1000 Symbols What Shapes Mean in Art and Myth

Symbols are an international language, but that language is far from universal. Different symbols mean radically different things in different contexts - a cross, a crane, or a swastika each have a distinct meaning for a Buddhist, an art historian, or a student of the occult.

1000 Symbols offers a comprehensive directory of symbols in clear, detailed artworks, each accompanied by a definition of the symbol's history and its cross-cultural meanings.

Beginning with an alphabetical, cross-referenced index, the book is then organized into groupings of related symbols:

Geometrical Shapes-circle, square, triangle, pentagram, crescent, and spiral are just a few of the entries.

The Universe and the Elements includes all the symbols for the world around us-earth, air, fire, and water, as well as times of day or month, and the planets.

Author:  Rowena & Rupert Shepherd

Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Released Date: 2002

ISBN: 9780500283516