The Swastika; The Earliest Known Symbol & Its Migrations with Observations on the Migration of Certain Industries in Prehistoric Times (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 Excerpt: ...figure) was from Marajo, Brazil, collected by Mr. K. M. Biigham. It is of light gray, slip washed, and decorated with pale red or yellow paint i: i bands, lines, parallels, geometric figures. The specimen shown in the lower figure of the same plate, from the Caneotires Itiver, Brax.il, was collected by Prof. J. B. Steere. The body color, clay, and the decoration paint are much the same as the former. The ornamentation is principally by two light lines laid parallel and close so as to form a single line, and is of the same geometric character as the incised decoration ornament on other pieces from Marajo Island. Midway from top to bottom, near the outside edges, are two Swastikas. They are about five-eighths of an inch in size, are turned at right angles, oue to the right and the other, to the left. These may have been a charm signifying good fortune iu bearing children. (See pp. 830-S32.) These specimens were submitted by the author to the Brazilian minister, Sefior Memloncn, himself an archaeologist and philologist of no small capacity, who recognized these objects as in use in ancient times among the aborigines of his country. The name by which they are known in the abosiginal language is Tambvno or Tamatiatang, according to the dialects of different provinces. The later dialect name for apron is reported as tunga, and the minister makes two remarks having a possible bearing on the migration of the race: (1) The similarity of tunga with the last syllable of the longer word, atang, and (2) that tunga is essentially an African word from the west coast. Whether this piece of dress so thoroughly savage, with a possible ceremonial meaning relating to sex or condition, with its wonderful similarity of names, might not have migrated in time of antiquity from the ..