The Ancient Germanic Swastika: History Documentary

The swastika was used by ancient Germanic peoples such as the Goths, Anglo-Saxons and Vikings. But what did it mean? Some say it was a symbol of the sun, some think it was borrowed from the Romans. In this video I explain how the swastika aka fylfot was actually connected to the cult of the god Wotan aka Odin.

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Art: Christian Sloan Hall, Christopher Steininger, Graman, Alex Cristi, Hungerstein,

Photos: Some artefacts were photographed by Tom Rowsell, some by Matt Bunker. If you have not been credited for a photo of an artefact shown here then please contact me.

Sources:
-Behr, C., ‘Die Beizeichen auf den völkerwanderungszeitlichen Goldbrakteaten.’ Frankfurt a. M. [u.a.] (1991)
-Burillo-Cuadrado, Ma & Burillo, Francisco. (2014). The swastika as representation of the sun of helios and mithras. Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry. 14. 29-36.
-Carus. P., “FYLFOT AND SWASTIKA” in The Open court (1887)
-Cheesman. C., THE HERALDS’ SWASTIKA (2019)
-Godfrey-Faussett, T.G., ‘The Saxon cemetery at Bifrons’ (Kent Archaeology 1876)
-Haseloff, Eine ‘jütländische Fibelgruppe und ihre Verwandten’ in “Die germanische Tierornamentik der Völkerwanderungszeit” 1981
-Hauck. K., Die Goldbrakteaten der Völkerwanderungszeit (1985)
-Helm. R., ‘Germanischer Schmuck’ (1957)
-MacLeod and Mees 'Runic Amulets and Magic Objects' (2006)
-Pennick. N., ‘Woden’s Swastika’ in Journal of Geomancy vol. 3 no. 4, July 1979
-Sansoni, U., ‘Alpine and Scandinavian rock art in the Bronze Age, a common cultural matrix in a web of continental influences’ In Picturing Bronze Age ( Swedish Rock Art Series: volume 3 2015)
-Renner-Volbach, D., ‘Die durchbrochenen Zierscheiben der Merowingerzeit’
Dorothee Renner. Rom.-German. Zentralmuseum zu Mainz, (1970)
-Toreld. A., Andersson. T., hallristning Field report (2012)
-Theune-Grosskopf, B., & Nedoma, R. (2008). Chairs in graves of the Migration and Merovingian period mirrored by a new find with rune inscription from Trossingen, Lkr. Tuttlingen. Archaologisches Korrespondenzblatt. 38. 423-436.

Music:
Bark sound productions - vrm, eld, egd
Khan Kurra - little dragon
Torulf - Freja
Borg - The May queen
The Whole Other - ether oar
Styrkr - Dream become death
Stark von Oben - Winter Soulstice
Hildigaldra - Viking

00:00 Introduction
03:11 Nordic Bronze age antecedents
05:09 Greek and Roman swastika
08:51 Celtic swastika
11:04 Germanic fylfots
11:59 Bracteate fylfots
19:38 Fylfot brooches
21:46 Zierscheibe
26:57 Urns
28:47 Klotzstuhl
29:58 Swastika weapons
33:38 Textiles
34:55 Runestones
36:47 Zoomorphic vs geometric variants
41:52 Conclusion

[JackSardonic]

Other YouTubers: censoring swear words and sexual words to avoid demonetisation
STJ: *Here is a forty-five minute documentary about Swastikas*

[DescendantofAvalon]

This video has taught me that germanic kings of yore adorned themselves with jewellery inscribed with the words "odins top guy" and that has improved my existence substantially

[Adrian-vyvn]

Thank you for adding captions to help non-native English speakers like me understand better.

[DialTransmition]

The painting "Thor's Fight with the Giants" also shows a swastika on Thor's belt. The painting was created in 1872

[LordOfSweden]

In Sweden and many other countries, this symbol is forbidden and I think it's absolute madness that a state should be able to forbid any symbol of any kind. It's not up to them to decide what symbols people want to use or not use, just as it is not up to them to decide what people can say or think. One day we will have freedom.

[ginnungagap]

I live in R'īga and this symbol is everywhere. It is the Perkunskrusts (Thor's Cross)

[jonathanschreindl]

It’s very interesting because Carl Jung said that when Christianity proved too weak to defend Europe from communism, the spirit of Wotan awoke in the German people. As an observation and personal belief that the spirit of a nation could manifest in a leader like the chancellor it would make sense that as the god who gives humans, poetry, or the gift of speech that said Chancellor would be able to potently speak with this type of ecstasy and fury. Regardless of modern interpretations, these types of symbols have a way of rising to the surface during times of incredible turmoil for a nation. The fact that he referred to himself as the father is also interesting in light of aspects of the God, Odin.

[sheamccurdy]

Most Americans don’t know the U.S. House of Representatives upper gallery seating fabric is covered with an interwoven fylfot pattern.

[hexfog]

Thanks for featuring my track this was a awesome video.

"Stark von Oben - Winter Soulstice"

[S.J.L]

The Sun cross was very ubiquitous among early Indo Europeans, traceable all the way back to the yamnaya, at least. Spiral motifs were also very common. Swastikas and triskelions are also found among the Cucetani Tripolye culture, who certainly influenced Indo European art as well.

[travv]

Tired of normies saying National Socialists "stole" the symbol.

[bro]

The first time I ever saw it was when my mother was showing me the Indiana Jones movies as a kid. Huge red banners with such a mysterious and striking symbol on them, I was fascinated right away. When I asked about it my mother quickly told me it was a very bad symbol and I should not draw it lmao, but I was a serial doodler in school so I did it anyway. How could you resist drawing it? It's so perfect, simple but so distinct.

[Sator]

As far as I understand, the oldest known swastika dates back to around 15, 000 years ago and was found on an ivory figurine in Mezin, Ukraine. This artifact, carved from mammoth tusk, features intricate patterns, including swastika-like symbols, and is associated with the Paleolithic era.

[MikeOcksmol]

Hot take: nobody stole it. It's so ancient it exists basically everywhere but even if you want to delve into esoteric histories to give it a common origin from which it would have been disseminated everywhere else you still can't say anybody stole it

[Baptized_in_Fire.]

I've been working on this subject too. I've got a copy of a book from 1896 on the swastika. Before Nazis ever existed. You found things I haven't even heard or seen yet. Great job! Wish I could like more than once!

[avatarion]

They used to carve these on wooden doors in Finland in the Medieval period, for protective purposes I presume. You would also occasionally see it on kantele musical instruments as well as brooches, belt buckles, combs etc.

[sageknoll]

That was a very focused deep dive on the meaning of the swastika in the Germanic context.

This reminds me I need to regularly scroll through videos to see if the channel has addressed a topic that hits my radar.

If it has, it’s going to be solid info. Thanks!

[yulfaweisulf]

As the Big Dipper traverses around the North Star, it creates the Swastika or Fylfot. And beautifully.

[Esotericwisdom]

I think it’s strange how native European symbols, values, and traditions are seen as “hateful” and as especially “antisemitic” by the ADL. But none of Christianity is…. Curious

[DavidValdezBigWaveDave]

I’ll never forget when I got detention in 6th grade for drawing a Buddha with a swastika on his forehead, my history teacher gave me a 30 minute lecture on how it’s a symbol of hate even though it was for a project on Indian history