Page:The International Folk-Lore Congress of the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago, July, 1893.djvu/437

Rh into the river. It comes on the 24th of June in summer equinoxes—in winter equinoxes we have in Poland the boys carrying round a star formed of paper, singing religious songs. We have in Germany and Poland many houses decorated with swastikas and other sun symbols. But the most remarkable fact is the common ceremony in the country of Cracow where we find all the symbols that we have seen in the form of the letter Z. The two moons placed back to back and forming a synthetic symbol, are nowhere to be found outside of India, France and Scotland.

"We begin the historic epoch with numismatic of Asia Minor, where we found a great many of our symbols. Later on the Greek vases we see some very interesting examples. We see there a cross very regular in form, worn by the Goddesses Diana, Athené, and other deities. It is not possible to be mistaken in the symbolic meaning of this sign.

If we will place together all the figurations belonging to the altar and to the column of the Ionic style we will be forced to the conclusion that the chapter of Ionic style is the same as the angle of Vishnu: it is apex downward applied to architecture flattened with the might of architraves. I regard the group labelled Christianity as of very great significance, because here can be seen clearly that in the symbolism of the swastika, there is no meaning of fetichism. They had adored the sun and the fire, not as the Deity, but as the implement in the hand of God, single and omnipotent. Against the phallic interpretation witness can be given by the idol of Venus found in Hissarlik in juxtaposition with Hermaphrodite of Dr. Berthaud's collection in St. Germain. They assume that in early centuries of Christianity swastika was much in use because it is very similar to the cross, and has represented a heathen cross. But I pray every one to analyze the inscription that I have placed under No. 1. We see there the well-known Christian symbols. I do question what could the swastika mean to the heathen here. Now this inscription must be read otherwise—namely, the man, the martyr, who rests here is martyrized for Jesus Christ's sake, whose monogram we see here; but he regards his death as the victory (the palm) which merits eternity. Then Christ is