Throwback Thursday: The Peace Symbol

While the words “peace symbol” can generally mean anything - such as an olive branch - in Western culture they bring to mind a very specific shape. You’ve probably seen them on earrings and pendants in every material you can imagine, from wood and plastic to metal and gemstone. The peace symbol is a very popular motif for jewelry with a retro, groovy, or faux boho style. It often gets paired with the classic happy face, mod flower motifs, and fractal patterns.

Ray of Peace Necklace Tutorial by Artbeads.com

The story behind the sign is actually a very interesting one. The Direct Action Committee and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in Britain needed a symbol for it’s 1958 march on the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment. Artist and designer Gerald Holtom originally created a line drawing in the shape of a person showing despair, with a circle around it. Ultimately wanting a more hopeful banner for the movement, Holtom inverted the symbol. The final design is made up of overlapping semaphore signals for the letters N and D - Nuclear Disarmament. Two years later, the badge was brought into the US by a university student, and it quickly became the unifying symbol of both disarmament and anti-war groups across North America and Europe.

Do you have any peace symbol jewelry in your stash?

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