The looped square (⌘), also known as Saint John's Arms, Saint Hannes cross (related to Swedishsankthanskors, Danishjohanneskors, and Finnishhannunvaakuna), and as the command-key symbol due to its use on the command key on Applecomputer keyboards, is a symbol consisting of a square with outward pointing loops at its corners. It is referred to by this name, for example, in works regarding the Mississippian culture[1] (approximately 800 CE to 1600 CE). It is also known as the place of interest sign[2] when used on information signs, a practice which started in Finland in the 1950s, spreading to the other Nordic countries in the 1960s.[3]
The ⌘ symbol as seen on a Swedish road sign (No. H22) for national heritage
The ⌘ symbol on a 1977 Finnish 5 penni coin
It is an ancient symbol used by several cultures, and remains in common use today. It belongs to a class of symbols which are called valknute in Norway.[4]
The symbol appears on a number of ancient objects in Northern Europe. It features prominently on a picture stone from Hablingbo, Gotland, Sweden, that was created between 400 and 600 CE.[5]
In Finland, the symbol was painted or carved on houses and barns, and domestic utensils such as tableware, to protect them and their owners from evil spirits and bad luck. The oldest surviving example is a pair of 1000-year-old (Finnish pre-Christian period) wooden skis decorated with the symbol.[7][8]
The looped square also appears on artifacts of the Mississippian culture of the southeastern United States.[1]
The English names Saint John's Arms, Saint Hannes cross or Saint Hans's Cross as well as the Scandinavian names refer to John the Baptist. The connection is that the celebration of Midsummer's Eve is a major festival in Scandinavia, which in the Julian calendar coincided with the Christian feast celebrating the nativity of Saint John the Baptist, and that the (pagan) symbol was associated with the Midsummer celebrations.[9]
In modern times, the symbol is commonly found in Belarus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Sweden, and Ukraine as an indicator of locations of cultural interest, beginning in Finland in the 1950s and spreading to the other Nordic countries in the 1960s.[3] There has been modern speculation that it was chosen for its resemblance to an aerial view of Borgholm Castle;[10] however, as stated its use for attractions began in Finland, not Sweden, and the symbol is well-represented in Scandinavian artifacts that predate the current castle by centuries.[5]
^ abC. Andrew Buchner (2010). "Cox Mound Gorget". Tennessee Encyclopedia. Tennessee Historical Society. Retrieved 9 May 2013. The Cox Mound, or Woodpecker, gorget style is a … symbol of Tennessee's prehistoric inhabitants. A gorget was a pendant worn around the neck as a badge of rank... thought to be symbolic of both earthly and supernatural powers; A.D. 1250–1450.
^ ab"Riksantikvarieämbetets historia". raa.se (in Swedish). Riksantikvarieämbetet - Swedish National Heritage Board. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
^Municipal arms for Lødingen, blazoned in the Norwegian Royal Decree of 11 May 1984, quoted in Hans Cappelen og Knut Johannessen: Norske kommunevåpen, Oslo 1987, page 197. The term is also used in Anders Bjønnes: Segltegninger fra hyllingene i Norge 1591 og 1610, Oslo 2010, pages 64–65.
^ ab. Länsmuseet på Gotland. Archived from the original on 13 September 2008.
^Parker, James (1894). A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry: Cord. Retrieved 18 March 2007.
^Talve, Ilmar (1990). Suomen kansankulttuuri (in Finnish). ISBN951-717-553-1.
^Department of Archaeology. . Nat'l Board of Antiquities (in Finnish). Helsinki: Finnish Museums Online. p. KM9908:1. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013.
^Webb, Stephen: Clash of Symbols: A ride through the riches of glyphs, 1st ed. 2018, p. 61, ISBN978-3319713496, online, p. 61, at Google Books
^Kare, Susan (7 June 2014). "Susan Kare, Iconographer (EG8)". Vimeo.com. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
^Dan Frommer (2 July 2011). "What does Splat mean?". SplatF. Say Media. Retrieved 9 May 2013. Splat refers to the key on a Mac keyboard that's officially called the Command key. Some old-school Mac nerds — my father included — call it the "splat" key, because the symbol sort of looks like something that went "splat". The symbol itself, also known as Saint John's Arms or the "place of interest sign"... is often seen in Northern Europe.
^Why the Looped Square (⌘) Symbol?. Medium. 1 March 2018.
^"Welcome to Proximus – Internet, mobile, phone and TV". www.proximus.be. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
^"Systematic Review and Literature Review Software by DistillerSR". DistillerSR. Retrieved 30 March 2023.
