Page:The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, July, 1893.djvu/431

 Rh the instrument for churn-fire in the hand and for the use of men—the swastika. But the chief characteristic of the sun is its round form and rotation conformably to the belief of all half-civilized peoples; consequently, the symbol of the sun should have the same characteristic. Fig. 1.

By rubbing one object on another, the latter must be fixed, because its symbol must also express the fixedness. Figs. 2, 3, 4. It must also be acknowledged that the warmth and fire of the siin are the same as those on earth, because there can be formed a synthetic symbol, in which both these characteristics are expressed together. Fig. 5.

The symbols as for life and increase, as for death and decline have presented themselves in the nature surrounding us, and also our great-grandfathers. The leaves and branches growing upwards, and forming between themselves the angles, apex down, were taken as symbols of the divine life-giving principle. It is the symbol of the Hindu god Vishnu. Fig. 6. The faded leaves hanging down and forming the angles, apex up, became the symbols of destruction, and that is the symbol of the god Shiva. Fig. 7. But both together make one, the almighty God, because there may be made a synthetic symbol by joining both the angles. Fig. 8.

A symbol much expressive of light was presented in the moon, the crescent moon being the symbol of life, decrescent of death, and both together the symbol of God's All-might — the synthesis. Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12.

In the graphic development of every symbol there are always two opposite directions—one, by adding one part to the other towards the formation of an ornament—and the other by taking off one part from another, forming an unclear sign, which, when it loses its intermediate forms, only with risk can be taken for a symbol. Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17.

If we retain all that is preserved above, and consequently make the review of our chart, we will see that this symbol, although in appearance very multiform, may be reduced to some half-dozen original forms. Fig. 18 Swastika, and Sanvastika Fig. 19. It is very difficult to enumerate on my chart all of the objects marked with this symbol— the contrary would be easier. The same is the case with all representations of the sun. Figs. 20, 21, 22.