has deep meaning. Day follows night, light follows darkness, rebirth follows death - and this is the natural order of things in the Universe. Therefore, in ancient times there were no “bad” and “good” swastikas - they were perceived in unity.

The first swastika drawings appeared on early stage composition of the symbolism of Western Asian Neolithic cultures. Swastika-like figure 7 thousand BC. from Asia Minor consists of four cruciform scrolls, i.e. signs of vegetation, and, obviously, represents one of the variants of the ideogram of the concept “four cardinal directions”. The memory that the swastika once symbolized the four directions of the world is recorded in medieval Muslim manuscripts, and has also been preserved to this day among American Indians. Another swastika-like figure, dating back to the early stage of the Asia Minor Neolithic, consists of the Earth sign (a square with a dot) and four plant-like appendages adjacent to it. It seems that in this kind of composition one should see the origin of the swastika - in particular, its version with rounded ends. The latter is confirmed, for example, by the ancient Cretan swastika, combined with four plant elements.

This symbol was found on clay vessels from Samarra (the territory of modern Iraq), which date back to the 5th millennium BC. The swastika in levorotatory and dextrorotatory forms is found in the pre-Aryan culture of Mohenjo-Daro (Indus River basin) and ancient China around 2000 BC. In Northeast Africa, archaeologists have found a funerary stele from the kingdom of Meroz, which existed in the 2nd-3rd centuries AD. The fresco on the stele depicts a woman entering into afterworld, the deceased also has a swastika on her clothes. The rotating cross also decorates golden weights for scales that belonged to the inhabitants of Ashanta (Ghana), and clay utensils of the ancient Indians, and Persian carpets. The swastika was on almost all amulets of the Slavs, Germans, Pomors, Skalvi, Curonians, Scythians, Sarmatians, Mordovians, Udmurts, Bashkirs, Chuvash and many other peoples. In many religions, the swastika is an important religious symbol.

Ancient Greek funerary vessel, approximately 750 AD. BC.

Details of an ancient Greek burial vessel

The swastika in India has traditionally been viewed as a solar sign - a symbol of life, light, generosity and abundance. She was closely connected with the cult of the god Agni. She is mentioned in the Ramayana. Was made in the shape of a swastika wooden instrument to produce the sacred fire. They laid him flat on the ground; the depression in the middle served for a rod, which was rotated until a fire appeared, lit on the altar of the deity. It was carved in many temples, on rocks, on ancient monuments of India. Also a symbol of esoteric Buddhism. In this aspect it is called the “Seal of the Heart” and, according to legend, was imprinted on the heart of the Buddha. Her image is placed on the hearts of initiates after their death. Known as the Buddhist cross (shape similar to the Maltese cross). The swastika is found wherever there are traces of Buddhist culture - on rocks, in temples, stupas and on Buddha statues. Together with Buddhism, it penetrated from India to China, Tibet, Siam and Japan.

Torso female sculpture, Sixth century BC

In China, the swastika is used as a symbol of all the deities worshiped in the Lotus School, as well as in Tibet and Siam. In ancient Chinese manuscripts it included such concepts as “region” and “country”. Two curved, mutually truncated fragments of a double spiral are known in the form of a swastika, expressing the symbolism of the relationship between “Yin” and “Yang”. In maritime civilizations, the double helix motif was an expression of the relationship between opposites, a sign of the Upper and Lower Waters, and also signified the process of the formation of life. Widely used by Jains and followers of Vishnu. In Jainism, the four arms of the swastika represent the four levels of existence.

Swastika in India

On one of the Buddhist swastikas, each blade of the cross ends with a triangle indicating the direction of movement and crowned with an arch of the flawed moon, in which the sun is placed, like in a boat. This sign represents the sign of the mystical arba, the creative quaternary, also called the hammer of Thor. A similar cross was found by Schliemann during the excavations of Troy. In Eastern Europe, Western Siberia, Central Asia and in the Caucasus it has been found since the 2nd–1st millennium BC. IN Western Europe was known to the Celts. Depicted in pre-Christian Roman mosaics and on coins of Cyprus and Crete. An ancient Cretan rounded swastika made from plant elements is known. The Maltese cross in the shape of a swastika made of four triangles converging in the center is of Phoenician origin. It was also known to the Etruscans. In early Christianity, the swastika was known as a gamma cross. According to Guenon, until the end of the Middle Ages it was one of the emblems of Christ. According to Ossendowski, Genghis Khan wore on his right hand a ring with the image of a swastika, into which was set a magnificent ruby ​​- the sun stone. Ossendowski saw this ring on the hand of the Mongol governor. Currently this magic symbol known mainly in India and Central and East Asia.

