This encyclopedic guide explores the rich and varied meanings of more than 2,000 symbols—from amethyst to Zodiac.

This is a companion to the hugely successful Symbolism: A Comprehensive Dictionary. The earlier dictionary was arranged by symbol and told what the meanings were. The present work goes the other way (but it is not simply a refiguring of the data). It presents ideas, situations or objects (ancient to modern), and gives the appropriate symbols (allusions, associations, attributes, or emblems). Some examples: one of the symbols for "hell" is descending stairs; an attribute of Saint Benedict is a raven; joy after sorrow is symbolized by the gemstone, amber. Literary, artistic, religious, heraldic, numerological, folkloric, occult, psychological, and biblical usages are included.

Includes the meanings and origins of over 2000 symbols.

The use of symbolism is an art, not a science. Different people use symbols in a variety of ways and each symbol can have diverse meanings, even within the same culture. Not surprisingly, determining the meaning of symbols can be difficult. This valuable reference defines the general symbolism of more than 15,000 terms, from ancient to modern, as well as specialized meanings in mythology, religion, art, literature, folklore, flower language, astrology, heraldry, numerology, and cultures the world over. From "0" to "Zu," each entry catalogs all possible connotations, listed by culture when appropriate, creating the most comprehensive symbolism dictionary available.

A valuable reference, this informative and entertaining volume presents a key to elucidating the symbolic worlds encountered in both the arts and the history of ideas. 32 black-and-white illustrations.

"A Companion volume to James Hall’s perennial seller Dictionary of Subjects & Symbols in Art. which deals with the subject matter of Christian and Western art, the present volume includes the art of Egypt, the ancient Near East, Christian and classical Europe, India and the Far East. Flail explores the language of symbols in art showing how paintings, drawings and sculpture express man shades of meaning from simple, everyday hopes and fears to the profoundest philosophical and religious aspirations. The book explains and interprets symbols from many cultures, and over 600 illustrations clarify and complement the text. There are numbered references throughout the text to the sacred Iitcra-1 ture, myths and legends in which the symbols had their origins. Details of English translations of the works are in the bibliography. The book includes an appendix of the transcription of Chinese, notes and references, bibliography, chronological tables and index."