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is said to fuse the symbolism of the sun cross with the Christian cross
Crucifix

A crucifix is a Christian cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus. It is a principal symbol of the Christianity religion. It is primarily used in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican churches, and Eastern Orthodox churches, and it emphasizes Christ's sacrifice— his death by crucifixion, which they believe brought about th...
.]] The sun cross, a cross
Cross

A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run diagonally, the design is technically termed a saltire....
 inside a circle
Circle

A circle is a simple shape of Euclidean geometry consisting of those point in a plane which are the same distance from a given point called the center....
, is one of the oldest and most widespread of symbols. The Neolithic
Neolithic

The Neolithic period was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 Before the Christian Era in the Middle East that is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age....
 symbol combining cross and circle is the simplest conceivable representation of the union of opposed polarities in the Western world.






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Crossed Circle
is said to fuse the symbolism of the sun cross with the Christian cross
Crucifix

A crucifix is a Christian cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus. It is a principal symbol of the Christianity religion. It is primarily used in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican churches, and Eastern Orthodox churches, and it emphasizes Christ's sacrifice— his death by crucifixion, which they believe brought about th...
.]] The sun cross, a cross
Cross

A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run diagonally, the design is technically termed a saltire....
 inside a circle
Circle

A circle is a simple shape of Euclidean geometry consisting of those point in a plane which are the same distance from a given point called the center....
, is one of the oldest and most widespread of symbols. The Neolithic
Neolithic

The Neolithic period was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 Before the Christian Era in the Middle East that is traditionally considered the last part of the Stone Age....
 symbol combining cross and circle is the simplest conceivable representation of the union of opposed polarities in the Western world. It often stood for the sun and the tree of life
Tree of life

The concept of a many-branched tree illustrating the idea that all life on earth is related has been used in tree of life , religion, philosophy, mythology and other areas....
. Crossed circles scratched on stones have been recovered from Paleolithic cave sites in the Pyrenees
Pyrenees

The Pyrenees are a mountain range in southwest Europe that form a natural border between France and Spain. They separate the Iberian Peninsula from the rest of continental Europe, and extend for about from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea ....
. At the Callanish Stones in the Outer Hebrides
Outer Hebrides

The Outer Hebrides, comprise an Archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. The local government area is one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland....
, the most famous megalithic site in Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
, crossing avenues of standing stones extend from a circle. Scratched into stone or painted on pottery, as on that of the Samara culture
Samara culture

The Samara culture was an eneolithic culture of the early 5th millennium BC at the Samara bend region of the middle Volga, discovered during archaeological excavations in 1973 near the village of Syezzheye in Russia....
, the crossed-circle symbol appears in such diverse areas as the Pyrenees in Old Europe, the Anatolia
Anatolia

Anatolia or Asia Minor is a region of Western Asia, comprising most of the modern Republic of Turkey. It is a geographic region bounded by the Black Sea to the north, the Caucasus to the northeast, the Aegean Sea to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and the Iranian plateau to the east and southeast....
, Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia

Mesopotamia is the area of the Tigris-Euphrates river system, along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, largely corresponding to modern Iraq, as well as some parts of northeastern Syria, some parts of southeastern Turkey, and some parts of the Khuzestan Province of southwestern Iran....
, the Iranian plateau
Iranian plateau

The Iranian plateau, also known as the Persian plateau is a geological formation in Southwest Asia, Southern Asia and the Caucasus region....
, and the cities of Mohenjo-daro
Mohenjo-daro

Mohenjo-daro was one of the largest city-settlements of the Indus Valley Civilization of south Asia situated in the province of Sind, Pakistan....
 and Harappa
Harappa

Harappa is a city in Punjab , northeast Pakistan, about 35 km southwest of Sahiwal.The modern town is located near the former course of the Ravi River and also beside the ruins of an ancient history fortification city, which was part of the Cemetery H culture and the Indus Valley Civilization....
 in the Indus River
Indus River

File:Indian subcontinent CIA.pngThe Indus River is the longest river in Pakistan and the twenty-first largest river in the world, in terms of annual flow, on the Indian Subcontinent....
 valley. It may be compared to the yin-yang
Yin and yang

In Chinese philosophy, the concept of yin yang is used to describe how seemingly disjunct or opposing forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, giving rise to each other in turn....
 symbol of the Eastern world.