Swastika on Russian territory

In Rus', swastika symbols have been known since ancient times.

The rhombic-meander swastika ornament in the Kostenki and Mezin cultures (25 - 20 thousand years BC) was studied by V. A. Gorodtsov.

As a special type of swastika, symbolizing the rising Sun-Yaril, the victory of Light over Darkness, Eternal life over death, was called Kolovrat (lit. “rotation of the wheel”, the Old Slavonic form Kolovrat was also used in the Old Russian language).

In Russian folk ornaments, the swastika was one of the common figures until late XIX V.

In post-war children's legends, there was a widespread belief that the swastika consists of 4 letters “G”, symbolizing the first letters of the surnames of the leaders of the Third Reich - Hitler, Goebbels, Himmler, Goering.

Swastika in India

In pre-Buddhist ancient Indian and some other cultures, the swastika is usually interpreted as a sign of favorable destinies, a symbol of the sun. This symbol is still widely used in India and South Korea, and most weddings, holidays and celebrations are not complete without it.

Swastika in India

Buddhist symbol of perfection (also known as manji, “whirlwind” (Japanese: まんじ, “ornament, cross, swastika”)). The vertical line indicates the relationship between heaven and earth, and the horizontal line indicates the yin-yang relationship. The direction of short lines to the left represents movement, softness, love, compassion, and their direction to the right is associated with constancy, firmness, intelligence and strength. Thus, any one-sidedness is a violation of world harmony and cannot lead to universal happiness. Love and compassion without strength and firmness are helpless, and strength and reason without mercy and love lead to the increase of evil.

Swastika in European culture

The swastika became popular in European culture in the 19th century, in the wake of the fashion of the Aryan theory. English astrologer Richard Morrison organized the Order of the Swastika in Europe, 1869. It is found on the pages of Rudyard Kipling's books. The swastika was also used by the founder of the Boy Scouts, Robert Baden-Powell. In 1915, the swastika, being very common in Latvian culture since ancient times, was depicted on the banners of battalions (then regiments) of the Latvian Rifles Russian army.

Altars with swastika V Europe:

From Aquitaine

Then, since 1918, it became an element of the official symbols of the Republic of Latvia - the emblem military aviation, regimental badges, badges of societies and various organizations, state awards, is still used today. The Latvian Military Order of Lāčplēsis had the shape of a swastika. Since 1918, the swastika has been part of the state symbols of Finland (now depicted on the presidential standard, as well as on the banners of the armed forces). Later it became a symbol of the German Nazis, after they came to power - the state symbol of Germany (depicted on the coat of arms and flag); after World War II, her image was banned in several countries.

Swastika in Nazism
The National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP), which appeared in the 20s of the 20th century, chose the swastika as its party symbol. Since 1920, the swastika has become associated with Nazism and racism.

There is a very common misconception that the Nazis chose the right-handed swastika as their emblem, thereby perverting the precepts of the ancient sages and desecrating the sign itself, which is more than five thousand years old. In reality this is not the case. In cultures different nations Both left- and right-handed swastikas are found.

Only a four-pointed swastika, standing on an edge at 45°, with the ends directed towards right side. This very sign was on the state banner of National Socialist Germany from 1933 to 1945, as well as on the emblems of the civil and military services of this country. The Nazis themselves used the term Hakenkreuz (literally “crooked (hooked) cross”), which is synonymous with the word swastika (German Swastika), also used in German.

In Russia, a stylized swastika is used as an emblem by the All-Russian social movement Russian National Unity (RNE). Russian nationalists claim that the Russian swastika - the Kolovrat - is an ancient Slavic symbol and cannot be recognized as Nazi symbols.

