What the hell is this? (woodcarving)

[Skarekrow]

I realize this isn’t Antiques Roadshow, but I figured someone on here may have seen one before or knows what it is even.
There is very obviously a heart with a cross in the middle…above that it seems like it could be either a compass or a ship’s wheel (possibly with water spilling over?).
Interestingly enough the circle below the heart is the flower of life represented geometrically.
The final circle is a spiral which has represented many things throughout many cultures, usually having to do with redirecting your attention from the material world to the inner world.
Maybe it was just someone having fun with wood carving tools….you tell me…I paid $10 for it 2 years ago because I just really liked it.

 

[PintoBean]

Interesting, I can see why you like it! The heart part reminds me a bit of the Irish claddagh symbol. Since the symbol is associated with an Irish fishing village, the top part, what looks like a ship's steering wheel, makes sense. My first thought when I saw it, is that it reminded me of Ireland.

 

[Skarekrow]

Interesting, I can see why you like it! The heart part reminds me a bit of the Irish claddagh symbol. Since the symbol is associated with an Irish fishing village, the top part, what looks like a ship's steering wheel, makes sense. My first thought when I saw it, is that it reminded me of Ireland.

I bought it at this now defunct antique shop…the guy working didn’t know what it was.
It gives me good vibes, so it hangs on my wall.

 

[cvp12gh5]

I realize this isn’t Antiques Roadshow, but I figured someone on here may have seen one before or knows what it is even.
There is very obviously a heart with a cross in the middle…above that it seems like it could be either a compass or a ship’s wheel (possibly with water spilling over?).
Interestingly enough the circle below the heart is the flower of life represented geometrically.
The final circle is a spiral which has represented many things throughout many cultures, usually having to do with redirecting your attention from the material world to the inner world.
Maybe it was just someone having fun with wood carving tools….you tell me…I paid $10 for it 2 years ago because I just really liked it.

It's beautiful! Did you ask the shop owner where he got it from? And are there any markings on it (initials)? It can usually be traced back to the artist with a bit of investigating. Do you know if it's truly an antique, vintage, or just an item that ended up in his shop? If you are looking to find its value (just to know) you should make your way back to that shop and pick the owner's brain. A little info can go a long way in getting answers.

My bet is that it was a spiritual artist having fun with woodcarving tools. But even if it was done by an amateur artist, it could still be worth a pretty penny depending on its age and the type of carving tools used to make it.

I do research on antiques and have never seen this before. If I come across anything I will let you know.

 

[Skarekrow]

It's beautiful! Did you ask the shop owner where he got it from? And are there any markings on it (initials)? It can usually be traced back to the artist with a bit of investigating. Do you know if it's truly an antique, vintage, or just an item that ended up in his shop? If you are looking to find its value (just to know) you should make your way back to that shop and pick the owner's brain. A little info can go a long way in getting answers.

My bet is that it was a a spiritual artist having fun with woodcarving tools. But even if it was done by an amateur artist, it could still be worth a pretty penny depending on it's age and the type of carving tools used to make it.

I do research on antiques and have never seen this before. If I come across anything I will let you know.

Unfortunately the guy didn’t know what it was….then the shop closed.
So….
There are several prominent cultures in this area….there are lots of Russian/Ukraine people, as well as Native Americans (though, I don’t think it’s NA).
No initials, no markings that I can see.
Whoever did it though, was not an amateur…the spiral at the bottom is very difficult to carve in the manner it was made.
You can tell it was all hand done.

 

[cvp12gh5]

Unfortunately the guy didn’t know what it was….then the shop closed.
So….
There are several prominent cultures in this area….there are lots of Russian/Ukraine people, as well as Native Americans (though, I don’t think it’s NA).
No initials, no markings that I can see.
Whoever did it though, was not an amateur…the spiral at the bottom is very difficult to carve in the manner it was made.
You can tell it was all hand done.

The wheel at the top makes me think of the Dharma wheel. Then there is the flower of life in the middle. And the swirling wheel at the bottom reminds me of a spinning wheel of energy (Kundalini). I keep thinking chakra chakra chakra. Any thoughts?

