The swastika predates the Nazi party by around 10,000 years. Here, we see rangoli (colorful) sand art from a Diwali festival in India. The swastika symbol is now irredeemably tainted by its use by the Nazis in World War II. But it is also one of the oldest symbols in the world and, for most of history, it's had entirely different meanings. So what are the origins of the swastika, and how has its meaning changed over time? The symbol has been known by several names. The word "swastika" — from the Sanskrit word "svastika," meaning something like "blessing" or...