Swastika in other cultures

No matter how strange it may sound at first, the most dear to Russian people is the ancient pagan symbol, colloquially called " Swastika". He who thinks that the Swastika is pure fascist symbol, are deeply mistaken. Many people associate the Swastika with fascism and Hitler. This has been methodically hammered into people's heads for the last 60 years. And indeed, many sincerely believe that this is so. But this is fundamentally wrong.

The population of Europe and the USA associates this symbol primarily with the Third Reich and the ideology of Nazism. The Great Soviet Encyclopedia wrote about this: “Hitler and the German fascists made the swastika their emblem. Since then, it has become a symbol of barbarism and misanthropy, inextricably linked with fascism.”. The West is more tolerant of the Swastika, but the established opinion about the depravity of the Swastika has been hammered into a lot of people’s heads.

IN Lately It is fashionable to talk about the “dark secrets” hidden behind the Swastika. By the beginning of the 20th century, the Swastika really played an important role in symbolism secret societies. But the interest of such societies in the Swastika was not the reason for its popularity, but precisely the consequence. Some "researchers" say that the Swastika is a Masonic symbol. This is also fundamentally wrong.

The swastika is a very ancient symbol, which is a common symbol for the peoples of different states. You can meet her at different countries, often very distant from each other. The swastika is not only an eastern symbol, as some researchers believe. It is distributed over a very wide area. The swastika was found in Malta, in Tibet, in Russia, in Germany, in China, in Japan, on the island of Crete, in the ancient states of the Celts, in India, in Greece, in Egypt, in Scandinavia, in Rome, among the Aztecs, on the fabrics of times Incas, and in other states.

The liquidocracy hates the Swastika and calls it a “fascist” sign. Inflating the myth of the so-called “threat of Russian fascism,” Jewish democrats are strenuously trying to ban the Swastika by law ("display of fascist paraphernalia or symbols"). This is a scam! Swastika much older than Hitler. She is many thousands of years older than him and, naturally, was not invented by him.

The Jewish universal cry about the prohibition of the Swastika can be heard to this day. The terry Jew Luzhkov actively opposed the Swastika ( real name- Katz) and the no less terry Jew Kiriyenko (real name - Izraitel). They really want to confiscate all the images of the Swastika and stick on as many of their Jewish stars of David and Solomon as possible, which is what Luzhkov did by building the Cathedral of Christ the “Savior” with Jewish Magendovids on the crosses, using stolen money from our taxes.

By the way, even the Jews themselves tried to master the Swastika. Before World War II, a swastika mosaic decorated a synagogue in Hartford (Connecticut, USA). The Jews used the left-sided collective (explanations will be given below) Swastika. But it was used in isolated cases. Jews are forbidden to bow to the Sun. Only in Judaism is sun worship a terrible sin.

From ancient legends it is known that The swastika was given to people by the gods. When our Forefathers used runes, the word SWASTIKA translated as COME FROM HEAVEN, THE MOVEMENT OF HEAVEN. Because rune NVA meant heaven WITH- direction rune, rune TIKA- movement, coming, flow. The word TICK still exists, that is, to run. Words such as MYSTIC, ArkTIKA are formed from the same rune. Ancient religions describe it as a cluster of signs of good luck. The swastika is a very capacious and multifaceted symbol. One of the varieties of this symbol is a cross with curved ends directed clockwise or counterclockwise. The swastika gives the impression of eternal rotation.

The earliest description of the Swastika that has reached us is in Sanskrit. "Suasti" in Sanskrit means: SU- beautiful, kind and ASTI- to be, that is "BE KIND!" or "BE GREAT!" .

Swastika is a concept that is too capacious and generalized. This word should be understood not as one symbol, but as a whole group of symbols - crosses with ends bent to the left and right (Swastika is also called gamma cross, because 4 letters " G"converge at one point). In ancient times, each swastika symbol had its own name, its own meaning and its own protective function. In Russian, for various types There are still 144 (!) names of swastikas. This is exactly how many of them were counted by the Omsk author V. N. Yanvarsky. For example: Swastika, Posolon, Kolovrat, Holy Gift, Swaor, Solntsevrat, Agni, Fash, Mara, England, Solar Cross, Solard, Collard, Vedara, Svetolet, Fern Flower, Perunov Light, Swati, Race, Bogovnik, Svarozhich, Svyatoch, Yarovrat, Odolen-Grass, Rodimich, Charovrat and other names.