 

[Skarekrow]

The wheel at the top makes me think of the Dharma wheel. Then there is the flower of life in the middle. And the swirling wheel at the bottom reminds me of a spinning wheel of energy (Kundalini). I keep thinking chakra chakra chakra. Any thoughts?

I was thinking it could be something of the sort…I honestly am open to opinions!
Sounds good to me! haha

[MENTION=2578]Kgal[/MENTION]
What do you think?

 

[AJ_]

Hi Skarekrow,

Anywhere But Here beat me to it!

The cool thing about this carving is that it can be anything you want it to be, and it can change and mean something different at different points in your life.

This is just what I thought when I saw it…

The first thing it reminded me of was the different chakras in the body – just like the body has a spinal column, this carving goes up and down like a totem.

The bottom spike could be the root.

The sun disc / swastika pinwheel could be representative of creative energy, consciousness in motion or the milky way galaxy (or all three) 

The next image up could represent the solar plexus, represented by the flower of life (possibly … it seems like 2 and 3 are switched though)

The heart with the cross could be the heart chakra, that is like the cross or bridge between higher nature and lower nature:

The 8-spoke wheel could represent change (the seasons) as in the 8-spoke pagan wheel of the year or the 8 feasts of the Druidic calendar (Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Midsummer, Lughnasadh, Mabon, Samhain). Check this out if you have time:
http://paraicdonoghue.com/esoteric-and-the-occult/time-and-space-8-spoke-wheel-octagon-and-the-occult/

The top seems to represent water flowing down – possibly the (baptismal) waters of higher consciousness . It’s cool that some of the images have wings

 

[Wyote]

I don't know what the hell it is but I would have paid ten bucks for it too @Skarekrow

Since the wheel is at the top, my immediate thought was that it was some type of ornament for a ship. If you turn it "upside down" the bottom also looks like a lotus.

 

[Skarekrow]

I don't know what the hell it is but I would have paid ten bucks for it too @Skarekrow

Since the wheel is at the top, my immediate thought was that it was some type of ornament for a ship. If you turn it "upside down" the bottom also looks like a lotus.

How very curious!!
Thanks for the highlighted areas.

 

[Skarekrow]

[MENTION=251]Wyote[/MENTION]

It could be some sort of folk totem perhaps?

 

[Kgal]

I realize this isn’t Antiques Roadshow, but I figured someone on here may have seen one before or knows what it is even.
There is very obviously a heart with a cross in the middle…above that it seems like it could be either a compass or a ship’s wheel (possibly with water spilling over?).
Interestingly enough the circle below the heart is the flower of life represented geometrically.
The final circle is a spiral which has represented many things throughout many cultures, usually having to do with redirecting your attention from the material world to the inner world.
Maybe it was just someone having fun with wood carving tools….you tell me…I paid $10 for it 2 years ago because I just really liked it.

I think AJ_ was on to something.

To me it represents the power points of the human.

Lower - Middle - and Upper Dantien

The lower is the Sacral combined with the Solar Plexus. The Heart is the middle. The Upper is the Throat combined with the Third Eye.
The Root chakra grounds us to Mother Earth. The Crown chakra grounds us with the Sun(Galactic Source Energy).

The word,dantian, (pronounced dahn-tee-ahn) is a transliteration of the Chinese word for the three special energy centres in the body, where chi (qi) is stored.
See The Original Article Herehttp://awesomeselfhealing.com/qigong-directory/exploring-qigong-what-is-a-dantian/

I LOVE this creation and would have it hanging on my wall near my stones and incense table. :love: It's lovely....and ohhh...made of wood. How special. [MENTION=95]efromm[/MENTION] would like this.

 

[Skarekrow]

Hi Skarekrow,

Anywhere But Here beat me to it!

The cool thing about this carving is that it can be anything you want it to be, and it can change and mean something different at different points in your life.

