Dictionary of Symbolism: Cultural Icons and the Meanings Behind Them

by Hans Biedermann

Book Overview

Explains the meanings for more than two thousand symbols from mythology, fairy tales, religion, literature, history, and archaeology. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0452011183
• ISBN13: 9780452011182
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.0" x 9.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Great book

I fone is studying philosophy, literature, anthropology, history or religion, this book could be a tremendous help. It covers symbols from all cultures and describes their uses and effect. Lots of diagrams and easy to follow.

Excellent resource

This is an excellent resource for the study of literature. I love watching my students use this book to heighten their understanding of the material we cover. I am constantly amazed by the connections they make that I never considered!

I keep it where I can read it best!

Okay -- I'll admit that I have it in the bathroom, but only because I want to read every item and it is a good place for quick reading. As an aspiring writer of fantasy -- which I don't understand because I don't care for fantasy -- I need to have some understand of these symbols and how they relate to my stories. I have been able to connect bits and pieces into my understanding and imagination and come up with a new way to express the details of the pictures I have in my head. This is, by far, one of the most useful reference books I have.

Invaluable research tool...

This is an essential lexicon for the numerous symbols and cultural icons that have appeared or have their origins mainly in the western tradition. After reading the many definitions, it dawned on me that many symbols are simply misunderstood by popular culture and used in the wrong context. This text also takes the meaning of certain symbols and traces their root derivations, showing that meaning changes as the culture changes; and that different cultures use the same icon or symbol for entirely different purposes. Because our world is rife with signifiers, it would be a daunting task indeed to provide a comprehensive collection. Though what Biedermann has done is capture those symbols and icons that he believes have been the most significant throughout western civilization.A good example of a symbol that has been appropriated is the swastika. Anyone seeing this symbol in present time will associate it with Adolf Hitler's Nazi party. However this symbol has it roots from a pre-Aryan civilization, Mohenjo-Daro, circa 2000 B.C., in ancient China. It was also seen in old Buddhist traditions and certain Gnostic sects in late antiquity.This important text would be invaluable in any researcher's library as it contains nearly 600 entries and over 2000 symbols. Highly recommended for students of history, religion and philosophy.

A wonderful, comprehensive resource!

I refer to the Dictionary of Symbolism so often that I always keep it close at hand. It is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in mythology, Jungian dream analysis, biblical symbolism, cross-cultural meanings and myths, the history of symbols, etc. This is no simple listing of symbolic meanings -- it is a substantial book with extensive information on each entry, very often with illustrations. For example, someone mentioned the "Chicken Little" story recently, and I looked up the word "hen." There I found an entry describing both the positive and negative symbolism of hens as protective mothers and also as foolish, confused birds, with two illustrations and information from Matthew, Africa and Europe. I was surprised to find so much. On the same day I looked up Prometheus, Mercury and "rock."Not only are the entries detailed, but there are an enormous number of them. The index at the back is a great cross-listing. Unfortunately, for every symbol in the universe to be listed, there would need to be several volumes. But for a single volume, this one is pretty comprehensive.