In general, Swastika is the fundamental principle of the essence of existence and peace for all Aryan peoples, and not only Aryans. Among the pagans, the Swastika personifies Yarilo - the Sun, light, the change of seasons. Worship and veneration of the Swastika primarily meant worship of the Sun. The swastika symbolizes the Sun. The sun is the source of life on Earth. Worship of light and primary fire is worship of the source of life. And this is a great cleansing and protecting power. That's why the Jews - the damn people - hate her so much. She illuminates all their dirty and dark deeds.

The swastika and some other signs (runes, for example) are archetypes. That is, by their appearance they awaken in a person irresistible currents originating from the collective unconscious, accumulated in the “archives” of thousands of years of experience. Every soul carries these lines of force within itself from birth.

More than rational Latins, Slavs and Germans, people of a stormy character, are sensitive to the influence of these symbols. Unknown author treatise on symbols, writes: “A symbol is not logical... It is a vital current, an instinctive recognition. It is the experience of a subject, which is born from a complex and unpredictable set of countless connections that weave his future, as well as the future of the entire universe to which he belongs and from which he draws all recognition.”.

In theory, the Swastika is a polar sign. It denotes circular motion around its own axis or fixed point. In a particular case, it has a double meaning. Firstly, when it is applied to a star point around which the sky moves. As Laplace said: "The sky seems to revolve on two fixed points, which for this reason are called the celestial poles". Secondly, when the pole is considered in the earthly dimension, it becomes the geometric location from which the direction of rotation of the earth arises. His place is always the Arctic continent or perhaps Antarctica.

Depending on the rotation and the direction of the curved ends, the Swastika can be LEFT HAND And RIGHT HAND. It is very unfortunate that even intelligent researchers confuse the left-handed and right-handed Swastika.

Determining the direction of the rays of the Swastika and its rotation is very easy. It is enough to give an analogy. Let's imagine the Sun. The Sun has prominences - plasma emissions. They rotate in the same direction as the Sun itself, as if “catching up” with it by inertia. But the prominences “look” in the opposite direction from the rotation of the Sun. So, in which direction the Swastika rotates, that’s what it’s called.

The left-handed Swastika has a name KOLOVRAT. This is a symbol rising sun, a symbol of the victory of Light over Darkness and Life over Death, a symbol of the harvest (the mower swings the scythe with his right hand from right to left).

The right-handed Swastika has a name SALON- a symbol of the setting Sun, a symbol of the completion of creative work, a symbol of sowing (the sower throws grains with his right hand from left to right).

Encyclopedia of misconceptions. Third Reich Likhacheva Larisa Borisovna

Swastika. Who invented the fascist cross?

They don't even need crosses on their graves -

Crosses on the wings will also come down...

Vladimir Vysotsky “Two songs about one air battle”

Many believe that the main symbol of the Third Reich - a black swastika on a red background - was invented by Hitler himself or people from his inner circle. But in fact, such an opinion is nothing more than a delusion. The Nazi shrine, as well as other attributes of Nazi Germany, existed long before the possessed Fuhrer came to power and initially did not carry such a sinister meaning.

The main emblem of the Third Reich has a long history. It was widespread in Iran already in the 6th millennium. BC e. Later the swastika was found on Far East, in Central and Southeast Asia, in Tibet and Japan. It was also widely used by pre-Hellenic Greece. IN Kievan Rus this sign, called "Kolovrat", was also very popular. The swastika did not spare the indigenous people of the Americas either. And the peoples of the Caucasus and the Baltic Pomors used it as an element of ornaments even at the beginning of the 20th century.

Naturally, all this time, no one associated a cross with curved ends with massacres, destructive war and crimes against humanity. By the way, historical information There is no evidence that this sign was used by ancient Germanic tribes. The fascists who came to power were looking for a suitable emblem for the Nazi state and, without hesitation, chose the swastika, dubbing it an ancient German, or even an Aryan symbol.

The meaning of this symbol is not precisely established. There is a version that it was one of the varieties of the cross with broken ends, symbolizing, according to historians, inner world human - the space located between perpendicularly intersecting lines. However, the most common view of the swastika is that it is seen as a solar sign. Ethnographers consider it just a harmless symbol of the movement of the heavenly body and the change of seasons.

