Tursaansydän

The tursaansydän or tursan sydän (lit. 'heart of Tursas' or 'heart of octopus'), also called mursunsydän (lit. 'heart of the walrus'), is an ancient symbol used in Northern Europe. The symbol originates from prehistoric times. The tursaansydän was believed to bring good luck and protect from curses, and was used as a decorative motif on wooden furniture and buildings in Finland. A brick dating to the 14th or 15th century bearing a tursaansydän motif was found during restorations of the Häme Castle.

During the 18th century the simple swastika became more popular in Finnish wood decoration than the more complex tursaansydän.

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