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swastikas


Details
Term Type

Art & Architecture Thesaurus

Preferred Term

swastikas

Details

Equilateral cross with arms bent at right angles, all in the same rotary direction, usually clockwise. It is an ancient symbol of prosperity and good fortune, widely distributed throughout the world; it is found on ancient Mesopotamian coinage, the Scandinavian god Thor's hammer (left-hand swastika), early Christian and Byzantine art, in medieval heraldry, in South and Central America among the Maya, and in North America, principally among the Navajo. The symbol was appropriated by German Nazis, and became their national symbol during this period; it is still used by some anti-Semitic organizations.

Variations

fylfots

sun snakes, double

hammers, Thor's

Thor's hammers

double sun snakes

swastika

gammadion crosses

Hakenkreuzen

Hakenkreuz

croci uncinate

croce uncinata

svastiche

svastica

croce gammata

croci gammate

crux gammata

svastika

esvásticas

esvástica

cruz gamada

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