For some reason, Adolf Hitler saw in her something fundamentally different. In his opinion, the cross with curved ends personified the superiority of the Aryans over other peoples. What guided the German Fuhrer when making such an assessment is a mystery.

Moreover, it is reliably known that the idea to use the swastika as an emblem did not come to Hitler’s mind. The main symbol of the Third Reich was “gifted”... by the German Masonic Lodge! More precisely, its legal successor is the secret organization “Thule”. Initially, this society was engaged in the study and popularization ancient history and folklore. However, its members kept their nose to the wind and responded with pleasure to Hitler's ideas. The Thule ideology began to be based on the concept of German racial superiority, anti-Semitism and the pan-German dream of a new powerful German Reich. All this was heavily “seasoned” with the occult: members of the society performed special ceremonies and magical rituals. Among the symbols used in these rituals was the swastika.

Hitler, who was always interested in the occult, liked this sign, and he first decided to make it the emblem of his party. The leader of the NSDAP slightly modified the swastika, and in the summer of 1920 a symbol was born that, two decades later, would terrify all of Europe: a black cross with curved ends, inscribed in a white circle on a red background. The red color symbolized the social ideals of the party, and the white symbolized the nationalist ones. The cross indicated victory and the supremacy of the Aryan race.

After Hitler came to power, the swastika became an indispensable attribute of the state, official, military and corporate symbols of Germany. The Germans valued this “sign of superiority” so much that in 1935 they even issued a special decree “On the prohibition of Jews from hanging a flag with a swastika.” Apparently, the Nazis believed that “racially unclean” elements would desecrate their shrine with their touches.

During the existence of the Third Reich, the swastika was used everywhere: on banknotes, dishes, and souvenirs. During any celebrations, the streets of German cities were hung with flags and banners with this sign, and they were hung so densely that the eyes of passers-by began to ripple. However, sometimes the Nazi shrine was used for other purposes: a lady’s dress, the fabric of which was decorated with an ornament of thousands of small crosses, was considered fashionable.

Perhaps the swastika would have remained a symbol of the sun, fire and fertility. If not for the Second World War, with the beginning of which, thanks to Hitler, it definitely ceased to be “sunny”.

More organic and appropriate from the point of view of racial theory was the use by the Nazis of runes, which formed the basis of the writing of the ancient Germanic and Scandinavian peoples. As is known, from ancient times runic signs were not only letters, but also had magical meaning - they were used for fortune telling and as security amulets. Historians believe that by introducing runes into everyday use, Hitler and his entourage tried not only to develop patriotism among the inhabitants of Germany, but also hoped to use runic signs as a magical weapon. True, the Fuhrer interpreted them selectively: he left only those meanings that corresponded to his worldview. Thus, the Zig rune, the double image of which became the “logo” of the SS, in the canonical interpretation meant the desire for light and enrichment of the spiritual world, as well as the flourishing creativity. Naturally, the valiant SS men had no need for such qualities, therefore, in Hitler’s interpretation, the “lightning” rune meant thunder, lightning and, again, the superiority of the Aryan race.

The “rented” symbols also include an eagle and oak branches. The authorship of these signs dates back to the Roman Empire. Decorating the coat of arms of the German Reich, Hitler aimed at nothing less than the most common attributes of the power of the Roman Caesars.

The fascists borrowed such an ominous insignia as a skull (“death’s head”) from the near-Masonic order - the Rosicrucians. Moreover, at first this gloomy image symbolized, in the opinion of its “discoverers,” the victory of the spirit over mortal matter. Remember the medieval philosophers who thought with a skull in their hands on the topic: “Poor Yorick...”? But in the hands, or more precisely, on the fingers of SS officers who placed the “death’s head” on silver rings, this sign acquired a completely different meaning. He became the embodiment of cruelty, destruction and death.

