Dictionary of Symbols: An Illustrated Guide to Traditional Images, Icons, and Emblems
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Book Overview
The crow spelled death for medieval Europeans, but for Native Americans it represents a guide from the spirit world. Dictionary of Symbols explores 1,000 symbols from across the world's cultures and throughout the ages. Unlike other books on the subject, it is truly comprehensive, including entries, arranged alphabetically, for everything from amaranth (a Greek symbol of immortality) to ziggurat (a temple-shaped Mesopotamian icon). Indexed, cross-referenced, and packed with over 100 drawings, this is an indispensable reference for writers, artists, and anyone intrigued by the power of primal metaphors.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:081181470X
ISBN13:9780811814706
Release Date:April 1998
Publisher:Chronicle Books
Length:240 Pages
Weight:1.34 lbs.
Dimensions:1.0" x 1.0" x 1.0"
Customer Reviews
5 ratings
Accessible, up-to-date, thorough, fun to read--What more to ask?
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 17 years ago
I have bought several books on symbols recently and this is by far the best. It is well laid out with featured articles, good cross-references and, esp. impressive, footnoting of sources. While no book, especially of the encyclopeidic kind, can be "Complete" -- an admittedly pretentious title -- this book comes close. That's just marketing (like all the new cars and shaving cream advertised as the "ultimate" this or that . . .) The illustrations in this book, mostly line drawings, are attractive and well chosen. Whereas, the illustrations in other symbols books (such as Biedermann's "Dictionary of Symbolism") seem arbitrarily chosen, perhaps for their lack of copyright (!) or just for dramatic effect. For what it is, unless you've got your own private Wikipedia, I don't see how anyone could be disappointed by this book.
Thorough and informative
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
The layout of the book and the information it includes is well put together. It reads like an encyclopedia with diagrams and is quite thorough with explaining the significance of the symbols throughout the world's history and in mythology. I refer to the book more often than I anticipated that I would. I use it for referencing symbol origins and their meanings of course, and surprisingly I find that using the book for dream interpretation works excellently. For anyone who regards symbolism as important, I give the book my highest recommendation.
Find That Symbol
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
"This accessible reference guide presents more than 2,000 themes, figures, and symbols that appear in the arts, literature, and religion. It draws on classical mythologies, Biblical themes, and traditional symbols from cultures worldwide. The Complete Dictionary of Symbols has entries on plants and animals, gods and goddesses, supernatural creatures, heroes, saints, and hundreds of other subjects." (summary by South TX Library System)
fun book
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 21 years ago
one of my favorites on symbols. Not exactly encyclopedic, but extremely palatable, useful and written in a fun style.Very cool.
symbols for brotherly love or brotherhood or family
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 25 years ago
symbols of brotherhoo
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