The Origin of the Peace Sign

The Origin of the Peace Sign 

 

As westerners it is quite inevitable to consider a peace sign as a prominently positive symbol representing freedom, peace and unity unlike its actual historical meaning. The peace sign has gained great propaganda and is constantly used in marketing; whether it is fashion, protests, bumper stickers, posters and even in the communist leftists. When we see a peace symbol we immediately relate the medias enforcement towards it; for example we assume by our enculturation that this icon has strong ties to the “hippie” counter-culture movement with a revolutionizing emphasis; we can also relate it as an embodiment of freedom since it has been used by the media representing the U.S which also stands for liberty. So when was this icon engendered? Around 67 A.D the vicious roman emperor Nero revolted publicly against Christianity; it is said that Nero executed Peter brutally by crucifying him upside down; the upside down cross refers to the symbol named as  “Nero’s cross” (crooked Christian) if we take a close look we can comprehend how this symbol was represented as pagan or as an anti-Christ symbol since it has a figurative form of a man (cross) upside down with broken arms.

For the following 1,000 years this logo was tremendously used by organizations whom followed a pagan or satanic ideology, after 2,000 years this symbol was heavily used by Marxist (communist) groups in this specific time it is when the inverted cross adopted the outside circle which is known as the peace and love sign that we see today. It wasn’t until the mid 1950’s when this logo became popularized erupting as a Free Love icon. 

 Even though the Hippie counter-culture supported spiritual leaders, philosophical leaders, encouraged worldwide peace, psychedelic art and music and groups such as NOW (women rights) its history contrast these ideals of unity. Well who would of thought that the actual originating ideology of this particular sign was the total opposite. In my opinion these are the prominent views that as westerners we have towards the peace sign origin; we tend to believe that it follows no religion but yet it enforces worldwide peace and free love. By the 1970’s it’s meaning shifted into a revolutionary aspect; students from Berkeley and throughout the U.S commenced to use the “clenched” peace slogan in posters as a vehicle of revolt against the Vietnam War. Even though it is referred to both freemasonry and Hinduism its actual non-arbitrary meaning comes from the upside down crucification of Peter.      

Just as Hitler’s decision of using a symbol with great social and sacred power (positive) and creating a swastika with movement transferring the representation as a negative force later causing great controversy. A similar happening occurred with this sign but well lets say reversed since it went from a negative representation transitioning into a positive presentation or so we tend to believe. 

 above is one of the first sketches of the peace symbol by Gerald Holtom. The first sketches are on display in the Commonweal Collection in the Bradford Peace Museum in England