sign symbols

8/10/2019 Sign Symbols

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COh{PH.ETE

ENCYCLOPEDIA

OF

ndanalysisf thevisual ocabularyhat formulate

and

dictates

ur

react ions

o the

world

aroundus

,E

*.,: : . i i

o

An nterpretat ionf the

unconsciousodes nd

secret

anguages

hat

shape urmost ncient

emotions

. Over 600 isual

symbols,ncluding

photographs,

ineart

paint ings

nd

ine

i l lustrat ions,i th

authori tat iven-depth

commentary,ef in i t ions

andexplanations

M,A,RKO'CONNELL

AND

R.AJEAIR.EY



THE COMPLETE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF'

SIGNSOSn{BOL

ldent i f icat ion

ndanalysis

f

the

visual ocabularyhat

ormulates

our houghts nddictates ur react ionso the wor ldaroundus

MARK

O'CONNELL

AND

RAJE

AIREY

I.^"^.^

I

ugntvtss



The ancient

. \

. ign.

On

hr

._, iher

and. mav bc undersioOo

s

an early

. lss l rmcf lng

lhal

stands

or.

r r

pornts

o.

l tne

symbol .

;omclhlng

clsc

n

I m\\re l rcrx l

u

ar . \

s tgn

exLsts

fLr

-ofl \

pv

rnformJrion rbouta speci[lc bJcct r

rdea. .r'hrle sr,:mbol

ends to tngger a

seriesof

perceptrons,

beLrefs

lnrl

cmni lonai rcsponsesFor cxample.

ds

J

si .{n.

he

r,vord

rree'

means a p arlicular type of plant that developsa permanentwood,v

structure

\L1lh

a trunk

and

branches.

oots and Leaves. s a

svmbol .

he rrecmer.

hrre mJnv mcJnlnBs. t

aJn

represent

t'rurtfulness

nd the

bount,v

of nature, endurance

and

longevrtv or

the web oi lamrly reLatronshrps,

s a

Chnstran s,r.rnbol i can

refer

to

the cross,and rn man,v raditions

t

represents

he

'tree

of

hfe'

thar

links

Lhe

er.'ery,day

orld

w.ith the

w.orld

of splnt.

Nerther

srgns

nor s,,mbols have

intnnsic

meanrng. The same ree

can be descnbed b,v

manl'

ditferent

rvords rn

different

languages.

rnJ irs meanrngs is

a sr.mbol rc formed hrough human

intcructron

rth

rr. B(rth rgnsand srmbtr lshrve bceomepart oI

human social and culturaL dentrtl..changing and evolving as we

do. Thev are

vehicLesor rnformationand meantng, peratlngon

manl- different levels

the universal and particular. ntellectual

and emotronal, patral

nd temporal.spintual and matertal. hev

are

a

\

;a

of makrng

senseoi expenence. f we

could

not classifv

the

rvorld

using s1-rnbohc odes

ancl structures

we

q,ould

be

ovcnvhclmedbr senson Jat.r.

\e

need

u'av

of descnl ' lng

lhar

happens o us

in

order

to understand t.

. \s

n'c l I

as bcing an

esscnu: lpart

of

human

socrc l \ . igns and

sl,mboLs

ppear n narure.and mav reter o pre-consclous

informauon.

as rn the caseof smoke

signifving a

fire nearbr'.

or

r r jck;

. , tpnn,rst

rr r l^e

arr \ rn, .>

,r f : nrrr icrr l r r r rmal

Thrs book

'* '"-

- 'b"r-

nnmrrr l r ,_nnrr . . r r l . ^ . th

'_- -

'L

'

L

r. . . . . - ' . . . . .

. . . . , . lqns

nat nJvee consclous r

unconsclous meanrng or humans. but as

w'e

are roored

in narur

we will se. [i1at he e mar-be cleeper onne cllons betw"een atur

phenomena and th e

sr,mbols hat

are

meanrngful o us.

1r'L l

-:

'-

'

-

I

" -L

, ls

c , tn ien e , ts manq or notnlcrs

ln

v

l l l tq : l3l l>

dl lu >\ i l luurr r ar Li laf '

r

wr

y

crendar. or consensus.ealrtv

he ;rrnbols of ihe dreamor spL

worlds

can help us to nav-rgatehe psvchospirltual terrarn

of

non

, onqinsl tq a:) l r '

(rrn ' i : tnd

dre: lm tgure.are undcrstood

o

gutde us or compen sate or

some

part

of

our wholeness

as

yet

unl j r cJ The srgnrf icancef such slmbols and

srgns

undamenr

r ]cnrnr lc nn , r r r r f repd. rm '

- ' - -

'-

|

'

'

L

'- '

* - r -

-'

_ _ *-

"

rU

tgSPUl tu LU LLL( tLi

The rbilitv to

grve

meanlng

to

srgns

and

s,vrnbolsed to

the

possibrhtv f communrcation nd reflection,

nd hasenabled

human beings o passdor,r.n

heir

hrstories,mythologies

and

worldviervs

b,u-

means

of

storytelhng, art

and

the

wntten

word.

