The Peace Symbol -- Jan 26, 2010

The Peace Symbol One of the most recognizable icons of the 20th century, the peace symbol has had quite the following for decades. Popularized during the mid-1950's around the same period when the H-Bomb was invented, the believed originator of the icon itself has been tossed around for decades. Intended to be a composite of the letters "N" and "D" the overall form resembles that of a runic symbol. The runic symbol appearance is of great interest as during the reign of Nazi Germany the vast majority of runic symbols directly (in one way or another) related to Hitler and his army. Touching on the Hitler notion, one must also realize that signs and symbols can easily be transformed to mean good OR evil, so it's also possible that the icon could used for bad, although very very unlikely.

Over the years the overall design of the icon has remained intact, however since creativity knows
no bounds the logo has been altered various times giving new meanings and interpretations to the design.

As with many icons the peace sign has been used for commercial purposes as well. Notable items include wall clocks, tote bags and necklaces, and other forms of jewelery. These interpretations of the icon in my opinion often breathe new life into something that otherwise could be forgotten if not for the history and nostalgia attached to the design already.