The Swastika: The Earliest Known Symbol & its Migrations
Dispersion of the Swastika
Page 39
whorl is shown. It has three
of the circle segments marked in equilateral positions, with three or
four parallel lines, after the style shown in fig. 54.
In
the spaces are two Swastikas, in both of which the two main arms cross
at right angles. Some of the ends bend at a right, and others at an obtuse,
angle. In one of the Swastikas the bent ends turn toward each other, forming
a rude figure 8. The specimen shown in fig. 61 is biconical, but much
flattened; it contains five ogee Swastikas, of which the ends of four
bend to the right and one to the left. In an interval between them is
one of the burning altars. Fig. 62 shows three Swastikas with double parallel
lines. The main arms cross each other at right angles; the ends are bent
at nearly right angles, one to the left, one to the right, and the other
both ways. Fig. 63 represents
a spindle-whorl with a cup-shaped depression around the central hole,
which is surrounded by three lines in concentric circles, while on the
field, at 90 degrees from each other, are four ogee Swastikas (tetraskelions),
the arms all turning to the left and spirally each upon itself. The specimen
shown in fig. 64 is biconical,
though, as usual, the upper cone is the smallest.
There
are parallel lines, three in a set, forming the segments of three circles,
in one space of which appears a Swastika of a curious and unique form,
similar to that shown in fig. 60.
The two main arms cross each other at very nearly right angles and the
ends also bend at right angles toward and approaching each other, so that
if contained slightly farther they would close and form a decorative figure
8. The specimen shown in fig. 65 is decorated with parallel lines, three in number, arranged in segments
of three circles, the periphery of which is toward the center, as in fig.
60 and 64. In one of the
spaces is a Swastika of curious form; the main arms cross each other at
right angles, but the four ends represent different styles–two are
bent
square to the left, one square to the right, and the fourth curves to
the left at no angle. Fig. 66 shows a biconical whorl, and its top is decorated to represent three Swastikas
and three burning altars. The ends of the arms of the Swastikas all bend
to the left, some are at right angles and some at obtuse angles, while
two or three are curved two of them show corrections, the marks at the
ends having been changed in one case at a different angle and in another
from a straight line to a curve. Fig.
67 shows four specimens of Swastika, the main arms of all of which
cross at right angles. The ends all bend to the right, at nearly right
angles, tapering to a point and finishing with the slight flourish noted
in the Jain Swastika (fig. 34c).
They are alternated with a chevron decoration. Fig.
67 shows three Swastikas, the ends of the arms of which are all bent
to the left. One Swastika is composed of two ogee lines. Two arms of another
are curved, but all others are bent at right angles, some of them tapering
to points, finishing with a