: runs :n, l s r rh, , lc h: r ra nleved r . nre rel ner t in f r r r thcr ino nrrr

. .5

"" ,

sclentilic understanding of the

u'orld

and have helped us to

r laVal , rn rncreasrns l r , . rmnlex teehnolosres rdr rncrnu I rnm the

rnvention of pnmitrve tools to computers and

spacecraft.Rehgio

and sprnrual

rrdrtLons arr use,- l r mbolrsm o help on

'he

journev

towards an

understanding

and

experienceoi the dinne

and tou'ards

"nght

linng" In

ps,v-chology',

pproacheshave been

darelcnrd.ht '

, r ;a

mh,t l rSm

lJ

nurk

lguards 1[s

r l runmort nf

mrnd. bodv and nature.

ABOUT THIS BOOK

This book explore s he use and pow'er

of srrnbols.

whether

thel

are exploited

[or

rndivrdua] or socr aiwell-being,

or

tow-ards

dinsrve

or manipula[lve

ends.

lt

rs

drnded

into

three sectlons.

Part

One

provrdes

an overr,ieu'o[ the uses, meaning and

clevelopment f signsand symbolsas seen rom a

number of

different

perspectives:

istoncal, cross-cultural,sociologlcaland

ps\-chologrcal.

ar.

h,r'o .roks

at

the applrcaLrons

f s)mbois

rn

many areas f l i le. and

rncludes haprers n culture and

communication. abstractsl.rnbols.m,vth and the cosmos.plants

and anlmaLs,

he

human hfe cycle. and the earth Finall)'.

Part

Three.

the referencedirectory contains

more

than

l,t-r00 signs

an

slmboLs.

each

with its

or.r'n deograph

and a bnef

explanation

of

meaning

and application.

it rs

hoped thar the infbrmatron

in this

book

w.rll

sttmulate

reaclers

nteresl

n

this proiound and

complex

sub.1ect.romprln

them

to

look be1'ond he superficial

meaning

of everydav

ob1ec

and

ideas

o arrive

at a greater

understanding

of rhe wa1's n

rvhi

so

much

of

dariy

life, and the

rvav

ve

communrcate

with

each

other,

s informed

bv

the richness

of

srgns

and

slmbols.

INTRODTJCTION

The

rvord

'slmbol"

rs denved

from the ancient

t i reck

srmbal lein.me.rnrng() hro\r toBclher.

t5

figuratir-euse onglnated

ln

ihe custom o[

hre krnu r ' l . r ' t rhl , , r . r mtrk the conclusron f a

coniracr

or agreement. achparty

to

the

1dya,hr. ,

" . . ' "1,1

. . - i .

-n

onc

of rhe

brokcn

ni . . .p< <. ) rhr t t^ hcn lhru r .ennvcned the nrr ' ac

could be l i tted together

rke a pgsaw'The pieces.

each

of rvhich rdentrfled ne of the

peopLe

invcrh'ed.

vere

knoun

as

symbola. so that a

<rmlrol n, r t , rn lt r , 'nrrqpnlq iomethins als . hrr r

'1. . '

h'-r r ' . rmathrns

rn inrr i rh la

I>L'

l l l l l t ) J J l l l lSJ lrtE

\Ut ' r (r" . '6

par'

rhrr

rs

need(d

o rchrcvecomplet ion

or

wholeness.

\ 'hether

consciouslv

r

unconsclousl)'. he sr.mbol carnes he senseoI

i , ) rn inr rhinu< tns. rh. r r , ) . rprr r a u hole sra: t" r

J". . . , . .b

th rn rh" i rrm , r l rtc n2rl \ rq lh:d.< n[ mp?nrno

"' ' * ' ' " b

accrue

o produce

a complex

idea.



AThe f rst

etterof

the alphabet,sed o

signify he

best, irst.

VV\/\ /

vvv\rv

vvv\

/

Acrrve

TNTELLECT

Unknown

rigin,

ls o

oneof he s igns

or

water.