So make no mistake: the Nazis did not themselves come up with the symbols of the “thousand-year” Reich. All the signs and attributes they used had existed for a long time and were used for much more humane purposes.

author Dushenko Konstantin Vasilievich

MUSSOLINI Benito (Mussolini, Benito, 1883-1945), fascist dictator of Italy 522 Totalitarian state. // Status totalitario.Term introduced by Mussolini in the early 1920s

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From the book 100 Great Secrets of World War II author Nepomnyashchiy Nikolai Nikolaevich

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Disputes about the origin of the swastika have not subsided for many years. Its fragments have been found on almost all continents in the cultures of Hinduism, Lamaism, and Christianity. Its first images on Aryan altars and burials, Harappan seals and weapons, and Samarian bowls date back to the 30th century BC. In the Urals, the ancient city-temple of the Aryans, Arkaim, was excavated, the same age as the pyramids of Egypt, with a street layout in the form of a round swastika mandala with an altar in the center.

Volumes have been written around the world about the swastika, and only Russian authors are silent about it. But this is our story! Let us remember that the Aryans once lived in modern areas of Eastern Europe(where Moldova, Belarus, the western part of Russia are located today) and then, under pressure unfavorable climate, they migrated to the Urals and south towards India. Their symbols and traditions were later passed on to the Scythian-Sarmatians and Russian Slavs who settled here.

In Rus', a cross with curves even had Russian name - « Kolovrat" Like the term "suasti", its roots are translated as "Sun" and "rotation", or "solstice".

Swastika - to be beautiful

Judging by the sound, it is from “suasti” that the name “swastika” comes from. In Sanskrit "suasti" means:

• SU - wonderful, good
• ASTI - to be, that is, “BE KIND!” "

or " BE BEAUTIFUL! »

That is, this name came to the world from Indian culture, although it was not this culture that gave the world this symbol. Once upon a time, solar symbols came to India (although it was not called that then) from northern peoples- from the Aryans. But where the Aryans got it from is a matter of debate. There are different versions.

According to archaeological excavations, the richest territory in the use of the swastika, both a religious and cultural symbol, is Russia - neither Europe nor India can compare with Russia in the abundance of swastika symbols covering Russian weapons, banners, national costume, houses, objects everyday life and temples. Excavations of ancient mounds and settlements speak for themselves - many ancient Slavic settlements had a clear form of Swastika, oriented to the four cardinal directions. Swastika symbols were used to designate calendar signs back in the days of the Great Scythian Kingdom (a vessel from the Scythian Kingdom of 3-4 thousand BC is depicted)

The swastika and Swastika symbols were the main and, one might even say, almost the only elements of the ancient Slavic ornaments . The swastika was found in Malta, in Tibet, in Russia, in Germany, in China, in Japan, on the island of Crete, in the ancient states of the Celts, in India, in Greece, in Egypt, in Scandinavia, in Rome, among the Aztecs, on fabrics from the times of the Incas, and in other states.

Aztec swastika

There is an interpretation of the name “Swastika” through runes. The author of this publication does not have sufficient knowledge in the field of runes, and can only convey what was found in other sources. In this version, the word SWASTIKA was translated as COME FROM HEAVEN, MOVEMENT OF HEAVEN.

• The SVA rune meant heaven,
• C - rune of direction,
• rune TIKA - movement, coming, flow.

The word TICK still exists, that is, to run. Words such as MYSTIC, ArkTIKA are formed from the same rune. Ancient religions describe it as a cluster of signs of good luck.

Even the Jews themselves tried to master the swastika. Before World War II, a swastika mosaic decorated a synagogue in Hartford (Connecticut, USA). The Jews used the left-handed collective Swastika. But it was used in isolated cases. Jews are forbidden to worship the Sun. Only in Judaism is sun worship a terrible sin.

Swastika in the movement of stars

There is also an explanation for the origin of the swastika of an astronomical nature. True, this version explains precisely the shape of the sign, but not the name, and also takes a temporary reference point - the turn of the fifth - fourth millennium BC, as the time of the appearance of the sign.

At this time, the north celestial pole was approximately one degree from the star A (alpha) of the constellation Draco. A few hundred years later, during the construction of the Great Pyramids, the north pole will coincide with this star.

