ABOUT THIS BOOK. This book explores the use and pow'er of srrnbols. whether
thel ... clevelopment of signs and symbols as seen lrom a number of different ...
T F {E
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E N C YC L O P ED IA
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SIGNS-SYMBOLS l dent if ic at ioann d a n a l y s iosf t he visualvocabulary t hat f ormu l a te s our t hought sa n d d i c ta te so ur react ionst o t he world aroun d u s
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o An inter pr eta ti on of the unconscious co desand secr etlanguages that shapeour m os tanc i ent em otions . Over1600vis ual symbols, inclu di ng photogr aphs , ar t fine paintings andli ne illustr ations w i,th author itative in - depth comm entardefi y , ni ti ons andexplanati ons M,A,RKO' CONN ELL AND R.AJEAIR.EY
TH E
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ENCYCLOPEDIA
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SIGNSOSn{BOLS that formulates of the visualvocabulary andanalysis ldentification to the worldaroundu s ou r t h o u g htsandd ictatesour reactions
MARK O'CONNELL AND RAJE AIREY
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INTRODTJCTION The rvord 'slmbol" rs denved from the ancient tirec k s r m ballein.m e. r nr ngt ( ) t hr o\ r to B c l h e r .l t 5
rrrmal
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figuratir-euse onglnated ln ihe custom o[
nnmrrrlr .^.th . . . . , . i l'_-q n s t'Ln a t n J v e e c o n s cl o u sJr r . . . . . - '. . . . .,_nnrr..rrl unconsclous meanrng for humans. but as w'e are roored in narure.
hre r k r nu . r . ' l. r ' t r hl, , rr . r m t r k t he c on c l u s r o no f a
we will se. [i1at there mar- be cleeperconnecllons betw"eennatural
coniracr or agreement.each party to the 1 dya, hr . , ". . ' "1, 11. . , - i. onc of r he b r o k c n -n
phenomena and the sr,mbols that are meanrngful to us.
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c r e n d a r . o r c o n s e n s u sr.e a l r t vr h e ; r r n b o l s o f i h e d r e a m o r sp L n l
each of rvhich rdentrfledone of the peopLe
worlds can help us to nav-rgatethe psvchospirltual terrarn of non, o n q i n s l t qr a : )r l r ' ( r r n 'i : t n d d r e : l m l t g u r e . a r e u nd cr sto o dr o
invcrh'ed.rvere knoun as symbola. so that a
gutde us or compensatefor some part of our wholeness as yet
Anrs Signof the god, variation.
Asrrarsx signfor Typographical Anssrtc Alchemistic footnote. s i g n ,v a r i a t i o n .
Auruur Old t im esign. Germ anic
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AnsenrcAlchemistic sign,variation.
Arom Also uranium, nuclearreactor(on m a p s ) n, u c l e a r research, nuclear physics.
A V AurumnOld t im esign, Germ anic variati on.
Anm Symbolof power the andstrength; manyarmsgivento
Annow, CURVED Anc ients i g nf o u n di n prehistoric caveart in WesternEuroPe.
f e m i n i n ep r i n c i p l e , Marks alsoprotective. the passingof time andproclaimsgood news,warnsof danger a n dt o l l sf o r d e a t h .
an dspir it ualt r ut h; Japanesesymbolol truth anddevotion.
Axe Almostuniversal symbolof decisive powerandauthority. Associatedwith the creativeforceof the Linked thunderbolt. with ancientsun and stormgods.Usedto invokethunderand rain in WestAf rica; symbolof the unionof f a miliesin Ch ine se marriage.
Barana Freudian ph al lics y m bol.
Bnr Associatedwith death,symbolof fear andsuperstition, linkedwith witchcraft andt he oc c ulti n Westernfolklore.In Africaandancient Greeceit wasa symbolof perspicuity. Cansignifymadness. Under wor ld div i n i t yi n CentralAmericanand Brazilianmythology.
BEARDlmportant aspectof male symbolism, representing dignity, sovereignty, virility andwisdom.Signof a k i n g ;i n a n c i e nE t gypt beardless rulers, includinw g omenr weredepictedwith falsebeardsto proclaimtheirstatus.
^d Basttsx A medieval symbolof lustand disease.
Baoeen Linkedwith p l a yfulnessin Ch ina ; i n Celt ictradition with slyness,deceit.
Bnll Symbolof game s;in c h ildhood China,associated with the sunandthe yinlyangsymbol.
Barx Associated with bathingandthus with purification,both spiritualandphysical.
3? Bnsxer Womb sym bol;in t he Americas,stories aboutbasketsand are basket-making relatedto women,
Berls Symbolof fecundity, usedas lov ec har m sin I n d i a and-to wardoff evil spiritsin Japan.
Brrn Emblemof masculine courage andprimeval force; whileshe-bears symbolize careand warmth- although Junglinkedthemwith aspectsof dangerous In the unconscious, Chr is t ianandlsl a m i c traditionsthe bearis cruelandlustful.
9z Bess cr-erMusic notation. Brmeoo Chinese symbolof resilience, longevity, happiness
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BtonnzenoWarning, USA.
\# Bgtt on etnote Femalechastity, m a r i t afli d e l i t yo r Magic seductiveness. girdlesappearin myth a s e m b l e m so f strengthandbecame a symbolof honourin England. The rope girdlesof monks a l l u d et o t h e scourging of Christ. T h e H i n d ug i r d l ei s a n e m b l e mo f t h e c y c l e s of time.
Ber/erexrveSociety, industryandworking together;honeybees arealsolinkedwith romanticlovein European, Chinese a n dH i n d ut r a d i t i o n s . Beesarelinkedwith deathandthe in otherworld Eurooean folklore. Beonc Runefor B.
BerxonThe planet; mysticalKabbalistic Btt-lThe voicethat proclaims the truth, signfor the second e s p e c i a l liyn O l y m p i cs p i r i t . B u d d h i s tH, i n d u , l s l a m i ca n dC h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n sI .n C h i n ai t ' symbolizes obedience andcosmicharmony. S m a l lt i n k l i n gb e l l s can represenl happiness andsexual pleasure. Wornon Hebrewdressesas a signof virginity. Linkedwiththe
B r n c x B e neifci a l , protective, sacredto Germanicgods. Cosmictreeof CentralAsia.In shamanicrites it symbolized human ascentto the spirit woflo.
Btnos Symbolof the h u m a ns o ul , representing goodness andjoy, standingfor wisdom, i n t e l l i g e nce a n dth e swift powerof thought.Aboriginal storiessuggesithey bearinformation. ln Westernart birdscan symbolize air and touch.
Btnrx cglnr Elizabethan England, '17thcentury.
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SIGNS&WMBOLS fdentification and analysis of the visualvocabulary that formulates our thoughtsanddictatesour reactions to the world aroundus A fascinating guide to hundreds of symbols,signs and ideographs,illustrated with photographs,artworks, diagramsand drawings, and presentedwith authoritative text, commentary and definitions aJ
Lavish illustration reflectshow signs and symbolshave been interpreted and representedthrough thousandsof yearsof aft, mythology and religion, from the Babvloniansand Sumeriansto the modern world An erudite, accessibletext."pt"i.rr, decodesand categ orizesthesigns, including in-depth analysisof some of the most important symbols of all, such as the wheel, the cross,the gateway,the rainbour,the dragon and the sun Contains a directory of over 1000 i[rrrtr"tions of iconographic symbols,in addition to hundreds of colour imagesfeaturing theseprimal metaphors
ISBN-13: 978-1-84477-668-9 ISBN-10: 1-821477-668-9
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