Aorrxnanene Most

important f he

Ghanaian

dinkra

symbols,

ignifying

the mportancef

playing

eading

ole.

Aoort Hebrew

or d

meaning

lordwho s

notGod.

Aenopuane

Spiri tual

aspiration,

nd he

transcendence

f

human imitations.

+j:K

ArnTheelement.

Kabbal is t icign.

AtnTheelement. ld

chemistry ymbol.

Axoeer Ghanaian

ad.inkraymbol

meaningigi lancend

wariness.he

akoben

s a hornused

to sound

baitle

ry.

Axoxornu

"Leg

of

the

hen",

Ghanaian

adinkra ymbol

meaning ercy,

nurturing.

nspired y

the

hen's abitof

treading n

herchicks

without urtinghem,

being

protective

ut

alsocorrective

arent,

Axorul

rroso

Ghanaian

dinkra

symbolmeaning

understandingnd

agreement.

Alcxenv,

the

art of.

Thesunsign s at he

centre, urrounded

y

the ourelemental

triangles,rowned

with

he Christ ian

cross, nd hen

placed

n a c i rc le

representinghe

eternal

r spiri tual

dimension.

Alcxemv, heart of,

variation. sed

n he

17th entury,

his

sign

wascreated nderhe

influence f

Pythagorean

geometry

ysticism.

Alcueuv, theari

of ,

variat ion.Thisymbol

is alsoengraved

n

rock aces ating

from1000

c

n Uxmal,

Central merica,The

symbol

as

adopted

by Rudolf teiner nd

is associated i th

Steiner's

anthroposophy.

v

&

lconol

Alchemist icign.

Alcoxol

Early

chemicalign.

ALeMerc

lchemist ic

s ign or dist i l lat ion

f askor sti l l .Also

used

n

early

chemistry.

AleolThe

f xed tar,

used

n some

Kabbalistic

ysticist

contexts

n magical

amulet

eals.

AleoaeeThe f xed

star, sed n

Kabbalistic agical

amulet eals.

Alttra

Typographical

signused

n

printed

texts,meaninghe

beginningf a new

trainof hought.

l_L_

Ar-r- s well Ground

to air emergency

code.

important ymbol i th

pagan

ndChrisi ian

roots

ssociated

it h

purity

ndvirgin irth.

Its

uice

wa s

associated

it h

semen

n

heancient

world. ib l ical

tradition

ays hat

Aaron's

riestly

statuswasshown y

his od

blossoming

and

producing

almonds. estern

rt

oftenshows

Mary

nd

Jesus nclosed

n an

almond-shaped

au eoe.

a

r-ruoro n

Alpxn The

rst

et -

ter of he Greek

alphabet, ssociated

with beginnings.

Linkedwith

God,

who s said o

be

he

alphaandomega

the beginning nd

the end.Also once

secret ignof he

Christ ian

ai th.

Alpnecca The f xed

star, used as a

Kabbal is t i cmagical

amulet seal .

Ar-uwt lchemistic

s ign.

Aul leam

Alchemist ic

s ign,



ign.

ig n

and".

Synonym

he

poli t ical

In early

secret

he cross;

alvation.

ls o

symbol f the

sea;of

nd

of he self.

Symbol

of

wi l l

in several

traditions,

eavenly

creatures

n Jewish,

Christ ian

nd s lamic

traditions,

hought

o

be

evolvedro m

Semitic nd

Egyptian

winged eities. ee n

as

messengers,

warriors,

uardians

r

protectors.

Arrml l raThe animal

kingdom,

Sthcentury.

Arxn A cross opped

with

a

loop;

ncient

Egyptian

ymbol

f

immortal

i fe.

Later

adopted

s

a

Christ ian

ymbol

y

the

Egyptian

optic

Church.

\

Rune

or

A

nsun

Arr Hard

work,

organized

ommunity.

The

anthi l l s

a

symbol

f ndustrious

l i fe

nTibetan

Buddhism;

n

parts

of

Af ica t

s associated

with

erti l i ty

nd

creativity.

ArtanesThe

fixed

star,Kabbalistic

magical

mulet eal .

Anrerope

In Africa

associated

ith

he

moon

nd ecundity;

for he Bambara

(Mal i )

heanimal

as

sent

by he creator

god

o teach

humans

agriculture.

Arrr

tuclean

CAMPAIGNThE

emblem

f he

Campaign

or

Nuclear

Disarmament,

ade

up of

he semaphore

signs or

the letters

"N"

and D".