In the prehistoric religion of Bronze Age Europe
Bronze Age Europe

The Bronze Age in Europe succeeds the Neolithic Europe in the late 3rd millennium BC , and spans the entire 2nd millennium BC in Nordic Bronze Age lasting until ca....
, crosses in circles appear frequently on artifacts identified as cult items, for example the "miniature standard" with an amber
Amber

Amber is fossil tree resin, which is appreciated for its color and beauty. Good quality amber is used for the manufacture of ornamental objects and jewelry....
 inlay that shows a cross shape when held against the light, dating to the Nordic Bronze Age
Nordic Bronze Age

The Nordic Bronze Age is the name given by Oscar Montelius to a period and a Bronze Age archaeological culture in Scandinavian pre-history, ca 1800 BCE - 500 BCE, with sites that reached as far east as Estonia....
, held at the National Museum of Denmark
National Museum of Denmark

The National Museum of Denmark in Copenhagen is Denmark largest museum of cultural history, comprising the histories of Danish and foreign cultures, alike....
, Copenhagen
Copenhagen

Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban area with a population of 1,153,615 . Copenhagen is situated on the Islands of Zealand and Amager....
. The Bronze Age symbol has also been connected with the spoke
Spoke

A spoke is one of some number of rods radiating from the center of a wheel , connecting the hub with the round traction surface.The term originally referred to portions of a log which had been split lengthwise into four or six sections....
d chariot
Chariot

The chariot is the earliest and simplest type of carriage, used in both peace and war as the chief vehicle of many ancient peoples. Chariots were built in Mesopotamia by the Mesopotamians as early as 3000 BC and in China during the 2nd millennium BC....
 wheel
Wheel

A wheel is a circular device that is capable of rotating on its axis, facilitating movement or transportation whilst supporting a load , or performing labour in machines....
, which at the time was four-spoked (compare the Linear B
Linear B

Linear B is a script that was used for writing Mycenaean language, an early form of Greek language. It predated the Greek alphabet by several centuries and seems to have died out with the fall of Mycenaean Greece civilization....
 ideogram 243 "wheel" .) This technological innovation reached Europe in the mid-2nd millennium BC. In the context of a culture that celebrated the Sun chariot, it may also have had a "solar" connotation.

Modern symbolism

Southern Cult Solar Cross

Contemporary tribal cultures

Contemporary Amerindian and other indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples

File:Kaiapos.jpegThe term indigenous peoples or autochthonous peoples can be used to describe any ethnic group of people who inhabit a geographic region with which they have the earliest known historical connection, alongside immigrants which have populated the region and which are greater in number....
 continued to use the sun cross in symbolic practice and decoration.

Astronomical

A similar astronomical symbol represents the Earth
Earth

Earth is the third planet from the Sun. Earth is the largest of the terrestrial planets in the Solar System in diameter, mass and density. It is also referred to as the World and Wiktionary:Terra.Note that by International Astronomical Union convention, the term "Terra" is used for naming extensive land masses, rather...
, while the Sun
Sun

The Sun , a G V star, is the star at the center of the Solar System. The Earth and other matter orbit the Sun, which by itself accounts for about 98.6% of the Solar System's mass....
 is symbolized by a circle with a central dot.

Neo-Paganism

Along with other ancient symbols, Pagans
Neopaganism

Neopaganism or Neo-Paganism is an umbrella term used to identify a wide variety of new religious movement, particularly those influenced by pre-Christian "Paganism" beliefs of Europe....
 use the sun cross in practicing a reconstruction of ancient Germanic
Germanic neopaganism

Germanic Neopaganism is the Neopaganism of historical Germanic paganism. Precursor movements appeared in the early 20th century in Esotericism in Germany and Austria....
 and Slavic
Slavic neopaganism

Slavic Neopaganism is a modern polytheistic, polytheistic reconstructionism, and Neopaganism religion; its adherents call themselves Rodnovers, and consider themselves to be the legitimate continuation of Slavic mythology....
 pre-Christian religion and culture.

Political symbolism

The Norwegian
Norway

Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a constitutional monarchy in Northern Europe that occupies the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula....
 Nazi party Nasjonal Samling
Nasjonal Samling

Nasjonal Samling was a fascism party in Norway active in the period 1933-45. Founded by former minister of defence Vidkun Quisling and a group of sympathisers such as Johan Bernhard Hjort who was to lead the party's paramilitary wing for a short time before leaving the party in 1937 after internal conflict....
 used a golden sun cross on a red background as its official symbol from 1933 until 1945. The cross within a circle was ascribed to Saint Olaf, the patron saint of Norway, and the colours were those of the coat of arms of Norway
Coat of arms of Norway

The Coat of Arms of Norway is one of the oldest in Europe. It originated as a personal coat of arms for the Norwegian monarchy. Magnus II of Norway was the first king to use the lion as his standard....
.

