The Birth Symbol in Traditional Women's Art | Mingei International Museum

The Birth Symbol in Traditional Women's Art

From Eurasia and the Central Pacific
On View

Apr 11 - Jul 5, 1987

Location

Mingei International Museum of World Folk Art (founding location)

Curated By

Museum for Textiles, Toronto, Canada

This exhibition introduces the world's oldest religious symbol — an abstract depiction of the Great Goddess. The birth symbol is a diamond-shaped figure (often enclosing an x-shaped fetus symbol) with projecting arms and legs. This pattern could be traced back at least 8,000 years and was used in the textiles of Eastern Europe, Asia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Even into the late 20th century textiles continued to carry this motif as an echo from the past.