Turtles can live up to 150 years, which is why they symbolize good health and a long life.
The shell of the turtle represents perseverance and protection.
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Updated 5 months ago,November 18, 2024
A list of all the native American symbols.
Arrow
Arrows symbolize protection and defense.
An arrow facing to the left is meant to ward off evil.
Meanwhile, an arrow facing to the right is meant as protection and an arrow facing down meanspeace.
Arrowhead
An arrowhead is a sharpened tip that can be added to an arrow.
They are made of stone and can penetrate the skin.
Bear & Bearprints
Animals act as spiritual guides because they have traits admired by humans.
That is why bears symbolize courage and physical strength.
It is a good omen that conveys authority.
Meanwhile, bear prints represent leadership.
Bird & Birdprints
Birds symbolize light-hearted freedom.
The tracks are meant to indicate a specific direction.
Brothers
Brothers symbolize two people who are bound together and have shared a journey through life.
The line connecting their feet represents their equality.
Butterfly
Butterflies symbolize transformation.
However, the color of the butterfly provides further information.
Cactus
Cacti symbolize warmth, protection, and endurance.
However a cactus could also, more literally, signify the desert.
Camp
Camp is meant to indicate an Indian village consisting of tepees.
These teepees were constructed from wooden poles and animal hide.
They could be set up quickly and dismantled quickly, making it easy for the Native Americans to travel.
Campfire
Camp fires are meant to indicate a temporary overnight stop.
The lightening symbol is closely associated to the Thunderbird, which is a powerful spirit.
Coyote
Coyotes are a holy creature.
However, they symbolize a trickster deity.
This spirit is mischievous, selfish, deceitful, and greedy.
Cross
Crosses symbolize the Earths forces, their origin, and the manner in which they work.
Crow
Crows are a symbol of wisdom because they are one of the smartest birds in existence.
Some believed that the animal even had the ability to speak.
Dancing Man
The dancer indicates that a celebration or ritual dance has taken place.
Those ceremonies are an important part of the Native American culture.
Days & Nights
These markings symbolize the passage of time.
Dead People
When symbols appear upside down, it symbolizes death.
Therefore, this image would indicate the death of a man and a woman.
Deer & Deerprints
Deer symbolize gentleness, safety, prosperity, and shelter.
Their tracks can be used as a tool to indicate where food has been found.
The direction they are facing indicates the direction of the deer.
Dragonfly
Dragonflies symbolize happiness, speed, and purity.
Drum
Drums were an important part of ceremonies.
They were meant as a way to communicate with the Great Spirit.
Eagle & Eagle Feathers
Eagles are a sacred bird.
They are a symbol of courage, wisdom, and strength.
Family
The circle surrounding the family represents family ties, closeness, and protection.
The circle has no starting point or ending point of separation, which means it cannot be broken.
Fertility
The Kokopelli fertility symbol depicts him hunchbacked, dancing, and playing the flute.
Fire was used during ceremonies to cleanse sacred items such as drums, shakers, and pipes.
The Four Stages Of Man
This symbolizes the milestones in a persons life.
The symbol represents the eye of the higher power watching over humankind.
Hand Or Handprint
A hand represents success in hand to hand combat.
It can also symbolize human life in general.
Heartline
This symbol represents the life force of an animal.
Homecoming
This symbol was meant to represent the return of a warrior.
Ceremonies and homecoming dances were performed whenever warriors returned home alive.
Hoofprints
Hoof prints represented the number of horses that were taken on a raid.
It was a way of conveying important information to fellow tribe members.
It represents wishing and hoping.
Journey
This picture of a horse was meant to signify a journey back home.
Lake
A lake symbol was drawn to signify the presence of a body of water.
It was meant as a helpful guide for anyone who was in need of water.
Lightning
This symbol was commonly painted on the faces of Native Americans as war paint.
Many Fish
This symbol indicated a body of water housing food.
It was meant to help the survival of their people.
The outer lines of the symbol represent the four corners of the Universe.
The inner lines represent the Spirit world.
The center circle represents the eye of the Medicine Man and his spiritual vision.
Moon
The moon was the protector and guardian of the earth.
It is a sign of courage and purity of spirit.
Peace
A broken arrow represents peace.
It represents an end to the war.
It means the fighting is going to end and the arrows are going to be put down.
It can also represent plentiful crops.
Serpent
This is a malevolent creature of the Underworld.
It is a monster who devoured his enemies.
Whenever a serpent is seen, it represents death.
Shaman
A shaman acts as a medium between the visible world and the spirit world.
They practice rituals to ensure good health, bountiful harvests, successful hunts, and good weather.
The line connecting their feet represents their equality.
The Native Americans considered itthe year the stars fell.
Its symbol depicts the cardinal directions, north, south, east, and west.
It represents the cycle of life to death to rebirth.
And it represents the four elements.
They believed that the beating of the Firebirds wings caused the thunder and stirred the wind.
They were meant to mimic the arrows being thrown between two warriors.
Water
This symbol was meant to guide others toward drinking water.