This is just what I thought when I saw it…

The first thing it reminded me of was the different chakras in the body – just like the body has a spinal column, this carving goes up and down like a totem.

The bottom spike could be the root.

The sun disc / swastika pinwheel could be representative of creative energy, consciousness in motion or the milky way galaxy (or all three) 

The next image up could represent the solar plexus, represented by the flower of life (possibly … it seems like 2 and 3 are switched though)

The heart with the cross could be the heart chakra, that is like the cross or bridge between higher nature and lower nature:

The 8-spoke wheel could represent change (the seasons) as in the 8-spoke pagan wheel of the year or the 8 feasts of the Druidic calendar (Yule, Imbolc, Ostara, Beltane, Midsummer, Lughnasadh, Mabon, Samhain). Check this out if you have time:
http://paraicdonoghue.com/esoteric-...d-space-8-spoke-wheel-octagon-and-the-occult/

The top seems to represent water flowing down – possibly the (baptismal) waters of higher consciousness . It’s cool that some of the images have wings

I don’t know how I missed your post earlier…I wasn’t ignoring you!!
Those are awfully good explanations of what symbology could possibly be happening there.
Thanks!

I think AJ_ was on to something.

To me it represents the power points of the human.

Lower - Middle - and Upper Dantien

The lower is the Sacral combined with the Solar Plexus. The Heart is the middle. The Upper is the Throat combined with the Third Eye.
The Root chakra grounds us to Mother Earth. The Crown chakra grounds us with the Sun(Galactic Source Energy).



I LOVE this creation and would have it hanging on my wall near my stones and incense table. :love: It's lovely....and ohhh...made of wood. How special. @efromm would like this.

It’s actually hanging in the entryway of the house…I don’t know why, but that is where it belongs. hehe

 

[Eventhorizon]

This is the ancient sumarian symbol for devil. Or at least devil is the closest definition we have for it. Ancient sumarians believed in an opposite to everything to include life. Good bad, dark light ect... So while devil seems to be the definition of a conscious thing really its more than that. Built into the very fabric of existence is the opposite of life and here is where this symbol enters. Whats amazing is that few people have ever seen sumarian symbology. Certainly nit enough to piece this together in the way it has been here. The only person that could have done it would have been a scholar and then that person would have had to have this created. It doesn't make any sense.

 

[Eventhorizon]

............

 

[Eventhorizon]

Im completely bs' ing btw.

As a note though it seems fairly ummmm rough. In that it was created by someone not overly skilled with wood work or perhaps by someone who is very quickly.

Reminds me of the I Goat video. Maybe it was cut out of the back of a wooden chair.

 

[sprinkles]

Most of those are Buddhist symbols, the eight spoke wheel especially. Could also be Hindu or Jain. But most of all I think it's just a nice thing that somebody made up and there's nothing wrong with that.

The thing that makes me think that is the cross - it doesn't fit in with the rest of the iconography traditionally. So I think somebody just created this because they find it appealing and the cross is because they have a universal perspective, or perhaps less likely it was used in lieu of a traditional svastika, because reasons.

So I think it is cool but the meaning would be up to the one who made it.

Edit:
The bottom spiral also happens to be a neopagan symbol.

 

[invisible]

cool artwork. maybe a selfportrait. the cross makes me think of the "Sacred Heart" in Christian iconography.

 

[cvp12gh5]

[MENTION=5045]Skarekrow[/MENTION]

I did some investigating, and I believe this is a small lithuanian distaff that was used to spin fibers. Do a google search for ancient lithuanian pagan symbols and for small lithuanian distaffs. The symbolism behind it is rather interesting.

Those searches should lead you in the right direction.

 

[Skarekrow]

@Skarekrow

I did some investigating, and I believe this is a small lithuanian distaff that was used to spin fibers. Do a google search for ancient lithuanian pagan symbols and for small lithuanian distaffs. The symbolism behind it is rather interesting.

Those searches should lead you in the right direction.

I will read up on it and post the relevant info….thanks, how freaking random…from Lithuania..hmmm.
You rock!