External links
Media related to Looped squares at Wikimedia Commons
May 04, 2023
looped, square, looped, square, also, known, saint, john, arms, saint, hannes, cross, related, swedish, sankthanskors, danish, johanneskors, finnish, hannunvaakuna, command, symbol, command, apple, computer, keyboards, symbol, consisting, square, with, outward. The looped square also known as Saint John s Arms Saint Hannes cross related to Swedish sankthanskors Danish johanneskors and Finnish hannunvaakuna and as the command key symbol due to its use on the command key on Apple computer keyboards is a symbol consisting of a square with outward pointing loops at its corners It is referred to by this name for example in works regarding the Mississippian culture 1 approximately 800 CE to 1600 CE It is also known as the place of interest sign 2 when used on information signs a practice which started in Finland in the 1950s spreading to the other Nordic countries in the 1960s 3 The symbol as seen on a Swedish road sign No H22 for national heritage The symbol on a 1977 Finnish 5 penni coin It is an ancient symbol used by several cultures and remains in common use today It belongs to a class of symbols which are called valknute in Norway 4 Contents 1 Ancient use 2 Traditional names 3 Modern use 4 Encoding 5 Gallery 6 See also 7 References 8 External linksAncient use EditThe symbol appears on a number of ancient objects in Northern Europe It features prominently on a picture stone from Hablingbo Gotland Sweden that was created between 400 and 600 CE 5 It is also similar to a traditional heraldic emblem called a Bowen knot 6 In Finland the symbol was painted or carved on houses and barns and domestic utensils such as tableware to protect them and their owners from evil spirits and bad luck The oldest surviving example is a pair of 1000 year old Finnish pre Christian period wooden skis decorated with the symbol 7 8 The looped square also appears on artifacts of the Mississippian culture of the southeastern United States 1 While not a true knot many depictions follow the convention for heraldic knots in that the crossings of the strand obey an under over pattern Traditional names EditThe English names Saint John s Arms Saint Hannes cross or Saint Hans s Cross as well as the Scandinavian names refer to John the Baptist The connection is that the celebration of Midsummer s Eve is a major festival in Scandinavia which in the Julian calendar coincided with the Christian feast celebrating the nativity of Saint John the Baptist and that the pagan symbol was associated with the Midsummer celebrations 9 Modern use Edit Aerial view of Borgholm Castle In modern times the symbol is commonly found in Belarus Denmark Estonia Finland Germany Iceland Latvia Lithuania Norway Sweden and Ukraine as an indicator of locations of cultural interest beginning in Finland in the 1950s and spreading to the other Nordic countries in the 1960s 3 There has been modern speculation that it was chosen for its resemblance to an aerial view of Borgholm Castle 10 however as stated its use for attractions began in Finland not Sweden and the symbol is well represented in Scandinavian artifacts that predate the current castle by centuries 5 The symbol later gained international recognition via computing It is used on Apple keyboards as the symbol for the command key 11 as well as in elementary OS as the symbol for the Super key 12 The looped square is used in the logos of Belgian telecommunications company Proximus and Canadian software company DistillerSR 13 14 Encoding EditIn Unicode it is encoded at U 2318 PLACE OF INTEREST SIGN in the block Miscellaneous Technical Gallery Edit Migration Period picture stone from Havor Hablingbo Gotland Gotland Museum Visby Designation for Estonian Cultural heritage monuments Cox mound gorget Mississippian culture found in Tennessee c 1250 1450 Cheese moulds in the National Museum of Finland Helsinki The symbol Rana museum Norway Proximus shop in Brussels Belgium showing a logo displaying the letter x by a looped square like shape An Apple command keySee also EditBowen knot Valknut Camunian roseReferences Edit a b C Andrew Buchner 2010 Cox Mound Gorget Tennessee Encyclopedia Tennessee Historical Society Retrieved 9 May 2013 The Cox Mound or Woodpecker gorget style is a symbol of Tennessee s prehistoric inhabitants A gorget was a pendant worn around the neck as a badge of rank thought to be symbolic of both earthly and supernatural powers A D 1250 1450 Miscellaneous Technical Range 2300 23FF PDF Unicode Consortium a b Riksantikvarieambetets historia raa se in Swedish Riksantikvarieambetet Swedish National Heritage Board Retrieved 16 March 2018 Municipal arms for Lodingen blazoned in the Norwegian Royal Decree of 11 May 1984 quoted in Hans Cappelen og Knut Johannessen Norske kommunevapen Oslo 1987 page 197 The term is also used in Anders Bjonnes Segltegninger fra hyllingene i Norge 1591 og 1610 Oslo 2010 pages 64 65 a b The Picture Stone from Havor in Hablingbo Lansmuseet pa Gotland Archived from the original on 13 September 2008 Parker James 1894 A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry Cord Retrieved 18 March 2007 Talve Ilmar 1990 Suomen kansankulttuuri in Finnish ISBN 951 717 553 1 Department of Archaeology Ski fragment Nat l Board of Antiquities in Finnish Helsinki Finnish Museums Online p KM9908 1 Archived from the original on 3 December 2013 Webb Stephen Clash of Symbols A ride through the riches of glyphs 1st ed 2018 p 61 ISBN 978 3319713496 online p 61 at Google Books Kare Susan 7 June 2014 Susan Kare Iconographer EG8 Vimeo com Retrieved 25 June 2014 Dan Frommer 2 July 2011 What does Splat mean SplatF Say Media Retrieved 9 May 2013 Splat refers to the key on a Mac keyboard that s officially called the Command key Some old school Mac nerds my father included call it the splat key because the symbol sort of looks like something that went splat The symbol itself also known as Saint John s Arms or the place of interest sign is often seen in Northern Europe Why the Looped Square Symbol Medium 1 March 2018 Welcome to Proximus Internet mobile phone and TV www proximus be Retrieved 30 March 2023 Systematic Review and Literature Review Software by DistillerSR DistillerSR Retrieved 30 March 2023 External links Edit Media related to Looped squares at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Looped square amp oldid 1147332701, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
