Symbols and Signs - Overview

The Native American Indians used many symbols and signs to convey secret meanings. Our illustrated Symbols and Signs guide provide a unique insight into the ancient and mysterious signs and symbols used in their unusual forms of non-verbal communication. The methods used to communicate these secret symbols and signs included War paint,Smoke Signals, Horse War Paint and Picture messages on trees, skins or rocks using Native American Symbols and signs called Pictograms. Native American Sign Language was developed to enable different tribes to communicate with each other.

Reason for the Native American symbols and signs

The Native American designs used in their symbols and signs were usually based on geometric portrayals of celestial or heavenly bodies such as the sun and stars, natural phenomena such as thunderstorms and animal designs including serpents and spiders. For additional information refer to Power Animals. Symbols and signs were used for a variety of different reasons in the Native American culture and were depicted on numerous objects and articles used by the men and women of the tribes. The War paint that used by Indian warriors contained secret symbols and signs and even horses were painted with symbols and signs.  Many Symbols and Signs were spiritual in nature conveying various religious beliefs. Other Symbols and Signs conveyed immediately identifiable secret messages to other tribe members. The Symbols and Signs used by Native Americans also had practical purposes such as recording important events, providing directions, indicating good hunting areas or as warning signs and symbols. For additional information refer to the article on the Interpretation of Symbols.

Pictograms

Some of the Symbols and Signs used by Native Americans were simple pictograms. A pictogram conveys a story and meaning through pictures of symbols and signs that signify and resemble the shapes of physical objects or people. An Ideagram is another form of pictogram which conveys complex ideas, feelings and emotions. A pictogram is a form of writing which uses representational, pictorial drawings to tell a story.

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