Various extreme white nationalist and Neo-Nazi groups use the sun cross to represent the Aryan race
Aryan race

The Aryan race is a concept in European culture that was influential in the period of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It derives from the idea that the original speakers of the Indo-European languages and their descendants up to the present day constitute a distinctive Race ....
.

Wicca

In Wicca
Wicca

Wicca is a neopaganism, nature-based religion. It was re-popularised in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired United Kingdom civil servant, who at the time called it Witchcraft and its adherents "the Wica"....
 the sun cross most commonly represents the sun
Sun

The Sun , a G V star, is the star at the center of the Solar System. The Earth and other matter orbit the Sun, which by itself accounts for about 98.6% of the Solar System's mass....
 and the four quadrants the wheel of the year
Wheel of the Year

The Wheel of the Year is a Wiccan and Neopaganism term for the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons. It consists of eight festivals, spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the year....
, i.e. the four seasonal cycles of the year.

Gallery


See also


  • Solar symbol
    Solar symbol

    A solar symbol is a symbol which symbolises the Sun. Solar symbols can have significance in psychoanalysis, symbolism, semiotics, astrology, religion, mythology, mysticism, divination, heraldry, and vexillology, among other fields....
  • Christian cross
    Christian cross

    The Christian cross is the best-known religious symbol of Christianity. It is a representation of the instrument of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ....
     or Crucifix
    Crucifix

    A crucifix is a Christian cross with a representation of Jesus' body, or corpus. It is a principal symbol of the Christianity religion. It is primarily used in the Roman Catholic Church, Anglican churches, and Eastern Orthodox churches, and it emphasizes Christ's sacrifice— his death by crucifixion, which they believe brought about th...
  • Labarum
    Labarum

    For the article about the "PX" symbol see Chi RhoThe Labarum was a typographic ligature formed from Chi and Rho , which had particular symbolic significance to the Roman Empires, Ancient Greece, and to the Christianity of Late Antiquity in general....
     or Chi-Rho
  • Brigid's cross
    Brigid's cross

    Brigid's cross, Brighid's cross, or Brigit's cross, often with the "Saint" prefix, or Cros Br?de, Cros?g Br?de or Bogha Br?de, though not recorded before the seventeenth century, is an Ireland symbol....
    , also Celtic cross
    Celtic cross

    File:Celtic-style crossed circle.svgFile:CelticCross.svgA Celtic cross is a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection....
  • Solar deity
    Solar deity

    A Solar Deity , is a deity who represents the sun, or an aspect of it. People have worshiped these for all of recorded history. Hence, many beliefs have formed around this worship, such as the "missing sun" found in many cultures ....
    , also Sol Invictus
    Sol Invictus

    Sol Invictus was the Roman official religion sun god created by the emperor Aurelian in 274 and continued, overshadowing other Eastern cults in importance, until the abolition of paganism under Theodosius I....
  • Taranis
    Taranis

    In Celtic mythology Taranis was the god of thunder worshipped in Gaul, Ancient Britain, and Hispania and mentioned, along with Esus and Toutatis, by the Roman poet Lucan in his epic poem Pharsalia as a Celtic deity to whom sacrificial offerings were made....
  • Swastika
    Swastika

    The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at Angle#Types of angles, in either right-facing form or its mirrored left-facing form....
  • Ankh
    Ankh

    The ankh was the Egyptian hieroglyphic character that read "eternal life", a triliteral sign for the consonants Ayin-Nun -?a'. Egyptian gods are often portrayed carrying it by its loop, or bearing one in each hand, arms crossed over their chest....
  • Lauburu
    Lauburu

    The lauburu or Basque cross has four comma -shaped heads similar to the Japanese tomoe. It can be constructed with a compass and straightedge, beginning with the formation of a square template; each head can be drawn from a neighboring vertex of this template with two compass settings, with one radius half the length of the other....
  • Medicine wheel
    Medicine wheel

    Medicine wheels, or sacred hoops, were constructed by laying stones in a particular pattern on the ground. Most medicine wheels follow the basic pattern of having a center of stone, and surrounding that is an outer ring of stones with "spokes", or lines of rocks radiating from the center....
  • Wheel of the Year
    Wheel of the Year

    The Wheel of the Year is a Wiccan and Neopaganism term for the annual cycle of the Earth's seasons. It consists of eight festivals, spaced at approximately even intervals throughout the year....
  • Zierscheibe
    Zierscheibe

    Zierscheibe in archaeology is the term for a kind of metal jewellery dating to the European Iron Age. They are found in women's graves and are thought to have been worn as pendants attached to the tunica, or as part of a belt pouch....
  • Black Sun (occult symbol)


External links

  • Meanings and History.
  • (symbols.com)