Arrr-ctocxwrsr

setnal

Dynamic

symbol

f i le orce,

cosmic

ndearthly.

ArrruorY

Alchemistic,

lso

usednmedicine.

Atrtvrl n Polynesia

and

parts

oiAfrica,

associated

ith

he

f

emale

rinc iple

nd

ferti l i ty;

n

Scottish

folklore,inked

it h

magical

owers

f he

blacksmith.

Aee Respected

n

ancient

Egypt, frica,

India

nd

China,

ut

distrusted

n he

Christian

radition,

where t

s a symbol

f

viceand ust.

Aennoolrr Signof

the

goddess,

88

AeolloThis

symbol

of he god s based n

the

shape f

he yre,

which

was

Apollo's

instrument.

Aeelr

Symbol f

bl iss, special ly

sexual;

mblem

f

love,

marriage,

pring,

youth,

erti l i ty

nd

immortal i ty.

inked

with

he orbidden

fruit

of he

Garden f

Eden

nd

so a

Christian

ymbol f

temptation

nd

original in.

o

Appnoxruarew

EQUAL TO

Mathematical

ign.

o

#

f

f

f

f

f

g

Apnrcor

In

China,

theapricot

s a

symbol

for

a beautiful

oman;

the

Japanese

lu m

(ume)

s

sometimes

called

n

apricot.

Aeua

neera

Alchemistic

ign or

"king's

ater".

Aeua neera

Alchemist ic

ignor

king's

ater,

ariation.

Aeuanrus

Zodiac

srgn.

Aarrxnon

Planet,

mystical

abbalistic

sign or

he irst

Olympic

piri t

.

'

'/

.

'

.t/



Ancx

Triumph

nd

victory;

rand

uman

achevements.

AncrunusThe

ixed

star,

abbalist ic

magic muleteal .

Anes Sign

of he

god.

Anrs Sign

of he

god,

variation.

Antes

Zodiac ign,

Aax or

rx e

Coverlnr One

of

the symbols

f he

Jewishfai th,achest

that

was

God's

ledge

of divine

rotection.

Theark

waskept n

another

ymbol f

Judaism,

he

Tabernacle.

^-.

TE.

Anx on BoAT

A

symbol

f salvation

and

preservation

found n he

mythologyf

peoples

all around

he world.

In Christ iani ty

he ar k

stands

or

he Church,

for

Mary r or Christ;

in secular ymbol ism

it is a symbol

f he

Earth drift

n space.

Anm Symbol

f

power

andstrength;

he

many rms

given

o

Hindu

ods

ymbolize

their

omplexi ty

nd

power.

n upraised

arm

cansuggest

either

hreat r

a

blessing.The

rmalso

has

protective

connotations.

Anuoun ln medieval

Europe,

rmour

symbolizedhe

knightly irtues f

courage,

rotection,

honour ndstrength;

symbol

f

warrior

class

n China nd

Japan.

+

AnnowAs

direct ional

s ign.

>

Annow/ennow

Heno

Penetration

by

ight,

death,

ove r

perception.

inked

o

sunsymbols

nd he

piercing

arts

of ove.

Annow,

CURVED

Ancient

ign

ound

n

prehistoricave

rt

n

Western

uroPe.

ARnow, wAvYSea

currenIS.

D-+

Annow,

wEAPoNn

lslam tandsor he

wrathof

Allah, n

Christ iani ty

or

martyrdom

nddeath.

Bundled r broken

n

Native merican

symbolism,rrows

stand

or

peace.

Ansrntc

Alchemist ic

sign.

Anssrtc

Alchemistic

s ign, ariat ion.

Ansenrc

Alchemistic

sign,

ariation.

o

3

Anserrc

Alchemist ic

s ign, ariat ion.

AssThe

god,

ater

oss, une or rapids r

waterf l l .

Ass

See

Donkey

Asrrarsx

Typographical

ign or

footnote.

Arom Also uranium,

nucleareactor

on

maps), uclear

research,

uclear

physics.

Arom, esscommon

variationhan

above.

Auot Corporate

emblem f he car

manufacturers,

symbol f unityan d

togetherness.

AunocnThe

uneUr

sign orauroch.

Auruur Old

Germanic

ime ign.

AurumnOld

Germanic

ime ign,

var iat ion.

A

V



universal

f decisive

ndauthority.

orce

of

he

inked

and

gods.

Used

o

hunder nd

WestAf ica;

union f

n

Chinese

Linked ith

lness

n

China;

Cel t ic

radi t ion

Symbol f

ames;

n

ssociated

he sunand he

ymbol.

