Wedding Bed Cover c. 1900

This Wedding Bed Cover was made by the Tujia people. Notice how a set of swastika symbols flanks each diamond motif. For centuries, this symbol, with arms bent at right angles, has been used in many cultures, including those of Asia and Europe, to represent well-being. This symbol, which appears in ancient Sanskrit texts, serves as an auspicious emblem for the continuous cycle of life and the cosmos. The swastika's presence on this wedding bed cover might have been an effort to give the newlyweds blessings of good luck and fertility. It's a stark reminder of how symbols, deeply ingrained in cultural memory, can be co-opted and twisted. The symbol's later appropriation by destructive ideologies serves as a warning of the psychological power of symbols. Such bed covers were made with the hope that they would bring luck and continuity to a new family.