THIS week, we pick up on the symbol formed by that circle from which a cross emanates within a bigger circle – found in the Baguio cemetery itself. Note: that bigger circle is on a mound, too. And one of the arms of the cross on the mound links to the road that leads from Naguilian Road to the mound.
From the air, then, one would see what could be a cross with its base on Naguilian Road, rising up to that circle mound which has a cross in the circle, the arms of that cross emanating from yet an inner circle. Hmmm.
History records many ancient cultures that practiced the use of symbols in architecture.
One of the most famous of these cultures is of course Egypt.
Another is of course China.
Perhaps less known are the pre-Columbian cultures of the Americas, called these days: Native American.
The website warpaths2peacepipes.com has it that the Native American -- “notably the Hopi” -- cross within a circle, or sacred Solar Cross, “signifies the world (also referred to as the Cosmic Cross). The four bars of the cross in the circle represent north, south, east and west.”
Further, according to the same source, “The individual elements of Air, Fire, Water and Earth are each represented by a cross in a circle.” Still further, these elements are referred to as “The Sacred Four, emanating from the Creator.”
The circle itself stands for Fire (symbolizing “warmth and light”), the circle at the center of the circle for Air (“life”); Water (“sustenance of life”) is signified by the cross’s horizontal line, and Earth by the vertical line and each resulting quadrant having a circle within symbolizing “the first nations (the first four tribes of mankind) which came to the world to keep balance.”
The same web page states: “The origin of the Cross in a Circle Symbol derives from the ancient Mississippian culture of the Mound Builders of North America and were major elements in the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex of American prehistory (S.E.C.C.).” Note that the cross we speak of in the Baguio cemetery is on a mound. Hmmm.
Yes, research has to be done on the symbolism found in the architecture of the Baguio cemetery, indeed. I would love to know if the four sides of said cross on the mound do point to the directions of East, West, North, and South. But it is time to traverse down from that circle to the stand of the other cross that has at its intersection that said circle, forming some kind of a Celtic Cross, maybe. We travel down and end up on Naguilian Road.
Naguilian Road was once the only way to get into what is now our beloved City of Baguio. We start with that next week.