What Are The Pagan Origins Of The Swastika?

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Steve Theunissen Profile
In the Lower Danube area (Siebenbuergen, Romania) earthen vessels with representations of swastikas upon them have been found. Swastikas have also come to light in excavations at Troy, an ancient city of Asia Minor.
In the same cultural period in which the swastika appears in Troy and Romania, idol plastics related to the fertility cult come to the fore. The plastics are often nearly identical to those of the Near and Middle East. The manner in which the swastika is located on the bodies of female plastics at Troy indicates that it served as a symbol of fertility and life.
Further, in the trench graves of Mycenae, Greece, the swastika is found on rich golden jewellery. It also appears on coins. In a funeral scene depicted on an Athenian vase, three swastikas can be seen above the horse pulling the hearse. Goddesses of fertility found in tombs wear the symbol on their throats and breasts. On a sarcophagus we can see the "mistress of life," who later became known as Artemis, surrounded by swastikas. It also seems to have been associated with the lotus flower and decorated the garment of Aphrodite, the ancient Greek goddess of love, called Venus by the Romans.
So, at Troy and in its representations in the Aegean area, the swastika conveyed the idea of fertility and life.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
It used to be a symbol for good luck, but after the nazi party changed it people began to look at it as a sign other than what it is meant to be
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
The origin of the swastika first appeared as art depicted and carved on the ivory of a mammoth in Russia, in the Ukraine in the Paleolithic Age 10,000 years ago. It was brought by migrating Aryan tribes to India where it is revered in the religious and cultural life of the Indo-Aryans.
Debbie Budnik Profile
Debbie Budnik answered
Native Americans used the swastika before Hitler adopted it.  It's the wheel of life, from what I've read.
 
Many Pagans use practices from Native American beliefs, but that symbol isn't really used to much anymore because of the meaning it eventually became popular for. It was completely different from the german meaning.
Much like the upside down pentacle. It was used in Wicca until the Satanic religion adopted it. So Wiccan's don't use it much anymore because of the difference in meanings.
 
That's what I've come to understand from my research.
 
Hope that helped!
thanked the writer.
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
I am sorry but you are wrong, considering I am Wiccan and that we all still use the pentacle/pentagram. To us it has no good or bad meaning, it is just a charm that we use to identify who we are. In magick there is no true good or evil magick, it is just neutral and whomever is using it, is the one who deems if they are going to use the magick for good or bad. 
I have no clue where you had gotten your information, but you need to go back and reread something, or go to a reliable website that will tell you the truth, or even better talk to a real live Wiccan/Pagan, we won't steer you wrong.
Charles Davis
Charles Davis commented
Some of the earliest uses of the Swastika was in Hinduism, it was adopted by Christianity for a time, but not until WW2 when Hitler used it as a symbol of his rule did it become a symbol of injustice.
Tom  Jackson Profile
Tom Jackson answered

The word swastika comes from the Sanskrit svastika, which means “good fortune” or “well-being." The motif (a hooked cross) appears to have first been used in Neolithic Eurasia, perhaps representing the movement of the sun through the sky. To this day it is a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Odinism.

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