Native American symbols are geometric portrayals of celestial bodies, natural phenomena and animal designs, for additional information refer to the Fire Symbol.

The Camp Fire symbol is a Pictogram
The Camp Fire symbol is in a fact a pictogram. A pictogram, also called a pictograph, conveys a story and meaning through pictures that signify and resemble the shapes of physical objects or people. An Ideagram is another form of pictogram which conveys complex ideas, feelings and emotions. A pictogram, such as the one recognised as a Camp Fire symbol, is a therefore a form of writing which uses representational, pictorial drawings to tell a story.

The Meaning of the Camp Fire symbol
The meaning of the Camp Fire symbol was to signify an over night stop had been made requiring the need to set up a camp fire. The following picture shows a drawing made in 1875 by two Indian guides on a piece of birch bark which clearly shows the camp fire symbol. The drawing was placed upon an upright pole, for the purpose of informing their comrades that a party of 14 white men and 2 Indians had encamped at that place. The slant of the Birch-bark pole showed the direction of the proposed march, and three notches in the wood of the pole showed that it was to be a three-day expedition.