The priests of the ancient Trypillian culture, observing the night sky, sketched its position at the same time of day four times a year: in autumn, winter, spring and summer. At the time of interest to us, the north celestial pole, as we know, was located near the star Thuban (“Dragon”). The direction to the pole is given by a line drawn through the stars g (gamma) and h (eta) of the constellation Ursa Minor. Now let's sketch the position of Ursa Minor at exactly 10 pm on one of the days in October, January, April and July. Let us connect with smooth lines passing through the center of rotation - the celestial pole - part of the stars of the small bucket and handle. As a result, we get a well-known symbol - the swastika - meaning the annual cycle of changing seasons.

Unfortunately, in the 20th century this ancient symbol acquired a negative meaning. He is associated with the Nazis. That is why in the summer of 1941, shortly after the start of the Great Patriotic War, by special order of the NKVD, local authorities confiscated clothing and household utensils with swastika designs in the Russian outback. Although, specifically in Russia, this symbolism was banned even earlier, after Lunacharsky’s note in the newspaper in 1924.

And yet, for the Slavs, the closest and most correct name is rather Kolovrat - why do we need these imported names?.

What is a swastika? Many will answer without hesitation - the fascists used the swastika symbol. Someone will say - this is an ancient Slavic amulet, and both will be right and wrong at the same time. How many legends and myths are there around this sign? They say that on the very shield that the Prophetic Oleg nailed to the doors of Constantinople, a swastika was depicted.

What is a swastika?

The swastika is an ancient symbol that appeared before our era and has a rich history. Many nations dispute each other's right to invent it. Images of swastikas were found in China and India. This is a very significant symbol. What does the swastika mean - creation, sun, prosperity. The translation of the word “swastika” from Sanskrit means a wish for good and good luck.

Swastika - origin of the symbol

The swastika symbol is a solar sign. The main meaning is movement. The earth moves around the sun, the four seasons constantly replace each other - it is easy to see that the main meaning of the symbol is not just movement, but the eternal movement of the universe. Some researchers declare the swastika to be a reflection of the eternal rotation of the galaxy. The swastika is a symbol of the sun, all ancient peoples have references to it: at excavations of Incan settlements, fabrics with the image of a swastika were found, it is on ancient Greek coins, even on the stone idols of Easter Island there are swastika signs.

The original drawing of the sun is a circle. Then, noticing the four-part picture of existence, people began to draw a cross with four rays to the circle. However, the picture turned out to be static - and the universe is eternally in dynamics, and then the ends of the rays bent - the cross turned out to be moving. These rays also symbolize four days of the year that were significant for our ancestors - the days of the summer/winter solstice, the spring and autumn equinox. These days determine the astronomical change of seasons and served as signs when to engage in farming, construction and other important matters for society.

Swastika left and right

We see how comprehensive this sign is. It is very difficult to explain in monosyllables what a swastika means. It is multifaceted and multi-valued, it is a sign of the fundamental principle of existence with all its manifestations, and among other things, the swastika is dynamic. It can rotate both right and left. Many people confuse and consider the direction where the ends of the rays point to be the side of rotation. It is not right. The side of rotation is determined by the bending angles. Let's compare it with a person's leg - the movement is directed where the bent knee is directed, and not the heel at all.

Left-handed swastika

There is a theory that says that clockwise rotation is the correct swastika, and counterclockwise is a bad, dark swastika, the opposite. However, this would be too banal - right and left, black and white. In nature, everything is justified - day gives way to night, summer - winter, there is no division into good and bad - everything that exists is needed for something. So it is with the swastika - there is no good or bad, there is left-handed and right-handed.

Left-handed swastika - rotates counterclockwise. This is the meaning of cleansing, restoration. Sometimes it is called the sign of destruction - in order to build something light, you need to destroy the old and dark. The swastika could be worn with left rotation, it was called “ Heavenly cross"and was a symbol of clan unity, an offering to the one who wears it, the help of all the ancestors of the clan and protection heavenly powers. The left-sided swastika was considered a collective sign of the autumn sun.

Right-hand swastika

The right-hand swastika rotates clockwise and denotes the beginning of all things - birth, development. This is a symbol spring sun- creative energy. It was also called Novorodnik or the Solar Cross. It symbolized the power of the sun and the prosperity of the family. The sun sign and the swastika in this case are equal. It was believed that it gave the greatest power to priests. The prophetic Oleg, who was talked about at the beginning, had the right to wear this sign on his shield, since he was in charge, that is, he knew Ancient Wisdom. From these beliefs came theories proving the ancient Slavic origin of the swastika.

