The Circle and the Square:

Why was I interested in this stone?: because I’d seen it before. 

Here are four stones, placed precisely together creating a cross, connected by the carved circle.  It was, perhaps, one of the more interesting things I found at Chitzen Itza.  And I found it by happenstance.  I was not on the beaten path, but was wandering among the trees and ruins of this lost and abandoned city doing my own exploring before having to head back to the bus.

It immediately made me think of the Celtic Crosses of Ireland.

 

 

When the film, Hidalgo, came out in 2004, I was equally intrigued by the necklace the main character, Frank Hopkins, wore as a reminder of his North American Plaines Indian heritage.

 

Was there any connection between Central America, North America and Europe?  As I did a little internet digging, I came across several websites, but I liked this one best, http://symboldictionary.net/?p=784.  I found out that this symbol is not only very old, it’s global, associated with a myriad of ancient religions.  It is often referred to as the Solar Cross, depicting the turning of the year, or, as with some North American Indians, with the ages of Man - infancy, youth, middle age and old age.

That this symbol is associated with so many ancient religions seems obvious.  What is more basic than a circle and a straight line?  Just go into any store that sells drafting equipment.  You will find equipment to will help you draw a perfect circle and a perfect square, or cross.  With these basics, you can draw anything, build anything.  That symbol was used to help people build and define their lives, so no wonder it’s everywhere – it’s likely been around since the very beginning.

So I shouldn’t wonder at it.  If it’s an ancient religious symbol, if people traveled far and wide then as they do now, as the Book of Mormon attests, that symbol would be all over the world. 

And so it is, and I find that very interesting.

Next time:  North American Indians & George Catlin