Chinese

f resi l ience,

appiness

andspir i tual

ruth;

Japaneseymbol

l

truthand

devotion.

Barana Freudian

phal l ic

ymbol .

Basttsx A medieval

symbol f

ustan d

disease.

Bnsxer Womb

symbol ;n he

Americas, tories

about askets nd

basket-making

re

relatedo

women,

9z

Bess cr-erMusic

notation.

Bnr Associated i th

death, ymbol f ear

andsupersti t ion,

l inked ithwitchcraft

and heoccul t n

Westernolklore.n

Africaandancient

Greecet wasa

symbol f

perspicuity.

Cansignifymadness.

Underworldiv ini ty

n

Central

merican

nd

Brazi l ian ythology.

Barx Associated

with

bathing nd hus

with

purif

cation,

oth

spiri tual nd

physical.

3?

-

Berls Symbol

f

fecundity,

sed

s

love

harms

n India

and o

ward

off

evil

spiri ts n Japan.

Brrn Emblem f

masculine

ourage

and

primeval

orce;

while he-bears

symbolizeare nd

warmth although

Jung inkedhem

with

dangerous

spects f

the

unconscious,n

Christ ian

nd s lamic

traditions

he bear s

cruel

and ustful.

BEARDmportant

aspect f male

symbolism,

representing

ignity,

sovereignty,iri l i ty

andwisdom.

ignof

a

king; n ancient gypt

beardlessulers,

inc luding omenr

weredepicted i th

falsebeardso

proclaim

heirstatus.

^d

-,

-

-

Ber/erexrve

Society,

industry nd

working

together; oneybees

arealso inked ith

romanticove n

European,hinese

andHindu radi t ions.

Bees re inked ith

death n d he

otherworld

n

Eurooeanolklore.

Btt-lThevoiceha t

proclaims

he

ruth,

especial ly

n

Buddhist , indu,

ls lamic ndChrist ian

tradi t ions.n

China

t

'

symbolizesbedience

andcosmic armony.

Smal l

ink l ing el ls

can

epresenl

happinessndsexual

pleasure.

orn

on

Hebrew resses

s a

signof virginity.

Linked ith

he

feminine

rinciple,

also

protective.

arks

the

passing

f

im e

and

proclaims

oo d

news,

arns

f

danger

and

ol ls

or death.

\#

Bgtt on etnote

Female

hastity,

mari talidel i ty r

seductiveness.

agic

girdles

ppearn myth

as emblems f

strength

ndbecame

a symbol f honourn

England.he ope

girdles

f monks

al ludeo the

scourging f Christ.

TheHindu

irdle

s an

emblem

f he

cycles

of ime.

Beonc Rune or B.

BerxonThe

planet;

mystical abbalistic

sign or he second

Olympic pi r i t .

Btonnzeno

Warning,

USA.

Brncx Benefc ial ,

protective,acredo

Germanic

ods.

Cosmic

reeof

Central

sia. n

shamanic

ites t

symbolizeduman

ascento the spiri t

woflo.

Btnos

Symbol

f he

human

oul ,

representing

goodness

nd

oy ,

standingor wisdom,

intel l igence

nd he

swift

power

of

thought. boriginal

stories

uggesihey

bear nformation.n

Western rt birds

an

symbolize

ir an d

touch.

Btnrx

cglnr

Elizabethan

ngland,

'17th

century.



o

E

CYC

L

o

nd

analysisf thevisual ocabulary

hat ormulate

houghts nddictates ur react ionso theworldaround s

A fascinating

guide

to hundreds

of

symbols,signs and ideographs,

llustrated

with

photographs,

artworks,

diagramsand drawings,

and

presentedwith

authoritative

text, commentary

and definitions

aJ

Lavish illustration reflects

how

signs and symbolshave

been nterpreted

and

represented

hrough thousands

of yearsof aft, mythology

and

religion,

from

the Babvloniansand Sumerians o the modern world

An erudite, accessible

ext."pt"i.rr,

decodesand

categ orizesthe

signs,

including in-depth

analysis

of some

of

the most

important

symbolsof

all, such

as

he wheel, the

cross,

he

gateway,

he rainbour,

he dragon and the

sun

Contains

a directory

of over 1000

i[rrrtr"tions of iconographic

symbols, n

addition to

hundreds

of colour images

eaturing these

primal

metaphors

ISBN-1

: 978-1

84477-668-9

ISBN-1

:

1

821477-668-9

sign symbols

Documents