Slavic swastika

The left-sided and right-sided swastika of the Slavs is called – and Posolon. The swastika fills the Kolovrat with light, protects from darkness, Salting gives hard work and spiritual perseverance, the sign serves as a reminder that man was created for development. These names are just two of the large group Slavic swastika signs. What they had in common were crosses with curved arms. There could be six or eight rays, they were bent both to the right and to the left, each sign had its own name and was responsible for a specific security function. The Slavs had 144 main swastika symbols. In addition to the above, the Slavs had:

• Solstice;
• England;
• Svarozhich;
• Wedding Party;
• Perunov light;
• Heavenly boar and many other types of variations based on the solar elements of the swastika.

Swastika of the Slavs and the Nazis - differences

Unlike the fascist, the Slavs did not have strict canons in the image of this sign. There could be any number of rays, they could be broken at different angles, they could also be rounded. The symbol of the swastika among the Slavs is a greeting, a wish for good luck, while at the Nazi congress in 1923, Hitler convinced supporters that the swastika meant the fight against Jews and communists for the purity of blood and the superiority of the Aryan race. The fascist swastika has its own strict requirements. This and only this image is the German swastika:

1. The ends of the cross should be bent to the right;
2. All lines intersect strictly at an angle of 90°;
3. The cross must be in a white circle on a red background.
4. The correct word to say is not “swastika”, but Hakkenkreyz

Swastika in Christianity

In early Christianity, they often resorted to the image of the swastika. It was called the “gamma cross” because of its similarity with the Greek letter gamma. The swastika was used to disguise the cross during the times of persecution of Christians - Catacomb Christianity. The swastika or Gammadion was the main emblem of Christ until the end of the Middle Ages. Some experts draw a direct parallel between the Christian and swastika crosses, calling the latter a “whirling cross.”

The swastika was actively used in Orthodoxy before the revolution: as part of the ornament of priestly vestments, in icon painting, in frescoes that painted the walls of churches. However, there is also the exact opposite opinion - the gammadion is a broken cross, a pagan symbol that has nothing to do with Orthodoxy.

Swastika in Buddhism

You can encounter a swastika wherever there are traces of Buddhist culture; it is the footprint of Buddha. The Buddhist swastika, or “manji,” denotes the versatility of the world order. The vertical line is opposed to the horizontal one, like the relationship between heaven and earth and the relationship between male and female. Turning the rays in one direction emphasizes the desire for kindness, gentleness, and in the opposite direction - for hardness and strength. This gives an understanding of the impossibility of the existence of force without compassion, and compassion without force, the denial of any one-sidedness as a violation of world harmony.

Indian swastika

The swastika is no less common in India. There are left- and right-handed swastikas. Rotation clockwise symbolizes the male energy “yin”, counter-clockwise - the female energy “yang”. Sometimes this sign denotes all the gods and goddesses in Hinduism, then, at the line of intersection of the rays, the sign “om” is added - a symbol of the fact that all gods have a common beginning.

1. Right rotation: denotes the sun, its movement from east to west - the development of the universe.
2. Left rotation represents the goddess Kali, magic, night - the folding of the universe.

Is the swastika prohibited?

The swastika was banned by the Nuremberg Tribunal. Ignorance has given rise to a lot of myths, for example, that the swastika stands for four connected letters “G” - Hitler, Himmler, Goering, Goebbels. However, this version turned out to be completely untenable. Hitler, Himmler, Göring, Goebbels - not a single surname begins with this letter. There are known cases when the most valuable specimens containing images of swastikas in embroidery, on jewelry, ancient Slavic and early Christian amulets were confiscated and destroyed from museums.

In many European countries there are laws that prohibit fascist symbols, however, the principle of freedom of speech is practically undeniable. Each case of the use of Nazi symbols or swastikas looks like a separate trial.

1. In 2015, Roskomnazor allowed the use of swastika images without propaganda purposes.
2. Germany has strict legislation regulating the depiction of swastikas. There are several court decisions banning or allowing images.
3. France has passed a law banning the public display of Nazi symbols.