what is this symbol???
March 13, 2010 12:02 AM Subscribe
anyone know what this symbol in the picture is???? man maze symbol it was in the back window of a car that went by. can't ID it.
Yeah, it's a Southwest Indian design. You see it a lot in Hopi jewelry. More here, for example.
posted by Nelson at 8:27 AM on March 13, 2010
posted by Nelson at 8:27 AM on March 13, 2010
i came here to mention the Hopi/SW Indians and see ive been beat to the punch...
posted by knockoutking at 9:59 AM on March 13, 2010
posted by knockoutking at 9:59 AM on March 13, 2010
The Hopi thing is interesting, since the design made me think of the miz-mazes which have been around in England since (quite probably) pre-history.
posted by BrokenEnglish at 10:44 AM on March 13, 2010
posted by BrokenEnglish at 10:44 AM on March 13, 2010
First response has it. Here in Tucson, we are right next to the Tohono O'ohdam reservation, and you see this symbol all the time out here. The O'odham (at one time, they were known as the Papago) see this as a sacred symbol. One of the more common O'odham crafts is a basket with this woven into the inside design.
posted by azpenguin at 11:47 AM on March 13, 2010
posted by azpenguin at 11:47 AM on March 13, 2010
That's I'itoi, the maz is actually a labyrinth. See here:
http://symboldictionary.net/?p=2608
posted by Jennifer 42 at 3:34 AM on March 15, 2010
http://symboldictionary.net/?p=2608
posted by Jennifer 42 at 3:34 AM on March 15, 2010
It's also the central figure in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community seal.
Interesting to note that the symboldictionary.net link from Jennifer 42 says that the figure is exiting the maze, but the other links say that the figure is going to the center of the maze.
posted by Barry B. Palindromer at 9:31 PM on March 15, 2010
Interesting to note that the symboldictionary.net link from Jennifer 42 says that the figure is exiting the maze, but the other links say that the figure is going to the center of the maze.
posted by Barry B. Palindromer at 9:31 PM on March 15, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
I just googled man in the maze symbol and got this wiki page about the "I'itoi"
According to O'odham oral history, the labyrinth design depicts experiences and choices we make in our journey through life. In the middle of the "maze", a person finds their dreams and goals. When one reaches the center, we have one final opportunity (the last turn in the design) to look back upon our choices and path, before the Sun God greets us, blesses us and passes us into the next world.
posted by zephyr_words at 12:07 AM on March 13, 2010 [1 favorite]