7/25/2019 The Tetraskelion Swastika

1/9

THE TETRASKELION/SWASTIKA IN IRON AGE

CELTIC CULTURE

The Tetraskelion, Grammadion or, most commonly in modern usage, Swastika (from Sanskrit

svastika-, s-meaning good, well andstiit is), composed of an equilateral cross with its

arms bent at 90 degree angles and variants thereof), is a common geometric symbol in all

Indo-European cultures from the Neolithic onwards.

https://balkancelts.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/detail-of-the-tetraskelion-swastika-decorative-elements-on-horse-bits-in-the-celtic-chariot-burial-from-wetwang-east-yorkshire-england.jpg

7/25/2019 The Tetraskelion Swastika

2/9

Etruscan pendant with swastika symbols, from Bolsena, Italy (700-650 BC) (Louvre

Museum)

Detail of decoration on a Celtic chariot discovered at Bi Skla Cave (Moravia), Czech

Republic. (Reconstruction by the Naturhistorisches Museum, Vienna/6th c. BC)

In Iron Age Celtic art the symbol appears, either alone or in the artistic

composition, on a large number of artifacts from across Europe, such as the

wonderful openwork bronze disc from a Celtic chariot burial at Bourcq in the

Champagne-Ardenne region, or a bronze helmet of the Berru type decorated with

tetraskelion/swastika symbols discovered in another Celtic chariot burial at LaGorge-Meillet(Marne), both in France:

https://balkancelts.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/etruscan-pendant-with-swastika-symbols-bolsena-italy-700-650-bc-louvre-museum.jpg

7/25/2019 The Tetraskelion Swastika

3/9

The Bourcq Di sc (5thc. BC)

Detail of swastika decoration on the La Gorge-Meil let helmet (4thc. BC)

7/25/2019 The Tetraskelion Swastika

4/9

The swastika has traditionally been interpreted as a symbol of the sun moving in

the sky, which over time came to represent values such as prosperity, life and

good luck (Dalviella 1911:324-329; Farina 1997, 1998; Freed and Freed, 1980:68-75;

Jacobsthal 1938; Wilson 1896:757-1,011).This interpretation has been confirmed by

archaeological evidence, which indicates the tetraskelion/swastika, at least

initially, had a solar or astral meaning with an important religious significance

(Farina 1998).

Ceramic vessel decorated with swastika motifs, from the Celtiberian city of Numantia

(Soria), Spain (2-1 c. BC)

7/25/2019 The Tetraskelion Swastika

5/9

Of interest in this context are the Swastika Stones such as that from Ilkley Moor

(Yorkshire) England, which bears a remarkable similarity to the so-called "Camunian

Roses" from the Valcamonica region of northern Italy, particularly that from Carpene near

Sellero (Jacobsthal 1938). The latter are dated to various stages of the Iron Age and, as has

been pointed out (Farina 1998), the swastika becomes very common in the VillanovanCulture (9

th-8

th century BC), and from here spreads over the whole Italian peninsula,

reaching the north-western areas between the 7th

and 6th

century BC. It is documented in

Liguria, and in the Golasecca culture is found engraved on a cup from Castelletto Ticino

(Gol. IIA; early 6th

c. BC) (loc cit).

The Swastika Stone at Carpene near Sellero, northern Italy

Swastika Stone fromIlkley Moor (Yorkshire), England

The stone has a double out l ine of a swast ika with ten cups f i t t ing within the f ive curved arms (bottom

left). The r ight hand carving is a Victor ian imitat ion. The close simi lar i ty between the Eng l ish and Ital ian

examples have led to theor ies that the two are connected, i .e. that Cel t ic troops from the Lingo nes tr ibe,

stat ioned in Yorkshire dur ing Rom an occupat ion , carved the Engl ish example (The Lingones were a

Gaulish tribe, but some migrated across the Alps into northern Italy in ca. 400 BC). However, i t shou ld be noted

that Celt ic art i facts with swast ika decorat ion have been recorded in this p art of England from m uch

earl ier period s.

7/25/2019 The Tetraskelion Swastika

6/9

Detail of swastika decoration on a horse bit - from a Celtic chariot burial discovered at Wetwang

(East Yorkshire), England (Ca. 200 BC; See Jay et al. 2012)

One of the most significant Celtic artifacts with swastika decoration was discovered

in the River Thames, near Battersea in London, in 1857. The sheetbronze covering of

a woodenshield,decorated inLa Tne style(now generally dated to the 2-1 c. BC, Green1996), is embossed with 27 swastikas in bronze and red enamel.

.

Detail of decoration on the Battersea Shield

http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=

831341&partId=1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronzehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shieldhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_T%C3%A8ne_stylehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_T%C3%A8ne_stylehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_T%C3%A8ne_stylehttp://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=831341&partId=1http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=831341&partId=1http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=831341&partId=1http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=831341&partId=1http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=831341&partId=1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_T%C3%A8ne_stylehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shieldhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bronze

7/25/2019 The Tetraskelion Swastika

7/9

7/25/2019 The Tetraskelion Swastika

8/9

7/25/2019 The Tetraskelion Swastika

9/9

25/8/2015

On the Celtic Triskele see also:

https://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culture

LITERATURE CITED

D Alviella G., Cross, in Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics, vol. IV, Edinburgh, 1911

(reprint 1959)

Freed S.A. and R.S (1980), Origin of the Swastika, in Natural History,N1, 1980, p. 68-75

Green M. (1996) Celtic Art, Reading the Messages, The Everyman Art Library, 1996

Jay M., Haselgrove C., Hamilton D., Hill J.D., Dent J. (2012) Chariots and Context: New

Radiocarbon Dates From Wetwang and the Chronology of Iron Age Brooches in East

Yorkshire. In: Oxford Journal of Archaeology, Volume 31, Issue 2. p. 161-189, May

2012

Farina P. (1997) The Camunnian Rose, Valcamonica Rock Art. In: TRACCE ONL. RA

BULL. 7:

http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?p=1366

Farina P. (1998) The motif of the Camunian Rose. In:,TRACCE ONL. RA BULL. 10:

http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?p=1782

Mac Gonagle (2015): On the Triskele in Iron Age Celtic Culture:

https://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-

_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culture

Wilson T. (1896) The swastika, the earliest known symbol, and its migrations; with

observations on the migration of certain industries in prehistoric times. From: Report of the

U.S. National Museum for 1894, Washington, 1896, pp. 757-1011.

https://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culturehttps://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culturehttps://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culturehttp://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?cat=37http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?cat=37http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?p=1366http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?p=1366http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?cat=47http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?p=1782http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?p=1782https://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culturehttps://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culturehttps://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culturehttps://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culturehttps://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culturehttp://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?p=1782http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?cat=47http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?p=1366http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?cat=37http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?cat=37https://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culturehttps://www.academia.edu/11899946/An_Tr%C3%ADbh%C3%ADs_Mh%C3%B2r_-_On_The_Triskelion_in_Iron_Age_Celtic_Culture